Quoting flyiguy (Thread starter): Reports say the contract Delta ramp agent was to be paid to bypass security with his ID and then paid $1,000 to hand off the bag of money to another person in the restrooms inside security.

He wasn't going to meet up with a B6 flight attendant by any chance, was he?   

Quoting EA CO AS (Reply 1):

Hahaha perfect timing for that one

Quoting EA CO AS (Reply 1): He wasn't going to meet up with a B6 flight attendant by any chance, was he?

He'd be a little light on the cash considering she had 3.5 Million worth of cocaine in her bag.

FLY

$1000 to potentially lose your job? Not worth it, dude.

we had that issue before, the main question here is not that a ramp Agent bypassed security,, the main question is, why are ramp agents and all others working in the "sterile2 zonw of an Airport not screened the same way passengers are screened.?

This is a security gap and it is even more scandalous because the US demanded, after 9711 that all employees who enter the red Zone must be checked.

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 5): This is a security gap and it is even more scandalous because the US demanded, after 9711 that all employees who enter the red Zone must be checked.

Like KCM ?

FLY

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 5): we had that issue before, the main question here is not that a ramp Agent bypassed security,, the main question is, why are ramp agents and all others working in the "sterile2 zonw of an Airport not screened the same way passengers are screened.? This is a security gap and it is even more scandalous because the US demanded, after 9711 that all employees who enter the red Zone must be checked.

Most are screened. There are plenty of other ways to get contraband in and out of an airport when you have access to the ramp, which is why background checks are so important.

Yes please. Screen us workers because the TSA is so efficient.

This stuff happens all the time and it's been going on for years. It's one way that cash and drugs get moved around. Sure, $1000 might not be worth risking your job. But what about if it was $5000..And the the corrupt employee is getting paid every time he helps move cash/drugs onto a flight? It's tempting. Especially to people earning a a relatively meager salary.

Here's an interesting article from last year I stumbled across last week. Pretty much the same type of thing.


'3 Southwest Airlines baggage handlers, 11 others accused of smuggling drugs' LA Times, May 2015
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/l...akland-airport-20150518-story.html

[Edited 2016-03-29 07:18:25]

All employees should go through security, including TSA!

Quoting pwm2txlhopper (Reply 9): This stuff happens all the time and it's been going on for years.

  

Guns, drugs, money, etc.

And its not just airline employees. There have been cases of CBP officers accepting bribes and letting people and or narcotics pass.

Quoting antoniemey (Reply 4):

How do you know this wasn't the 750th time this individual did this... Not "worth it?" How do we know that?

It's a big business. The government is likely using new technology to catch 1% of what is going down rather than the 0.1% they were getting before. A lot of airline employees have retired after making multi millions in the drug business. Can I cite examples, no. But you look at things like motive and opportunity. There are other ways to prove that crime is occurring even if you don't know how. How do weapons and cell phones get into jails... How does cocaine move around the country... How do undocumented people show up in NY Chinatown without ever going through customs... I don't know but we can prove these things do happen on an epic industrial scale!

Quoting flyiguy (Reply 6): Like KCM

wat is "KCM" ?

Quoting lexy (Reply 8): Yes please. Screen us workers because the TSA is so efficient.

Quoting dmg626 (Reply 10): All employees should go through security, including TSA!

there is no security until ALL employees and passengers are screened, that includes TSA, Police etc. and if there are ways that "contraband" can get into the red Zone, that contraband can be explosives as well, not only laundered Money.

In Europe, not least on the request of the USA, we have established that, it is interesting to read that US Airports are obviously unsfafe because the Screening does not cover 100%. The EU should act on that.

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 5): we had that issue before, the main question here is not that a ramp Agent bypassed security,, the main question is, why are ramp agents and all others working in the "sterile2 zonw of an Airport not screened the same way passengers are screened.? This is a security gap and it is even more scandalous because the US demanded, after 9711 that all employees who enter the red Zone must be checked.

