Secret Service Acted Without Pay, Thanks To Democrats

Although the U.S. Secret Service did a great job in apprehending a shooter at the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Washington Hilton, they are doing so without pay.

This is thanks to the Democrats led by Chuck Schumer in refusing to find the Department of Homeland Security which oversees the Secret Service along with the TSA. 

According to Fox News:

A shooting near President Donald Trump and several Cabinet members Saturday night is putting a spotlight on the Secret Service’s funding shortfall amid an ongoing standoff in Congress.

A gunman opened fire outside the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., where celebrities, members of the press and administration officials had gathered, prompting a swift security response. The suspect is in custody and has not been identified. One Secret Service agent was reportedly shot in their protective vest but is uninjured.

The incident unfolded near a security screening area, prompting a rapid response from Secret Service agents and law enforcement.

The shooting comes amid a more than 60-day funding stalemate in Congress over the Department of Homeland Security — a lapse driven by Democrats blocking funding bills and rejecting multiple GOP-backed proposals to reopen the department.

The funding standoff centers on disputes over immigration enforcement policy and has raised concerns about resources for agencies including the Secret Service, FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the president, vice president, their families and other senior U.S. officials, along with visiting heads of state, has faced growing demands in recent years.

The incident adds to a growing list of threats against Trump, including two confirmed assassination attempts and a recent incident involving an armed intruder at Mar-a-Lago.

To read more, go here. 

Delta Airlines Suspends Congress Special Treatment

Kudos to Delta Airlines!

Thanks to the Chuck Schumer/Democrat-led partial shutdown, the airline is suspending the special treatment accorded to members of Congress.

Reuters reported:

WASHINGTON, March 24 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines said on Tuesday it would suspend special services for members of Congress, citing the impact ​of a partial government shutdown that has disrupted U.S. air travel.

"Due ‌to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta. Next to safety, Delta’s ​no. 1 priority is taking care of our people and ​customers, which has become increasingly difficult in the current environment,” ⁠the Atlanta-based U.S. air carrier said in a statement.

Other airlines should also follow suit and suspend perks accorded to members of Congress during the shutdown. They should have a big taste of their own medicine.

To read more, go here.

Albuquerque Sunport TSA "Normal"

Above, the TSA checkpoint at the Albuquerque Sunport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A trip is planned for next month to go to Houston, Texas for the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. Mitch Geriminsky and I will be flying out of the Albuquerque Sunport.

How is Sunport faring during this Chuck Schumer-led Democrat partial shutdown?

KRQE News 13 reported:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The ongoing partial government shutdown has resulted in longer-than-average wait times at airport security checkpoints operated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) around the country. As a result, the federal government has deployed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to aid with security at some airports.

Despite the major travel shifts being seen at airports across the country, as of Monday, operations at the Albuquerque International Sunport remain unchanged.

“The Sunport has not experienced staffing shortages related to TSA, and checkpoint operations continue as normal,” said Albuquerque International Sunport Spokesperson Diana Lopez.

Getting back from Houston may be a different story if the shutdown has not ended by then.  

To read more, go here.

How Early Should You Get to the Airport Amid TSA Delays?

How Early Should You Get to the Airport Amid TSA Delays? video by Today.

Summary:

With passengers facing TSA lines with wait times that are hourslong at some airports across the United States, NBC’s Brian Cheung joins TODAY to share tips for navigating the ongoing travel chaos. Tips include how early to get to the airport, how to save time before you fly and what to do if you missed your flight due to the extended process.

 

TSA: No Shoes, No Problem

Above, TSA checkpoint at Albuquerque Sunport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Thank goodness that the adults have regained control of the TSA.

We don't have to take off our shoes anymore at TSA airport checkpoints thanks to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

I received an email from the Daily Caller which read:

NO SHOES, NO PROBLEM

Great news, everyone. If you’re flying anywhere in the near future, you won’t have to take off your shoes in the security line. 

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed Tuesday that TSA will no longer require passengers to put their shoes through the scanner. The shoe removal policy started in 2006 in response to a man who tried to detonate an explosive device he hid in his shoe while on a flight from Paris to Miami. The device failed. 

Since that busted bombing, millions of airline customers have been subjected to metatarsal tyranny. 

