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. 

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. 

TSA Explains The Right Way To Travel With A Gun

Above, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before I went on the cruise to Cuba four years ago, I was first overnighting in Albuquerque to catch my morning flight to Fort Lauderdale. 

While hanging out in Albuquerque, I went to Ron Peterson Firearms and bought a Winchester 1894 rifle.  

As I had a flight the next day and cruise the day after, it wouldn't do to have a rifle with me. So I put it on layaway and picked it up upon my return. 

There are people who do travel with firearms. Some do it the right way, some do it the wrong way (and risk a fine up to $15,000). KNWA Fox 24 has posted an article on the right way to travel with a gun, as explained by the TSA.  

It begins with:

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Transportation Security Administration representatives say they’re seeing an uptick in people incorrectly packing their guns for travel.

Travelers are not supposed to bring guns to the TSA security checkpoint. However, officials are seeing more people doing just that.

When traveling with a firearm, passengers have to take certain precautions.

Guns must be packed in a hard-sided case that’s padded on the inside, said Mark Howell, a TSA regional spokesperson.

“When you’re traveling with a firearm, the most important thing you need to do is you need to make sure it’s completely unloaded,” he said.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Airports Plagued By Ground Staff Shortages

Above, a Narita Airport terminal. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As Japan has (more or less) returned to normal when it comes to inbound tourism, it as exposed a major problem: airport ground staff shortages.

Many airport ground staffers quit their jobs during the pandemic, but after the lifting of pandemic restrictions in the country, Japan's airports found that they have inadequate staff to handle day to day operations with the influx of international flights.

According to the Asahi Shimbun:

Although inbound tourism to Japan is picking with the easing of COVID-19 border controls, a dire shortage of ground staff at airports is hampering the airline industry’s post-pandemic recovery.

Alarmed at the situation, a transport ministry expert panel moved to address the crisis with a May 11 proposal to raise the salaries of ground staff to make the sector more attractive to job hunters. It also called on airport ground handling companies to adopt a unified staff evaluation system.

So many ground staff quit their jobs during the pandemic that airports are now struggling to handle the influx of international flights, which has resulted in delays in resuming inbound flights and long lines at airport security checks.

The expert panel hopes to compile formal proposals by the end of June.

The labor shortage is acute when it comes to finding staff to guide arriving aircraft to parking aprons, ensuring that passengers go to airport check-in counters and providing airport security inspectors.

According to the ministry, 61 major airport ground handling companies had around 21,600 employees as of December, or around 20 percent fewer than in March 2019, before the pandemic started. 

In addition to the pandemic, salaries and working conditions are believed to account for the exodus of airport staff.

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. 

Hawaii Flight Delays

Above, passengers arriving at Kona International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is interesting to see so many flight delays and cancelations of flights almost everywhere.

The state of Hawaii is not immune to flight delays. The Beat of Hawaii said yesterday 272 flights have been delayed. Some blame staff shortages, some blame COVID-19 and some blame mismanagement.

According to Beat of Hawaii:

We were shocked to find that 152 flights were delayed into and out of Hawaii Monday, as reported by the flight-tracking service FlightAware. And on Sunday, they reported that there were 122 delayed Hawaii flights. It’s too early to see how many will be delayed again today, but we do see some starting to be listed as of this morning.

To read more, go here. 

Cheapest States and Airports for Domestic Flights

Above, the Albuquerque Sunport. New Mexico's air fares averaged
 $351.95 according to the study. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Everyone likes to save money on air travel. As it turns out, according to a recent study, some places are cheaper than others to fly domestically.

Lower prices by state and airports was the subject of a study by NetCredit.

For myself, once I know when I have to travel by air somewhere, I try to purchase my tickets as early as possible. I've already done so this year and saved a lot of money doing. New Mexico's air fares averaged $351.95. The closest airport to me is the Albuquerque Sunport.

Travel + Leisure has an article on the NetCredit study and they start it with:

Summer travel is nearly in full swing — and summer prices are too — but thankfully, there are still deals to be found, especially if vacationers are strategic about which airports they fly out of.

New Jersey happens to be the cheapest state to fly out of nationally with an average domestic flight price of just $205.60, according to a study by loan company NetCredit that was shared with Travel + Leisure. The Garden State also laid claim to the cheapest airport in the United States in Atlantic City International Airport, which the study noted is often served by budget carrier Spirit Airlines and where flights average only $109.43. In comparison, New Jersey's other major airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, averages more than $300 per flight. 

To read more, go here. 

Travel + Leisure: Busiest Airports

Above, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) came in at number five. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

What are the busiest airports in the U.S.? It is easy to take a guess and chances are, you'd probably be right. 