When I was groundstaff a few years back, we had no screening at all unless you went through pax security. Then they put 2 TSA folks at each bypass. Which is fine, if they weren't slower than molasses....Got a flight down in 45 mins and you're land side? Better hope there isn't a lineup at bypass or you're missing your arrival...

You can see how you can very easily end up wasting half of your 8 or 12 hour shift. And then you end up hiring more people to make up for it, driving up costs, and then the additional people will also need to be screened anytime they end up gateside....you can see where the issues are.

If you're going to work, punching in and heading gate side, and spending your entire shift there, it may not be so big a deal. But, say a CSA has a WCHR pax come off a flight. If it takes you an additional 30/45 mins to get back to the gates, you're missing a good number of pax, and so thus, more employees needed, cost, PITA, etc.

Security theatre as we know it doesn't really work, and is a black hole of money.

Quoting diverted (Reply 14): Security theatre as we know it doesn't really work, and is a black hole of money.

It works in Europe, and a lot of time is wasted there as well. one can argue about the checks in General and I would be with you on that. But the USA demanded from Europe and the rest of the world security checks which are obviously not applied properly in the USA itself.

We have Screening locks at several Apron entries at the big Airports and inside the terminals for staff. Just frecently a Young Police woman thought that she could by-pass a check by Holding up her Police ID and saying that she's in a hurry. Several flights had to be re-screened and she might get sacked for that if she's not yet on permanent employment. The best what can happen to her is a dent in her career.

Quoting Flighty (Reply 12): A lot of airline employees have retired after making multi millions in the drug business.

Oh, please..........give us some credit for honesty, etc. when we were working. This statement is rather insulting, actually.

Quoting Flighty (Reply 12): A lot of airline employees have retired after making multi millions in the drug business. Can I cite examples, no.

Quoting mayor (Reply 16): Oh, please..........give us some credit for honesty, etc. when we were working. This statement is rather insulting, actually.

Meh, he's probably sitting at his desk snorting a line of coke right now, brought to him by an airline employee. Coke heads are usually those that make at least somewhat decent money with desk jobs.

Oh I didn't mean to be controversial. But there is an industrial drug network covering much of the world. Cops are a part of it, airline employees, TSA, diplomats, low lifes, sandwich shop proprietors. Until very recently there was no security airside and in many cases IMo there is still effectively no airside security today. Another controversial thing to say. Cargo bays open to the streets. Doors propped open. There is even prostitution going on almost everywhere the public goes. Not knocking it but this stuff is just under the surface wherever people go. How much drug traffic is there at say, Newark, historically? Megatons. Today, probably still significant but yeah, not what it was pre security. If you speculate otherwise, that is ok, no problem.

Quoting Flighty (Reply 18): But there is an industrial drug network covering much of the world. Cops are a part of it, airline employees, TSA, diplomats, low lifes, sandwich shop proprietors.

So, you've used this to stereotype all of us, huh?

Quoting Flighty (Reply 18): Until very recently there was no security airside and in many cases IMo there is still effectively no airside security today.

And you work, where, to give you this info?

Quoting Flighty (Reply 18): How much drug traffic is there at say, Newark, historically? Megatons.

So you pick the worst example to show how bad the rest of us are?

One of the biggest problems is people see it as a victimless crime. They don't see the far reaching impacts of drug cartels.

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 13): The EU should act on that.

Shouldn't the EU worry about cleaning its own house before worrying what we do?

Or more importantly, wouldn't people need to care about EU opinions on what goes on in the US before they could "act"

Quoting dmg626 (Reply 10): All employees should go through security, including TSA!

No they shouldn't.
The TSA can't even handle the PAX side of the operation much less trying to handle employees. Also employees are able to carry things into the airport regular PAX are not, I question if the TSA can figure that kind of stuff out.

Airlines shouldn't be hiring contractors with a questionable background and pay them minimum wadge to do a mainline job.