Audits in years past found that the TSA missed 70% of fake weapons that made their way through the security line, but we’re supposed to believe that slipping off a sandal is going to save us from terrorism. Although, to be fair, maybe the TSA had an unofficial shoe policy none of us knew about. Cowboy boots? Wave ‘em through. Adidas Sambas? Randomly selected! 

I usually have worn slip-on shoes (like deck shoes) on days that I would be flying somewhere.  

What Happens When The TSA Intercepts Firearms At US Airports

Above, the TSA checkpoint at the Albuquerque Sunport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Bringing a firearm through airport security (TSA) can be a major problem if one does not follow proper procedures. I've never had the need to bring a gun while traveling by air.

It is legal to bring a firearm in one's luggage as long as it is locked unloaded in a hard-sided case and declared with the baggage officer.

But not following the procedures can get one heavily fined, arrested and the gun confiscated.

Here's the official TSA procedures for transporting firearms and ammunition.

MSN posted an article on what happens. 

They start with:

As US travelers take advantage of their Second Amendment rights, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) frequently discovers firearms at security checkpoints throughout the US. By not declaring their firearms, travelers can potentially face legal issues for not following the proper procedures.

While the TSA does not confiscate or seize firearms if a passenger attempts to bring one through the security checkpoint or packs one in their carry-on luggage, the TSA will contact local law enforcement to take possession of the firearm safely. The passenger may be arrested or issued a citation, depending on local laws.

To read the full article, go here. 

Labor Day Weekend Looks To Be Busier

Above, Albuquerque's Sunport TSA area will be a lot busier
than this during Labor Day weekend. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There is one thing I don't have to worry about. That is Labor Day weekend travel.

I plan on staying home during the weekend, so I am leaving traveling to others. This Labor Day weekend looks to be even busier than last year's.

According to KOB 4:

Many children have gone back to school in the U.S., and the days are getting shorter, but there is still one more excuse to use the swimsuits and beach towels before packing them up: Labor Day.

Airports, highways, beaches and theme parks are expected to be packed for the long holiday weekend as a lot Americans mark the unofficial end of summer the same way they celebrated the season’s unofficial start: by traveling.

The Transportation Security Administration anticipates screening more than 17 million people between Thursday and next Wednesday — a record for the Labor Day period.

AAA says bookings for domestic travel are running 9% higher than last year for the holiday weekend, while international trips are down 4%.

American Airlines plans to have its largest Labor Day weekend operation ever and expects a 14% increase in passengers compared to last year.

To read more, go here. 

3 Million Pass Through US Airport Security In A Day

One thing is for certain, when Americans want to travel, they will do so "come hell or high water."

This was the case last Sunday as, for the first time, three million travelers passed though airport TSA checkpoints in a single day.

According to Hawaii News Now:

(AP) - More than 3 million people passed through U.S. airport security on Sunday, the first time that number of passengers have been screened in a single day as travel surges, according to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

The record, which was widely predicted to happen at some point over the July Four holiday weekend, topped the June 23 mark of more than 2.99 million screened passengers. Eight of the 10 busiest days in TSA’s history have come this year as the number of travelers tops pre-pandemic levels.

TSA was created after the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and replaced a collection of private security companies that were hired by airlines. The agency operates under the Department of Homeland Security, which said that agents on Sunday checked 35 passengers every second.

Thankfully, G-FEST is this weekend instead of last weekend.

To read more, go here. 

Record Number of Guns Seized At Airports

Long before the creation of the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) by the federal government in the aftermath of September 11, I would occasionally pack a pistol in my luggage.

Those were the days when one could check in their locked luggage at the airport. Now, one cannot check in their locked luggage. It has to be unlocked.

One can still fly with their gun in their checked luggage, but the rules are a little complex. I don't even bother traveling by air with a gun anymore. It's just not worth the hassle.

The New York Post has an article on the record number of guns seized by the TSA. People not following the rules will be fined and have their firearms confiscated.

The article begins with:

US flyers were caught packing heat at record levels last year, the Transportation Security Administration said Monday.

TSA agents seized 6,542 guns, almost all of which were loaded, at the nation’s airports in 2022, an average of 18 a day — the highest ever recorded, the agency said.

