Armed FFDO relieved of firearm after pointing out security inconsistency at airport

[MikeG]

I'm assuming you're SIDA badged and going with that. You know the consequences if you do so and get caught (possibly criminal, civil penalties, and termination of your SIDA badge and/or employment). If you have access to these areas, then you have gone through a significant background check to get SIDA badged. We conduct random searches of any employee at anytime at my airport. I'm not sure if ATL or others do the same, but there's only so much that can be done when those are hired at an airport to gain access to these areas. Are there flaws? sure, but I think comparing an employee issue to administrative screening of the general population are two different things. There can definitely be extra things done, such as the random searches I mentioned, to monitor employees as much as possible, but with a big airport like ATL, the resources and money involved are going to be significant if you want to watch every airline employee, airplane cleaner, and everyone else badged.

If you're simply saying that any Joe Shmoe (not an employee) can get into these areas without being detected, then I think ATL needs to step up.

You're exactly right. I think that what this pilot and our revolver friend are pointing out is that the money being spent on things like full body scanners and enhanced screening of passengers ignores the obvious holes in the system such as employee screenings and cargo.

It's like you have a solid oak front door with glass panels on each side. You have a budget to improve security and the lock salesman convinces you that another deadbolt is the answer. Never mind that they can smash the window and open the existing deadbolt and the new one from the inside. He doesn't sell window bars so that's noit what he recommends. Extra deadbolts look great for the neighbors though. They don't see the windows because only crooks see that as an entry point. The extra daebolts make them "feel" safer.

Employees get arrested pretty routinely here for things like theft and other petty crimes. One day, there is going to be some employee who owes a drug debt and the dealer will "forgive" the debt if they put "drugs" in seat X on Flight Y. Except it won't be drugs and the real bad guy will go through all the screens.

[Norm357]

I'm assuming you're SIDA badged and going with that. You know the consequences if you do so and get caught (possibly criminal, civil penalties, and termination of your SIDA badge and/or employment).

No, not really. I am cleared to escort people onto the ramp. My SIDA badge is marked as such.

If you're simply saying that any Joe Shmoe (not an employee) can get into these areas without being detected, then I think ATL needs to step up

That is pretty much what I'm saying.