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 13): In Europe, not least on the request of the USA, we have established that, it is interesting to read that US Airports are obviously unsfafe because the Screening does not cover 100%.

Yep so unsafe. That is why we keep having all these people killed at airports and such.
Oh wait.

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 15): It works in Europe,

it does? So you are saying that no airport in the EU ever has something like this happen?
Bull. Crap.



The simple fact is you aren't going to stop the 1%ers from doing what they do. If they try some of the things the EU has we will just see more creative ideas of smuggling.

Quoting lexy (Reply 8): Yes please. Screen us workers because the TSA is so efficient.

Hahaha, yeah they had what a 4% pass rate on their own test last year... That's pretty sad.

Quoting Flighty (Reply 12): How do you know this wasn't the 750th time this individual did this... Not "worth it?" How do we know that?

Because the article said it was his fourth.

Quoting Flighty (Reply 12): lot of airline employees have retired after making multi millions in the drug business.

Screw that 401k and retirement package... Lets work with El Chapo! Please...

Quoting Flighty (Reply 12): There are other ways to prove that crime is occurring even if you don't know how. How do weapons and cell phones get into jails... How does cocaine move around the country... How do undocumented people show up in NY Chinatown without ever going through customs... I don't know but we can prove these things do happen on an epic industrial scale!

Quoting Flighty (Reply 18): Oh I didn't mean to be controversial. But there is an industrial drug network covering much of the world. Cops are a part of it, airline employees, TSA, diplomats, low lifes, sandwich shop proprietors. Until very recently there was no security airside and in many cases IMo there is still effectively no airside security today. Another controversial thing to say. Cargo bays open to the streets. Doors propped open.

Looks like you have a future with the ATF or FBI.

Quoting Flighty (Reply 18): There is even prostitution going on almost everywhere the public goes

Or a pimp....

I feel that employees shouldn't get screened... We already have background checks done by the FBI, Us Customs, the post office, and a drug test. Plus if something happens we get drug tested right away. But is there a problem? Yes, I feel contractors could do better screening of their employees, I have worked for a couple there is no screening at all and they let you work without a badge is some cases.... Those who are mainline employees and do these illegal actions, you are just screwing yourself and your fellow employees.

But lets not also forget that illegal things happen in all industries, not just the airline business which seems to get the most media attention when it does.

Quoting Deltal1011man (Reply 21): Airlines shouldn't be hiring contractors with a questionable background and pay them minimum wadge to do a mainline job.

Should we be paying them 6 figures to load your bag onto the belt, plug-in the refueling hose, and cater the galley ?? SMH.

When people say, "they passed a background check", what they really mean is "they were not caught doing anything in the past".

Quoting flyiguy (Thread starter): Reports say the contract Delta ramp agent was to be paid to bypass security with his ID and then paid $1,000 to hand off the bag of money to another person in the restrooms inside security.

Quoting EA CO AS (Reply 1): He wasn't going to meet up with a B6 flight attendant by any chance, was he?

Quoting flyiguy (Reply 3): He'd be a little light on the cash considering she had 3.5 Million worth of cocaine in her bag.

Yeah, but he'd have plenty to help use her......errrrr.......Trojan Magnums!   

Quoting Deltal1011man (Reply 21): Also employees are able to carry things into the airport regular PAX are not, I question if the TSA can figure that kind of stuff out.

Really? Airline Employees are allowed to bring forbidden items into the secure passenger terminal? I am 90% certain you have that one wrong. LEOs are the only ndividuals allowed to bring forbidden items into the passenger terminal. This would be part of the problem, employees thinking because they employees they are allowed to take liberties.

Quoting Deltal1011man (Reply 21): I question if the TSA can figure that kind of stuff out.

And here s where you have a problem. Since employees are subject to random searches, either they can figure it out or your assertion that employees are allowed certain forbidden items is false.

Quoting a380787 (Reply 24): Should we be paying them 6 figures

I'll stop you right now.
Give me one airline that has rampers that make 6 figures in the US.