“What we see in our checkpoints really reflects what we’re seeing in society, and in society, there are more people carrying firearms nowadays,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said.

But Pekoske insisted that the figures are no indication of a potential spike in would-be hijackings or terrorism. The bulk of the gun-toting travelers appeared to simply forget they had a gun, he said.

The number of guns intercepted at US airports has risen every year since 2010, except for the pandemic-tainted year of 2020, when air travel dipped, the agency said. Last year’s gun grab was about a 10 percent increase over the record-setting year before.

To read more, go here.

To fly with a firearm and ammo, the TSA has a webpage with the procedures. To view it, go here.

TSA Confiscated Record Number of Guns In 2022

Above, a plane being readied at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in the good old days, when airline travelers were able to lock their suitcases before checking it in at the check-in counter, I would sometimes have my pistol (unloaded, of course) inside my luggage. 

Since 9/11, the TSA requires all check-in luggage to be unlocked unless a TSA-approved lock is used. One can still bring their firearm(s), but it is under certain guidelines. Since this, I have not brought a firearm with me on trips. I am more fearful that a not-so-honest baggage handler might steal it.

CBS News reports that 6,301 guns, some loaded, have been confiscated by the TSA for not following the rules in 2022, so far.

They wrote:

Transportation Security Administration officers have confiscated 6,301 firearms from airport passengers so far in 2022 – the highest number recorded since the agency's inception. Of those guns taken at airport security checkpoints, 88% were loaded, the agency announced Friday.  

The TSA said that it expects to have confiscated about 6,600 firearms by the end of year, which would mark a 10.5% increase from the 5,972 firearms seized in 2021, which was also a record. 

The agency also reported Friday that it was raising the maximum civil penalty for a firearms violation from $13,910 to $14,950. 

The top 5 airports for firearm stops so far this year, according to TSA, were: 

1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – 438
2. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – 371
3. Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport – 286
4. Nashville International Airport – 203
5. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – 184

Nashville had the highest rate of firearm confiscation per capita, according to a TSA spokesperson.

To read more, go here. 

TSA Extends Mask Mandate Into April

Above, a United Dreamliner jet at Los Angeles International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is a good thing that I am not planning on flying anytime soon. The thought of sitting for hours with a mask on is not at all appealing. I've done it.

The TSA (under what authority I have no idea) is extending the mask mandate for planes and other forms of public transportation into April.

According to an article in TravelPulse:

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it would extend the mandatory mask mandate on public transportation until at least April 18.

According to NBCNews.com, government officials from the White House and TSA said they are working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on a revised policy framework for when the mask mandates can be safely lifted.

The facial covering requirements were set to expire on March 18, but now have been extended for another month. The decision to extend the mandate come as every state has now lifted the protocols or announced plans to drop them in the near future.

To read more, go here. 

Vintage LAX Photos

Back in the late 1960s, I lived in Hawthorne, California, about four miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). 

The airport was close enough for my friends and I to ride our bicycles there. We would take Aviation Blvd. to Imperial Highway to Sepulveda Blvd. to get to the main terminals. Once there, we would ride our bikes around the terminals and park them and wander around a terminal on foot. One can't do that anymore. These were the days before TSA security restrictions.

A Hawthorne-oriented Facebook page posted a bunch of photos of LAX (by Jerry Miles) while it was under construction in the 1950s and 1960s and they reminded me of those fun times. We got plenty of exercise bike-riding.

The terminal area roadway had a second deck added just before the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Compared to other big city airports with enormous terminals areas that need trams and monorails, LAX is still an easy airport to navigate around without causing one to have a heart attack or stroke.

Here's the photos that reminded me of those bike rides:

The Theme Building

The Sepulveda Blvd. Runway Tunnel

The Terminals

TSA Expects Over 20 Million Passengers During Thanksgiving Holiday

One of the top things on my list of "the last thing I'd ever do" items is to travel by air during the holidays.

During normal years, the crush at airports of holiday travelers does not appeal to me in the least. If I were to travel during the holidays, I would be by RV instead. At least one has more control of things.

TravelPulse has an article stating that 20 million air travelers are expected to be screened by the TSA during the Thanksgiving holiday period. 