I have not had any issues on how busy an airport is, my issue with some of them are their sizes. If I have a connecting flight that I have to get to at such airports as Phoenix Sky Harbor, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport or even Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (I refuse to call it by its new name) it is highly stressful, besides physically taxing, to get from one terminal to another. This is especially true if I am not familiar with its layout and it is as big as a small town.

Travel + Leisure has posted an article on the busiest airports in the U.S. Even though Los Angeles International Airport came in at number five, I've found its layout to be user-friendlier than the others. I also have not had any problems with Chicago's O'Hare International Airport either. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, also making the list, is one of the worst. The place is enormous. That's why I am glad we went to Dallas Love Field instead last year.  

They begin their article with:

Atlanta's international airport was once again the busiest airport in the world in 2021, according to a new study, seeing more than 75 million passengers pass through its terminals last year.

The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which was temporarily dethroned in 2020 by Guangzhou Bai Yun International Airport, saw a 76.4% increase in traffic compared to the first year of the pandemic, according to the Airports Council International. However, the airport still didn't reach pre-pandemic levels and remained 31.5% down from 2019.

Atlanta was followed by Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Denver International Airport, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport rounding out the top five. Eight of the top 10 busiest airports were in the United States.

To see the rest of the article, go here. 

T + L: The Best Small Airports In The U.S.

Above, a gate at the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When Mitch Geriminsky and I went to Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas last year to see the John Wayne: An American Experience exhibit at the Fort Worth Stockyards, he arranged for our flight to land and depart from Dallas Love Field. I was glad of that as Love Field is a much smaller airport than Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and far easier to navigate.

Travel + Leisure has posted an article on the best and worst small airports in the U.S. Of the airports they mentioned, I have been to one of them, the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is what they call one of the best ones, by the way.

They begin their article with:

Flying into smaller airports can be a delight with fewer crowds and less distance to navigate between terminals. On the other hand, they can also come with a side of frustration, with fewer flights options and without the larger staffs major airports benefit from. So, research company ValuePenguin looked at the nation's 50th to 150th largest airports to find the best and worst small-scale American airports to fly into.

To read the full article, go here. 

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. 

Masks: A Load of B.S.

Above, only one worker at Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q in Albuquerque is wearing a mask. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During my recent trip to the Wells Fun Run in Wells, Nevada, mask-wearing was imposed on travelers at all of the airports (Albuquerque, Salt Lake City and Twin Falls) and on all Delta Airlines planes by the feds. The only places not imposing masks on people were in the casinos and restaurants in Wells. Very few, if any, wore masks at the Wells Fun Run. At least I don't remember seeing any.

It is totally ridiculous to mandate masks on people who have already been vaccinated. I am one of them (I was given the Pfizer vaccine in February).

All this is allegedly due to the spread of the so-called "Delta Variant" of COVID-19. Of course, the feds have to create panic over this so they can control the populace. Frankly, I think all of this is a bunch of B.S.

Thinking masks will protect people from the virus is like keeping mosquitoes our of your yard with a chain-link fence!

Before leaving New Mexico last Friday, I stopped in at Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q in Albuquerque Thursday to pick up dinner before heading to the KOA Kampground. Only one of the workers was wearing a mask and I didn't hear anyone complain.

Curious.

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.

Japan Airports To Provide Duty-Free Shopping Upon Arrival

Above, a duty-free store at Narita International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Starting next year, arriving tourists to Japan will be able to purchase goods at Japanese international airports duty-free.

According to Inside Japan Tours:

Visitors arriving in Japan will be able to take advantage of duty free shops at international airports from next year. 

According to sources from the country’s ruling party, as of the fiscal 2017 year, tourists will be encouraged to spend more money by finding such retailers in the arrivals area.

- See more at: https://www.insidejapantours.com/japan-news/4110/japan-airports-to-provide-duty-free-shops-on-arrival/#sthash.vDQbmQv9.dpuf

Airports Are Cutting Back On Free Wi-Fi

Above, the Terminal One Deparrture level at Narita International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the nice things about airports while waiting for a flight is free Wi-Fi. It is a great help to let time go by faster while waiting.

But free Wi-Fi may become a thing of the past, thanks to some inconsiderate people who stream videos, among other things.

Travel + Leisure reported:

Some airports are backing out of unlimited free airport Wi-Fi service, and our always-on smartphone habits and addiction to video could be partially to blame. 

The news comes from a recent survey of global airport IT managers, conducted by aviation IT experts at SITA. The study found that while passengers can find unlimited free Wi-Fi at 74 percent of the world’s airports today, that will drop to only 54 percent of world airports by 2019. 