Quoting LAXtoATL (Reply 27): Really? Airline Employees are allowed to bring forbidden items into the secure passenger terminal? I am 90% certain you have that one wrong. LEOs are the only ndividuals allowed to bring forbidden items into the passenger terminal. This would be part of the problem, employees thinking because they employees they are allowed to take liberties.

I'm not exactly sure what we are calling "in the terminal" but line maintenance is able to have tooling that could be used as a weapon and IIRC is classified as such. (note I'm not on the line so the exact rules I don't know because its not my department.)
But IIRC things such as screw drives over a certain length, hammers etc. aren't allowed by PAX but obviously are with (certain) airline employees.

Quoting LAXtoATL (Reply 27): And here s where you have a problem. Since employees are subject to random searches, either they can figure it out or your assertion that employees are allowed certain forbidden items is false.

I think you need to research the TSA more. They have a hard time keeping PAX from bring in forbidden items, I don't think we should be increasing their work load.

How does the poster know he was a "contract" employee versus a full line employee? I did not see that mentioned in the story. I know full employees at least used to be able to point out that much of the greed was from much lower paid third party contractors. Sadly this may not be the case much longer as the temptations get higher and the moral compass gets bent.

Quoting diverted (Reply 14): Security theatre as we know it doesn't really work, and is a black hole of money.

  

Quoting LAXtoATL (Reply 27): Really? Airline Employees are allowed to bring forbidden items into the secure passenger terminal? I am 90% certain you have that one wrong. LEOs are the only ndividuals allowed to bring forbidden items into the passenger terminal. This would be part of the problem, employees thinking because they employees they are allowed to take liberties.

   I can't bring scissors to work, for example.

Quoting Deltal1011man (Reply 21): Shouldn't the EU worry about cleaning its own house before worrying what we do?

Quoting Deltal1011man (Reply 21): it does? So you are saying that no airport in the EU ever has something like this happen? Bull. Crap

I am not the EU, I voice my personal opinion here. Fact is, that in the EU employees get the same Screening as passengers and that is not the case in the US. We have had incidents like the one discussed here where employees assisted in getting narcotics into the Country.

However that is not comparable as there is no security check on incoming baggage or freight, just random customs checks.

Hence you are comparing apples and peaches but that can happen, when your main Argument is " bull crap"

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 5): the main question is, why are ramp agents and all others working in the "sterile2 zonw of an Airport not screened the same way passengers are screened.?

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 13): there is no security until ALL employees and passengers are screened, that includes TSA, Police etc. and if there are ways that "contraband" can get into the red Zone, that contraband can be explosives as well, not only laundered Money.

OK, so, I come to work at 12pm... clock in, go stand in the TSA line for 30 minutes, get to the gate I'm supposed to be working at 12:40. Whoops, missed the arrival of the first flight I'm supposed to be working. Now they have me run the bags. There are oversize items, and at my airport the oversize gets walked through a door and set inside. Well, now I've been outside the sterile area, have to be rescreened... go up, spend another 30 minutes in line, then another 10 getting back down to where my tug and carts are blocking traffic in the bag tunnel. Head back to the ramp. I'm now almost 2 hours into a 7 hour shift and have accomplished ONE task.

There are measures in place at all airports to ensure that employees are not a danger to the safety of the aircraft or passengers. As long as the Airport and its police are enforcing those procedures, you are in less danger from a ramper breaching security than you are from TSA missing yet another gun in someone's carryon.

Quoting LAXtoATL (Reply 27): Really? Airline Employees are allowed to bring forbidden items into the secure passenger terminal?

Well, we are allowed things that passengers aren't, so long as we're not trying to get on a plane with them. Drinks come to mind.

Quoting Deltal1011man (Reply 28): I'm not exactly sure what we are calling "in the terminal" but line maintenance is able to have tooling that could be used as a weapon and IIRC is classified as such. (note I'm not on the line so the exact rules I don't know because its not my department.) But IIRC things such as screw drives over a certain length, hammers etc. aren't allowed by PAX but obviously are with (certain) airline employees.

