TSA Inspector Damages Planes
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I knew these TSA jerks were really dim bulbs, but the stupidity of
this action astonishes even me:
A bumbling inspector with the Transportation Safety Administration apparently has some explaining to do, after nine American Eagle regional jets were grounded at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Tuesday.
Citing sources within the aviation industry, ABC News reports an overzealous TSA employee attempted to gain access to the parked aircraft by climbing up the fuselage... reportedly using the Total Air Temperature (TAT) probes mounted to the planes' noses as handholds.
...One Eagle pilot says had the pilots not been so attentive, the damaged probes could have caused problems inflight. TSA agents "are now doing things to our aircraft that may put our lives, and the lives of our passengers at risk," the pilot wrote on the forum.
Why this genius thought he needed to "gain access" by
climbing up the outside of the plane is baffling enough. But using temperature probes as a ladder? I guess the airlines are going to have to start slapping "No Step" signs all over their planes...but do TSA employees have that much reading comprehension?
Perhaps the scariest thing is the statement from a TSA spokesman, who said
"Our inspector was following routine procedure for securing the aircraft that were on the tarmac". I presume that no disciplinary action is planned.
Update: According to
CNN's report, "most" of these sensors already have "No Step" decals. The agency says it will
"retrain" its inspectors...in remedial English perhaps? And, suddenly the TSA is accusing American of
"security violations"...so their valiant moron was really just protecting the public, you see.
(Hat tip to
Bruce Schneier.)
Brad
- Friday 22 August 2008 - 09:25:37
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