They wrote:

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it expects to screen about 20 million passengers during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.

Running between November 19 and November 28, the TSA said the Thanksgiving travel period would see busy airport security checkpoints nationwide, but it was prepared to handle the increase in passenger volume.

TSA officials revealed the busiest days during the holiday travel period are the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday afterward. While the number of travelers this year is not expected to reach pre-pandemic levels, it is expected to be notably higher in the weeks leading to the November holiday.

To read more, go here. 

Biden's COVID-19 "Action Plan" Doubles TSA Mask Fines

Above, a flight to Salt Lake City last year. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The authoritarian "action plan" of His Fraudulency Joe Biden announced yesterday includes several edicts.

Yahoo! News has listed them in an article posted yesterday. 

They start with:

• Biden's Covid plan released Thursday will double fines for travelers who violate TSA mask mandates.

• It raises the minimum fine to $500 and the maximum fine to $3000 for repeat offenders.

• Clashes over masks make up more than 75% of unruly passenger complaints during air travel.

President Biden's COVID-19 action plan released Thursday will double fines for travelers who violate the TSA mask mandates covering air travel and some modes of public transportation.

Passengers who do not comply with the mask-wearing policies currently face fines starting at $250 and increasing up to $1,500 for repeat offenders. The new guidelines will raise the minimum fine to $500 and the maximum fine to $3000.

To read more, go here. 

How 9/11 Changed Air Travel

Above, Godzilla at the 2001 Tokyo International Film Festival. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One week from today, it will be 20 years since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S.

As the attacks were carried out by using airline planes as weapons, drastic security changes at the nation's airports were implemented and they are still with us today.

My first trip to Japan was a month later in late October 2001. At that time, the airports had National Guard soldiers stationed in the terminals. My mom told me that travelers had to be at the airport four hours before boarding. Well, that was unnecessary, as it turned out. So I spent over three hours in the United Airlines terminal at LAX bored stiff. LAX was almost like a ghost town in the terminal.

At least the rest of the trip went well (even despite getting a 24-hour flu bug while there) and I attended the Tokyo International Film Festival's premiere screening of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.

Japan Today posted an article on how 9/11 changed air travel and how we have more security and less privacy.

They start it with:

DALLAS - Ask anyone old enough to remember travel before Sept 11, 2001, and you're likely to get a gauzy recollection of what flying was like.

There was security screening, but it wasn’t anywhere near as intrusive. There were no long checkpoint lines. Passengers and their families could walk right to the gate together, postponing goodbye hugs until the last possible moment. Overall, an airport experience meant far less stress.

That all ended when four hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.

The worst terror attack on American soil led to increased and sometimes tension-filled security measures in airports across the world, aimed at preventing a repeat of that awful day. The cataclysm has also contributed to other changes large and small that have reshaped the airline industry — and, for consumers, made air travel more stressful than ever.

Two months after the attacks, President George W. Bush signed legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration, a force of federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies that airlines were hiring to handle security. The law required that all checked bags be screened, cockpit doors be reinforced, and more federal air marshals be put on flights.

There has not been another 9/11. Nothing even close. But after that day, flying changed forever.

To read more, go here. 

T + L: Masks Will Be Required on Planes, Trains, and in Airports Until at Least January 2022

Above, a flight to Salt Lake City last year. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Well, isn't this just ducky?!

The TSA is requiring masks on planes, airports, buses and other means of public transportation until at least January 2022.

According to Travel + Leisure:

The Transportation Security Administration on Wednesday extended a federal transportation mask mandate until January 2022 as the highly contagious delta variant continues to spread throughout the United States.

The mandate has been extended until at least January 18, the TSA shared with Travel + Leisure. The mandate, first reported by Reuters, requires face masks be worn on all public transportation like on planes, in airports, on trains, and on buses.

The mask mandate was first implemented in January before being extended through Sept. 13.

"The purpose of TSA's mask directive is to minimize the spread of COVID-19 on public transportation," an agency spokeswoman told T+L.

Enforcement has largely fallen on flight attendants who have reported an alarming increase in unruly passengers this year. Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said the extension of the mask mandate would "help tremendously to keep passengers and aviation workers safe."