The key word there is 'certain' employees. I'm sure just like they can figure out a FAM can bring a gun through they figure out maintenance personnel can bring tools, etc. But for 99% of employees entering the passenger terminal they should be following the same prohibited items guidelines as passengers.

Quoting Deltal1011man (Reply 28): I think you need to research the TSA more. They have a hard time keeping PAX from bring in forbidden items, I don't think we should be increasing their work load.

I am well aware of the deficiencies of TSA. Just because TSA has proven to be less than 100% effective at securing the sterile terminal area does not mean we should give employees crate blanche to exploit the defencies even further. It is clear that some employees seem to have a superiority complex and don't believe they should be subjected to the same security protocols as the average person. Clearly, as a group airline personnel have not lived up to the responsibility that was given to them. Whether you agree or not, I believe employees should be screened and before this decade is up I believe you will see a change in that procedure. I have had a conversion with a high ranking security professional at your company and he said that the industry believes the greatest security threat right now (a little over a year ago) was employee access and the industry was looking at ways to mitigate that risk. The more incidents of this nature that occur, the more the policy makers will lean towards closing that gap.

Quoting antoniemey (Reply 32): OK, so, I come to work at 12pm... clock in, go stand in the TSA line for 30 minutes

Employees already cut to the front of the line now when they have to go through a TSA checkpoint. Don't be so dramatic. 5 minutes at most to actually go through (as long as you aren't bringing something through you shouldn't)

Quoting antoniemey (Reply 32): There are measures in place at all airports to ensure that employees are not a danger to the safety of the aircraft or passengers. As long as the Airport and its police are enforcing those procedures, you are in less danger from a ramper breaching security than you are from TSA missing yet another gun in someone's carryon.

Until employees bypassing checkpoints bring prohibited items into terminal. A Delta employee in recent history smuggled an arsenal into the terminal and gave them to passenger. That arsenal flew from Atlanta to New York. You want to argue that's safer than a passenger with one gun in his carry on??? For all of TSA's lapses, I highly doubt they would have a missed a bag full of guns!

Quoting antoniemey (Reply 32): Well, we are allowed things that passengers aren't, so long as we're not trying to get on a plane with them. Drinks come to mind.

Yeah, I'm not sure about that.
Maybe you can quote where in your employee or airport handbook where it says you allowed to bring drinks into the terminal.
I've had this discussion with a couple airline / airport managers in the past I haven't been able to get a straight answer. It seems that it is something that is looked the other way on but I do not believe you are actually allowed to bring drinks into the secure terminal per TSA guidelines. Once again, if you bring liquids into the terminal who is to say that is not an explosive (which could be detonated in the terminal by a disgruntled employee or passed on to a screened passenger before boarding an aircraft)

Quoting LAXtoATL (Reply 33): I've had this discussion with a couple airline / airport managers in the past I haven't been able to get a straight answer. It seems that it is something that is looked the other way on but I do not believe you are actually allowed to bring drinks into the secure terminal per TSA guidelines.

There are placards on most of the secured doors at my airport that state, though I don't recall the exact verbiage, that employees not boarding an aircraft may bring items not allowed for travel through points other than the TSA checkpoint, but they are subject to random screening by the TSA or Airport police. It also states that anyone who wishes to board an aircraft must submit themselves to TSA screening. It lists a regulation at the bottom. Seems pretty definitive to me. My personal beverage has been screened multiple ways, but has never been challenged as not allowed for me to have when working.

Quoting LAXtoATL (Reply 33): Employees already cut to the front of the line now when they have to go through a TSA checkpoint. Don't be so dramatic. 5 minutes at most to actually go through (as long as you aren't bringing something through you shouldn't)

And if all of my coworkers, plus all of the other airlines employees are having to go through that line, it's going to be a lot of people cutting to the front. What's 5 minutes today could easily become 10, 15, 30 minutes, especially at shift change, which is pretty consistent among airlines.