Instead, 37 percent of airports will offer a “hybrid” Wi-Fi service model: Passengers would still have some free full-speed Wi-Fi for a limited time, but would pay for any Wi-Fi after that. Or, there would be free unlimited lower-bandwidth Wi-Fi with the option to pay for more speed. (Or some other combination which helps the airport pay the bills.) 

Which specific airports are thinking of cutting back on unlimited free Wi-Fi is unpublished, but the trend towards a mixed-free/pay Wi-Fi service model is mainly driven by airports in North America and the Middle East, according to SITA.

To read more, go here.

TSA Mess: Airlines Stand To Lose $4.3 Billion

Above, many will take to the road to avoid flying this summer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The mess at the nation's airports will be getting worse before it gets better.

The screening lines are getting jamb-packed with anxious travelers, thanks to the folks at the TSA. It is recommended that travelers get to the airport at least two hours before their scheduled departure times for domestic flights, three hours before international flights.

Some people are rethinking their summer vacation travel plans. Since this is the National Park Service's centennial, many will opt to visit a national park...by driving.

According to Travel + Leisure:

Air travel is shaping up to look like a nightmare this summer, especially at many big airports and hub cities. And as a result, some travelers are rethinking their plans. Many Americans now say they’ll avoid planes and airports altogether. The reduced spending will mean a loss of $4.3 billion for the June-August peak summer season, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

When we recently flew to Hawaii, we had no difficulties in getting through the security checks. We arrived at LAX two hours before our departure time. The extra time was spent having breakfast in the terminal. In Hawaii, there were hardly anyone at some of the airports we used.

To read more, go here. 

Can Airports Drop The TSA?

Above, my flight to Japan last year. My luggage arrived a day later. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We've read in recent weeks (I've blogged about it as well) of the mounting problems at some of the nation's airports caused by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Some airports are considering dropping the TSA in favor of private security screeners. Is it legal to do so? Yes, and it already has been done.

TravelPulse reported:

If they hadn’t seen enough already, officials at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor had a good look at chaos last week. 

In addition to long security lines at screening checkpoints, a “significant, unprecedented” technical issue with a computer server led to more than 3,000 checked bags left sitting on the tarmac – while passengers boarded flights and jetted off to their destinations, their luggage a day behind. 

That was enough, indeed, for Deborah Ostreicher, the city's assistant aviation director, to suggest dropping the Transportation Security Administration’s oversight of security at Sky Harbor in favor of a private firm.

This had happened to me. Last year, my luggage arrived a day late to Japan, thanks to the TSA. Singapore Airlines, with whom I flew with, paid me ¥12,500 in cash as some compensation and for me to buy some necessities while I waited for my luggage. They didn't have to do that as the incident wasn't their fault.

To read more, go here.

The TSA Screwed Up Again!

Above, the Los Angeles International Airport control tower in the background. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The TSA screwed up again! Now we have to show up at the airport at least 2 hours before the departure time.

Japan Today reported:

NEW YORK —Fliers will likely face massive security lines at airports across the country this summer, with airlines already warning passengers to arrive at least two hours early or risk missing their flight. 

The Transportation Security Administration had anticipated that its expedited screening program, called PreCheck, would speed up lines and require fewer agents to screen passengers. But the agency has failed to enroll enough travelers, leaving TSA with too few screeners to quickly handle a growing number of fliers. 

The TSA tried to make up for that shortfall by randomly placing passengers into the express lanes. But it recently had to scale that back for fear dangerous passengers were being let through. That’s when the lines started growing, up to 90 minutes in some cases.

Thanks to the TSA, my suitcase didn't arrive in Japan last year with my flight. I was told by Singapore Airlines that the TSA held it in Los Angeles for some unknown reason. Although not their fault, as a goodwill P.R. gesture, they gave me an envelope containing ¥12,000 at the airport.

Now the TSA is making things worse for passengers with their hare-brained planning.

To read more, go here.

Japan To Install Biometric Screening System In Airports

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

A new biometric scanning system will be deployed in Japanese airports beginning in 2016. This system will, hopefully, speed up the immigration process so that visitors can get to the arrival lobby much faster.

According to Airport-Technology.com:

Japan plans to deploy mobile biometric terminals at airports to take photos and fingerprints of foreign visitors, cutting down the processing time at the immigration desk. 

The terminals, called Biocart, will be installed at all airports with international operations, from April 2016. 

After capturing the visitors' images and fingerprints, the terminals will send the information to the immigration desk. 

The Justice Ministry expects Biocarts to reduce waiting time for travellers as well as ease the burden on the immigration staff.

To read more, go here.