WCHA REFEREE Arrested

[The Rube]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

I think you're right here on all counts MNS. In a post-911 society, it's ludicrous to even consider openly using the B-word in a joking manner or otherwise in ANY airport...period. Wisdom says, don't play with it. That was a clear lapse in judgment on the refs part, and frankly if I'm standing in line for the same flight, I'd feel a lot better if someone checked this guy out.

TSA personnel are not trained and qualified as a bomb squad experts to inspect baggage that may be suspect. But they are trained to respond immediately with procedural protocols in a case like this to determine if the threat is credible and if so, respond expediently with evacuation procedures to save lives.

However, I've been in airports all over the US and noticed security checks do vary at times from expected to suspicious overreaction to potential security threats. FWIW, TSA has admitted at times to overreacting to passengers. There's little doubt an impending investigation will be conducted to determine if TSA personnel followed proper security protocols to determine if this threat was credible to react as they did.

Mother of God. I agree with Harley.

I hate the TSA. I hate all of their useless rules. In this particular case, though, I am siding with them. They did what they were supposed to do. The blind haters of all things TSA are showing their ignorance/prejudice. That actually bothers me more.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Asking an honest question is not making an insinuation of any kind whatsoever. Too many people are having a hard time understanding that. If he asked a question about the procedure to be followed in the event that a bomb was in a particular bag does NOT mean that he is saying that such a bomb exists, nor does it mean that he is implying that. His position appears to be that he was asking a question, and that jives with what the gate agent initially told the cops. You guys are pretty much saying that he can't ask about the procedure to be followed if shenanigans are found in the bag that now has his name on it. And that is something that is completely reasonable for him to be concerned about.

He can ask that a procedure be followed, especially this particular one. But, he can't ask "what if there's a bomb in it?"

As to your example with the kid. Investigate it and shut down the terminal (again, I don't why everyone keeps saying the airport was shut down...it wasn't). The difference is the kid doesn't know better...an adult (especially one with a criminal justice and aviation management background) should.

[Suze]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Just saw the story again on the late news, I actually know the judge he faced, she plays hockey herself in a women's league.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Was there a bomb in his luggage? No. Was shutting down the entire airport appropriate? No.

Like I said before it's sad that this is the state we're in... We've taken every single bit of common sense out of the equation and overreact to anything on the near absolute zero chance it may be threatening a life at an airport. Yet we do so many other things that are far more dangerous in our daily lives. That friend or family member is much more likely to die in a car accident caused by a drunk driver than an airplane being bombed, yet every day we get on the road with people that are doing that. Airport security is a complete and total focus on the feeling of being safe, not actually making things safe, because in reality it's already an extremely safe way to travel even taking into account the horrible things that have happened.

Well said Stuckinwi!

[UncleRay]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

He can ask that a procedure be followed, especially this particular one. But, he can't ask "what if there's a bomb in it?"

He DID! He immediately pointed out that the tags were switched, but the lazy gate agent said it didn't matter since both bags were going to the same airport. It does matter whose name is associated with which bag if there ends up being an issue with one of the bags.

[davyd83]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Personally, the "Bomb" comment was stupid. Second, the TSA has no choice but to react as though the situation was potentially dangerous. Maybe some of you would prefer they under react. And who is it you will assail if dangerous materials show up aboard your flight...the TSA!!! ****ed if you do, ****ed if you don't. I don't want to be 99.8% certain that my plane is not endangered. Anything less than 100% is unacceptable!

Now Mr Friesma should be held responsible for all expense incurred and all hardship caused to other passengers because of his "joke." And by the way, can someone please tell me the standard for determining if someone is just joking or making a smart axe comment? Is there an exact standard? And please don't tell me "common sense," which is not very common anyway.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Speaking of incompetant airline employees at the Anchorage airport. My mom was in Alaska last summer, and she flew up there with a gun in her luggage, because they were going to be out doing something stupid like camp in Alaska. It was completely legal, which many probably don't realize, to pack a gun in your checked luggage. You just have to make sure it is unloaded, make sure it is locked up and declare it to the person you check your luggage into. Leaving MSP, no problem, everything goes as planned, the trip was fine, no one was eaten by an bear to attacked by a moose. She goes to the Anchorage airport to fly home, declares to the airline employee that she has a gun in her checked luggage, and the employee says "so? Why do I care?" and tosses the bag on the conveyor without checking if it was loaded, or locked or putting the warning sticker on her luggage tag that notified TSA that there is firearm in the bag.