The airport I work at actually at one point tried suggesting something like this. EVERY airline and contractor at the airport protested on the basis of how much that would disrupt operations.

[Edited 2016-03-30 01:15:22]

Quoting antoniemey (Reply 32): OK, so, I come to

well, that's the Kind of crap the department of Homeland security is imposing on your colleagues overseas. Be glad that the EU or Japan etc do not retaliate and declare flights originating in the US as unsafe. IMHO they should do exactly that or get into an Agreement and make such regulations more common sense based.

Quoting m404 (Reply 29): How does the poster know he was a "contract" employee versus a full line employee?

Easy. They likely know which airports DL staffs with it's own people on the ramp, and which ones it doesn't. In this case, the OP is correct; DL does not have it's own ramp staff in PBI...

Quoting antoniemey (Reply 32): OK, so, I come to work at 12pm... clock in, go stand in the TSA line for 30 minutes, get to the gate I'm supposed to be working at 12:40.

My employee security check at AMS takes me less then a minute. The longest I've ever had to wait at a staff checkpoint is maybe 3 minutes when theres a shift change going on..

Martijn

Quoting a380787 (Reply 24): Quoting Deltal1011man (Reply 21): Airlines shouldn't be hiring contractors with a questionable background and pay them minimum wadge to do a mainline job. Should we be paying them 6 figures to load your bag onto the belt, plug-in the refueling hose, and cater the galley ?? SMH.

$15 an hour so contractors can exercise at least some descretion in who they hire

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 13): wat is "KCM" ?

Known
Crew
Member

its what pilots and flight attendants have at certain airports which allows them to bypass regular screening. It's what the B6 flight attendant attempted to use prior to them asking her to go thru secondary screening. Makes me wonder how many FA's and pilots use it and sneak things thru like airport employees do with their badges. The only difference is that KCM is used at lots of airports and a SIDA can only be used to access 1 airport.

FLY

Quoting Deltal1011man (Reply 21): Quoting PanHAM (Reply 13): The EU should act on that. Shouldn't the EU worry about cleaning its own house before worrying what we do? Or more importantly, wouldn't people need to care about EU opinions on what goes on in the US before they could "act"

American airports are obviously unsafe, as they allow employees to enter the sterile area without being checked. This means that US airport security is on the same level as e.g. Egypt.

Jan (an airline emploee, who gets checked every time he goes airside)

Do they still try to confiscate all those Tools you have to carry? This is no fun but when they started to do These checks, the security guys made a fuuss about that. I think this was sorted out pretty quick but it took some efforts to get realistic.

Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 40): American airports are obviously unsafe, as they allow employees to enter the sterile area without being checked. This means that US airport security is on the same level as e.g. Egypt.

Its hardly only the US. I have been on assignment in many nations be it first world Asian airports, or Latin America and even Middle East where staff are not screened. Be it via hangars, warehouses, or via the terminal.

At some point you need to trust someone, and trying to adopt 100% employee screening at many hundreds of airports in the U.S alone is a multi billion dollar problem not only from added staffing needs but also from facility design.

But heck, its not only employees, some airports like Changi allow passengers to wander all over the terminal without any security screening until at the last minute at the boarding gate.

Money is no Argument, I recall that just putting up the control Points cost Fraport soem 35 Million €, next is that you have to staff These check Points and that costs a lot of Money.

The Background checks come on top of that. I haven't seen a valid Argument why 100% employee Screening cannot happen in the US, a Country where Background checls are questionable as well. It is much easier in the US to fake identity, which is almost impossible in Germany.

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 43): It is much easier in the US to fake identity, which is almost impossible in Germany.

Getting a job at an airport in the US is not like getting a job at Burger King. US airport background checks include biometric data like fingerprints and can take weeks if not more than a month to complete.

