11 votes

Laptops to stay in bags as TSA brings new technology to airports

14 comments

  1. [4]
    Wes
    Link
    Once agents became more familiar with the older X-Ray machines, did efficiency increase? How long did the pilot program run for? It's a bit scarce on details. In any case I don't think it reflects...

    While the CT pilot program didn’t show reduced wait times at participating airports, the agency is expecting the technology will speed up lines as passengers and staffers get used to the new processes.

    Once agents became more familiar with the older X-Ray machines, did efficiency increase? How long did the pilot program run for? It's a bit scarce on details. In any case I don't think it reflects the claim at the start of the article:

    “It’s not a little bit better, it’s a lot better,” Pekoske said of the technology.

    11 votes
    1. [3]
      json
      Link Parent
      Regardless, taking your laptop out of the bag is a hassle that doesn't need to be enforced. Though that's basically the same for all of this airport security crap. The thing most interesting after...

      Regardless, taking your laptop out of the bag is a hassle that doesn't need to be enforced.

      Though that's basically the same for all of this airport security crap.

      The thing most interesting after Christchurch is that our domestic flights are going to begin having security screenings. (That is, either we didn't have security screenings on domestic flights in NZ, or more domestic flights will be screened). But airport security had nothing to do with the attack so why the knee jerk reaction to add more screening?

      8 votes
      1. [2]
        unknown user
        Link Parent
        Well, New Zealand has security screening on jet flights to main centers already. It's the turboprops which had no security. I haven't heard of any changes on this front, however.

        Well, New Zealand has security screening on jet flights to main centers already. It's the turboprops which had no security. I haven't heard of any changes on this front, however.

        3 votes
        1. json
          Link Parent
          I'll attempt to find what I read that I thought mentioned what I was trying to say. Until then, assume I was wrong.

          I'll attempt to find what I read that I thought mentioned what I was trying to say. Until then, assume I was wrong.

          1 vote
  2. XenonNSMB
    Link
    Using "no electronics larger than a phone" has gotten harder and harder because phones have gotten bigger and bigger.

    Using "no electronics larger than a phone" has gotten harder and harder because phones have gotten bigger and bigger.

    4 votes
  3. [9]
    NoblePath
    Link
    From one kind of pointlessness to another! The government is helping! Why can't we get tel aviv quality security-unobtrusive and actually works? Oh yeah, we would only employ fewer, smarter...

    From one kind of pointlessness to another! The government is helping!

    Why can't we get tel aviv quality security-unobtrusive and actually works?

    Oh yeah, we would only employ fewer, smarter people....

    /morbid sarcasm off

    1 vote
    1. [3]
      Cosmos
      Link Parent
      Can you expand on why you think this is pointless and what Tel Aviv is doing that works?

      Can you expand on why you think this is pointless and what Tel Aviv is doing that works?

      3 votes
      1. [2]
        NoblePath
        Link Parent
        Well, all published studies that i know about seem to indicate tsa has an abysmal failure rate for detecting contraband. More importantly, all the measures, like shoe examination, are reactive-put...

        Well, all published studies that i know about seem to indicate tsa has an abysmal failure rate for detecting contraband. More importantly, all the measures, like shoe examination, are reactive-put in place after a threat actor was discovered (usually by passengers) after boarding.

        As far as my research shows, the only truly effective measures are completely independent of tsa: locked cockpit doors and air marshalls.

        It doesn't take a lot of creativity to imagine lots of scenarios whereby a bad actor could gain access to a plane quite independent of the passenger boarding queue.

        In contrast, reports of tel aviv security describe it as efficient and highly effective, and free of obtrusive body scans and/or patdowns.

        4 votes
        1. unknown user
          Link Parent
          You should lead with comments like this rather than your top level comment. There's a reason the community flagged it for noise.

          You should lead with comments like this rather than your top level comment. There's a reason the community flagged it for noise.

          2 votes
    2. [5]
      NaraVara
      Link Parent
      When your country has only one major international airport you can invest in the kind of training and recruit the best-and-brightest minds to work as profilers. I have doubts about whether America...

      Why can't we get tel aviv quality security-unobtrusive and actually works?

      When your country has only one major international airport you can invest in the kind of training and recruit the best-and-brightest minds to work as profilers. I have doubts about whether America has enough people with those sorts of chops to staff every major international airport in the country or the budget to pay for that many.

      1 vote
      1. [4]
        NoblePath
        Link Parent
        I don't see how that makes a difference. They have the same population/flight proportion as we do.

        I don't see how that makes a difference. They have the same population/flight proportion as we do.

        1. [3]
          NaraVara
          Link Parent
          Some things just don't scale as well, so the raw number matters more than the proportion. It's one thing when you only need to have a training program to staff a 1 to 3 international airports. In...

          Some things just don't scale as well, so the raw number matters more than the proportion. It's one thing when you only need to have a training program to staff a 1 to 3 international airports. In the US we have international airports all over the place. John Travolta's driveway is technically on one, zoned that way just so he can park his personal 747.

          1 vote
          1. [2]
            NoblePath
            Link Parent
            Are youvsaying travolta's airport has tsa security?

            Are youvsaying travolta's airport has tsa security?

            1. NaraVara
              Link Parent
              That one probably doesn't get enough traffic. But the state of Florida alone has about 20, which is about 1 airport per million people in the state. Israel's got about 3 to serve a country of 8M....

              That one probably doesn't get enough traffic. But the state of Florida alone has about 20, which is about 1 airport per million people in the state. Israel's got about 3 to serve a country of 8M. We just have a crap-ton more airports to cover.

              1 vote