Small wonder people are becoming "unruly" aboard flights. Who the hell wants to wear a mask for hours on end?  And, airlines are packing people into their planes like sardines again.

No wonder the RV industry is seeing a boom in sales and rentals. It is having a hard time just keeping up with demand.

To read more, go here. 

Travel Increasing At The Sunport

Above, the barren Sunport terminal last summer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As more people are getting COVID-19 vaccinations and restrictions imposed by the nanny state ease, they are traveling in increasing numbers.

That also goes for Albuquerque's Sunport.

According to KOAT:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — All 50 states are expanding, or will relax COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to everyone 16 or older by May. As vaccination efforts take off, so are travelers.

More people are walking into the Sunport and checking in for a flight.

The TSA reports more than a million people went through their check points each day since March 11.

Sunport officials said every week, they're seeing more fly.

To read more, go here. 

Holiday Travel

Above, the lobby of the Sunport International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Flying during the Christmas holiday will be a new experience for me. It is expected to be crowded at the nation's airports.

Fortunately for me, I will be flying out of a small city (Albuquerque) and arriving at an airport in California that is not LAX. Thank goodness! Also, I am getting more familiar with the set-up of the Sunport International Airport. If I have plenty of time on my hands once I get there, I might go have a glass of Alien Amber Ale while waiting for my flight at the Rio Grande Brew Pub & Grill.

Upon arrival at my destination airport, I will be taking a rental car to my cousin's in the Lake Elsinore area. Hopefully, the rental will be large enough to accommodate my suitcase, dubbed "The Monolith". I think this will be the first time using it since the Hawaii trip two years ago.

KOB 4 News reported:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – People in New Mexico are packing up and heading out of town for the holidays. 

Sunport International Airport officials are projecting the busiest day to be the day after Christmas. 

“This whole travel period for the holidays is busier than we normally see throughout the year,” said Stephanie Kitts, a spokesperson for the Sunport. 

That means parking lots may fill up, walkways may be crowded and TSA lines may take longer. 

“We’re seeing a different traveler at the holiday. We’re seeing somebody who maybe hasn't traveled a lot and isn’t familiar with the rules they don’t know maybe that liquids and gels are restricted,” said Maggie Santiago with TSA New Mexico. 

Santiago said wait times will take longest during those peak flight times around 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. But at all times, it's best to plan ahead by two or more hours.

Hopefully, the RV parking lot at the Sunport International Airport will have plenty of room for The Beast.

To read more, go here. 

Airport Security May Get Worse This Summer

Here we go again!

It looks like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) may make going through airport security even more of a hassle than it already is this summer.

Travel + Leisure reported:

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is testing new security measures that would require passengers to remove even more items from carry-ons to go through airport checkpoints. 

Travelers are already required to take out liquids and laptops before passing through to their gates. They might soon be required to take out every electronic device larger than a cell phone, including cameras, game consoles, and iPads as well as any food items, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The TSA is currently conducting tests at smaller airports.

To read more, go here.

TSA Confiscated Record Number of Guns In 2016

I have not packed a firearm in my check-in luggage since the 1980s. Those were the days where a traveler can lock their suitcase before entering the airport and check it in without having it opened and inspected.

My main concern these days are that not all TSA agents are honest. There have been reports of thefts by TSA agents of valuables taken from baggage, including guns.

Still, some dumb clucks are still packing guns into their carry-on baggage and the TSA had confiscated a record number of them in 2016. 83% of them were loaded.

According to Condé Nast Traveler:

In 2016, TSA officers had far more to deal with than just four-ounce bottles of shampoo. According to a Year in Review report from the government agency, officers discovered a record number of firearms last year at airport security checkpoints. 

The TSA prohibits packing a gun—loaded or not—in a carry-on, but whether out of absent-mindedness, ignorance, or disregard of the laws, it doesn’t seem to have stopped people from trying. In all, 3,391 guns were confiscated from passengers’ carry-on bags in U.S. airports in 2016 (that’s an average of nine a day) and a full 83 percent of the firearms were loaded. Firearm discoveries have been steadily rising over the years: The number of gun seizures this year is 28 percent higher than in 2015 and 313 percent higher than ten years ago.

To read more, go here.