Radio listeners recommending bus instead of flying

[Ryan]

Well, a bunch of airports are getting irked enough at the TSA to kick them out.

Do you mean airports kick the TSA out? I'm not so sure they can do that.

They most certainly can.

SFO has always kept their private security. Here in DC, BWI is considering kicking the TSA out and going with a contractor.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=7live&id=7799975

 

[Anderson]

Just imagine if the unions decided to strike on November 24 this year! Couple a few airline strikes with national opt-out day...*rofls at the mental image*

When was the last time a pilots union actually went on strike?

Spirit Airlines back in June. Amerijet last year, a cargo airline based in Florida. And the fairly well known Comair pilot strike back in 2001 lasted for 89 days.

Well, a bunch of airports are getting irked enough at the TSA to kick them out.

Do you mean airports kick the TSA out? I'm not so sure they can do that.

Of course, I'll grant that what I really want to see is the pilots union threaten some one-day strikes with lots and lots of notice over this mess (and I do think they could pull that off on an airline-by-airline basis when the contract comes up...just demand that the airline work out a deal with the TSA involving background checks and so forth on them "or else", or load a clause into the contracts enabling pilots to no-show if they're sent through either a backscatter machine or an enhanced patdown). Of course, the fact that such strikes could make a complete hash of airline travel wouldn't have anything to do with my desire to see them happen. None at all!

Pilot's unions have been working on this for a few years now. So far they've only been able to let pilots bypass security at 3 airports nationwide. Pilot groups are trying to get their airline management to spread this throughout the system for a nominal fee, but as you may know, getting airlines to spend cash for the benefit of their employees is like pulling teeth.

Also the pilot's unions usually can't just strike over an issue with the TSA. You can't get something in a contract when it violates federal or state law. Much less many of those strikes would be deemed illegal without going through process of the Railway Labor Act.

The union can easily demand that the airlines make serious negotiations with the government, and they could even demand that the airline to agree to switch to airports not using TSA security when one is available for a given destination city (i.e. Dallas Love Field vs. DFW or Chicago-Midway vs. Chicago-O'Hare if there's a meaningful difference). In the case of DC, such a demand would turn into "Switch to BWI or else" if they dumped the TSA folks. There's definitely room to arm-twist here. Another thing might be a threatened demand that the airlines limit regular radiation exposure, regardless of the source (security checkpoint or otherwise) vs. what normal high-altitude flying plus standard metal detectors would result in.

Also, though I'm not shocked, it looks like the TSA gave into the pilots' union on this one. Still, here's hoping that Opt-Out Day turns into Lawsuit December for the TSA.

 

[saxman]

Well, a bunch of airports are getting irked enough at the TSA to kick them out.

Do you mean airports kick the TSA out? I'm not so sure they can do that.

They most certainly can.

SFO has always kept their private security. Here in DC, BWI is considering kicking the TSA out and going with a contractor.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=7live&id=7799975

Wow I stand corrected! That would be amazing! Fire the TSA!

 

[saxman]

The union can easily demand that the airlines make serious negotiations with the government, and they could even demand that the airline to agree to switch to airports not using TSA security when one is available for a given destination city (i.e. Dallas Love Field vs. DFW or Chicago-Midway vs. Chicago-O'Hare if there's a meaningful difference). In the case of DC, such a demand would turn into "Switch to BWI or else" if they dumped the TSA folks. There's definitely room to arm-twist here. Another thing might be a threatened demand that the airlines limit regular radiation exposure, regardless of the source (security checkpoint or otherwise) vs. what normal high-altitude flying plus standard metal detectors would result in.
Also, though I'm not shocked, it looks like the TSA gave into the pilots' union on this one. Still, here's hoping that Opt-Out Day turns into Lawsuit December for the TSA.

I'd be very shocked to see a pilot union actually even ask for this. And if they did, their management would probably laugh them out of the negotiating room and tell them to come back when they were serious. There is probably little room for negotiation here because their crews don't like the TSA. I don't think American or United is going to move their hubs from DFW to DAL or ORD to MDW because their pilots.