[Osorojo]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Stockholm Syndrome sufferers: Suppose the star player on your favorite team was just clearing security, saw Friesema in line, and said, "I hope that bum doesn't get on the plane." Would you rush to defend or excuse the actions of TSA agents?
I could not bring a reel filled with fishline on a plane. "It could be a weapon" - a garotte, I suppose. My shoe laces were ignored. Effective airport security requires common sense in TSA agents as well as passengers.

[Suze]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Speaking of incompetant airline employees at the Anchorage airport. My mom was in Alaska last summer, and she flew up there with a gun in her luggage, because they were going to be out doing something stupid like camp in Alaska. It was completely legal, which many probably don't realize, to pack a gun in your checked luggage. You just have to make sure it is unloaded, make sure it is locked up and declare it to the person you check your luggage into. Leaving MSP, no problem, everything goes as planned, the trip was fine, no one was eaten by an bear to attacked by a moose. She goes to the Anchorage airport to fly home, declares to the airline employee that she has a gun in her checked luggage, and the employee says "so? Why do I care?" and tosses the bag on the conveyor without checking if it was loaded, or locked or putting the warning sticker on her luggage tag that notified TSA that there is firearm in the bag.

Happens everywhere. I was flying with my daughter and baby granddaughter from Colorado to Alaska, and the idiots at the Colorado airport wouldn't let us take baby food onboard. It was going to be 10 hours before we reached home and you can't buy baby food in airports. When I insisted we be allowed to take them, they then wanted to open up every sealed jar to "check" them out. Well, they wouldn't have been safe to eat then. We finally won our battle but had to be patted down thoroughly first. The TSA website says you can take baby food as long as you declare it first, which we did. One of the TSA agents was extremely sarcastic and mean spirited. Very unprofessional.

[flyund]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Suze

Without getting into it there are reasons they do that, what we would think unconscionable others have tried

[SanTropez]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

When the wrong tag was put on the bag, the ref should have said "what if there is a thing-a-ma-jig that goes boom in his bag?" Is that the same as saying bomb?

or he could have just asked, what if the other bag has "bad stuff" in it? you know the one with my name on it!

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

He DID! He immediately pointed out that the tags were switched, but the lazy gate agent said it didn't matter since both bags were going to the same airport. It does matter whose name is associated with which bag if there ends up being an issue with one of the bags.

I never said he didn't ask. The first time he asked the agent should have said, "Oh sorry, my mistake" and then corrected it. That still doesn't mean he can ask "what if there's a bomb in it?"

[Twitch Boy]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Speaking of incompetant airline employees at the Anchorage airport. My mom was in Alaska last summer, and she flew up there with a gun in her luggage, because they were going to be out doing something stupid like camp in Alaska. It was completely legal, which many probably don't realize, to pack a gun in your checked luggage. You just have to make sure it is unloaded, make sure it is locked up and declare it to the person you check your luggage into. Leaving MSP, no problem, everything goes as planned, the trip was fine, no one was eaten by an bear to attacked by a moose. She goes to the Anchorage airport to fly home, declares to the airline employee that she has a gun in her checked luggage, and the employee says "so? Why do I care?" and tosses the bag on the conveyor without checking if it was loaded, or locked or putting the warning sticker on her luggage tag that notified TSA that there is firearm in the bag.

Try bringing a Playstation 3 in your open air carry-on. You get EVERY "random" stop-and-check they have.

[NoClu]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Well said Stuckinwi!

+100

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: WCHA REFEREE Arrested

Stockholm Syndrome sufferers: Suppose the star player on your favorite team was just clearing security, saw Friesema in line, and said, "I hope that bum doesn't get on the plane." Would you rush to defend or excuse the actions of TSA agents?
I could not bring a reel filled with fishline on a plane. "It could be a weapon" - a garotte, I suppose. My shoe laces were ignored. Effective airport security requires common sense in TSA agents as well as passengers.

You keep blaming the TSA. He didn't say it to the TSA. And in your little hypothetical, the TSA would probably do nothing...