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 43): Money is no Argument,

Sure it is. FAA uses it every day to judge aircraft safety and if they require certain designs or modifications.
Other government agencies also look at cost/benefit when considering policy or rules. Its actually the law that cost of compliance must be considered as part of the regulatory process at most agencies.

I dug this summary from 2011 GAO study:


The TSA in 2008 tested enhanced screening of workers at several airports. The test largely concluded that multiple layers of potential random screening appeared roughly as effective in identifying contraband as full time worker screening, and would be far cheaper between between $1.8 billion and $4.6 billion for the first year, compared with $8.7 billion to $14.9 billion for total employee screening. The TSA’s total budget for the 2008 fiscal year was $7.3 billion, covering over 45,000 screeners patrolling 2,000 passenger access points at about 450 U.S. airports.
The study concluded that managing access to an estimated 950,000 employees of airlines, airports, vendors, concessionaries and regulators many of whom would enter and exit secure areas multiple times on a daily basis at roughly 18,000 additional airport and airfield access points would require more than doubling the size of the department. Without massive additional federal appropriations to cover the increased expenses, the TSA couldn’t afford to broaden its mandate.

Quoting LAXtoATL (Reply 33): Employees already cut to the front of the line now when they have to go through a TSA checkpoint. Don't be so dramatic. 5 minutes at most to actually go through (as long as you aren't bringing something through you shouldn't)

At my station, employees cannot cut to the front when K-9 teams are in use. They have to walk past the dog just like anyone else.

(which effectively means that we can no longer expedite passengers through)

Quoting LAXintl (Reply 44): Getting a job at an airport in the US is not like getting a job at Burger King. US airport background checks include biometric data like fingerprints and can take weeks if not more than a month to complete.

   Even worse if you're getting a job at the airport Burger King. 

But seriously my credentials expire in two months and I already have to start the renewal process because they basically do all the checks all over again.

Quoting dlramp4life (Reply 23): But lets not also forget that illegal things happen in all industries, not just the airline business which seems to get the most media attention when it does.

Oh absolutely, I am not saying airline employees are bad (that includes me in my past).

But, airline employees are a key part of the international drug distribution network in my personal opinion, judging by the motives and opportunities on the ground. There is a lot of product to move, and the jets have always been part of how that needs to happen. This isn't news this is 50 years into the game. 40 years since the big time started. I actually think it is mostly on the ground now except speciality shipments (like the FA for example) for which she was probably paid a speciality sum, who knows, 20-40k most likely, spitballing. It would only make sense when a special market opportunity is present. Driving cross country on short notice is almost not worth a $500k profit to a major drug figure. That is a painful long drive. You'd want to fly it transcon.

[Edited 2016-03-31 22:15:55]

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 43): It is much easier in the US to fake identity, which is almost impossible in Germany.

On what metrics? If you're talking about identification media, that's an ever-changing target and several small-to-medium changes have recently been introduced and are in the works to make things harder to fake.

The biggest issue is one that will never be fully eliminated: Every government designs their own ID format and no security person, no matter how well trained or experienced, will be 100% familiar with all of them.

If you mean actual identity theft, that's another matter and while it impacts aviation security, it's not the same issue at all.

Quoting CrimsonNL (Reply 37): Quoting antoniemey (Reply 32): OK, so, I come to work at 12pm... clock in, go stand in the TSA line for 30 minutes, get to the gate I'm supposed to be working at 12:40. My employee security check at AMS takes me less then a minute. The longest I've ever had to wait at a staff checkpoint is maybe 3 minutes when theres a shift change going on.. Martijn

Same for me.

Quoting PanHAM (Reply 43): Money is no Argument, I recall that just putting up the control Points cost Fraport soem 35 Million €, next is that you have to staff These check Points and that costs a lot of Money.

Money is not issue as long it is somebody else's.  
The FAA doesn't care how much FRA has to spend on security, they simply give the order, else there will be no flights into the US. But in the US it is American money that has to be spend, hence they are a lot more lenient.
Sauce for the goose and the gander....


Jan