There are a lot of you out there that aren’t too keen on United’s new combined livery with Continental. The more I keep seeing the new livery in photos the more I seem to like it. Not that long ago, I was able to view the new United livery in person at Boeing Field and I have to say it isn’t that bad. Although the new livery is growing on me, it can’t beat some of United’s liveries from the past. I have been hoping that United would be having a retro-livery themed plane and good news; they will.
I have been asking to see the Saul Bass United livery to make a comeback, but after viewing some of their other liveries on a Boeing 757, I am not too sure anymore. We already know what the Saul Bass United livery looks like on a Boeing 757, but we don’t know what the others would look like.
United employees are able to vote until the first week of December. The Boeing 757 will remain in the retro livery until it goes into paint again.
A backscatter X-ray body scanner recently installed at Sea-Tac Airport. Photo by Aubrey Cohen/seattlepi.com
There has been a call to boycott all TSA body scanners tomorrow November 24th to protest the TSA’s handling of airport security. I do not want to see people missing their flights from this protest, but I feel it is important to let the TSA know that their actions have gone too far. No matter if you agree or disagree with the TSA’s body scanners or enhanced pat downs, please remember to BE NICE.
If you are traveling over Thanksgiving, make sure to arrive at the airport early (like super early) and smile. People are normally on edge on the busiest travel day as it is and if people are boycotting the body scanners it will make things worse. Be polite to the passengers around you and also the TSA agents. Remember those people who are requiring you to go through the body scanners or conducting pat downs are just doing their job; they are not the policy makers. If you are asked to go through a body scanner, be polite and let tell them, “with all due respect, I am opting out of the body scanner.” It is alright to let them know you do not agree with the pat-downs, but how many of those TSA agents really want to be feeling your privates on Thanksgiving anyhow?
It will be easy to become frustrated and angry, but just do not take it out on the TSA agents. Take a moment to write to the TSA directly and let them know how you feel. You can leave a comment on their blog, send a message through their TalktoTSA program or email your local congressional representatives.
I normally don’t like to write about super popular things that you can see all over the news, but hating on the TSA didn’t used to be so popular. I have been very critical of the TSA and their “security theater” for quite sometime and it looks like they are finally getting some of the attention they deserve. Passengers, pilots and even TSA employees are standing up and saying no to aggressive body scanners and pat downs. This makes me happy.
Since I don’t like being angry and writing on the TSA always makes me angry, I am not going to spend a heck of a lot of time talking about what has been going on, but link to other sites that provide much more detail. There has been a lot going on with the TSA since their ban on printer cartridges a while back. Here are some of the highlights:
* Pilots don’t need to be scanned or groped: After lots of protest from pilots and their unions, they no longer need to get body scans or enhanced pat downs. This just makes sense. Why should someone who has total access to the cockpit need to be scanned? If a pilot wants to do harm (hopefully that will never happen) they do not need any special devices to do so. I only ask that flight attendants and maybe someday passengers can get that same level of treatment.
* Do not hate on the screeners: Steven Frischling on his blog Flying with Fish takes a look at these enhanced patdowns from the screener’s perspective. He spoke with 17 of them and they had some pretty powerful things to say. Many are not happy about having to violate a person’s personal space nor the hurtful comments they receive daily. One of the quotes that stuck out to me: “I don’t know how much longer I can withstand this taunting. I go home and I cry. I am serving my country, I should not have to go home and cry after a day of honorably serving my country.”
* Photography of TSA security area IS LEGAL at most airports: Again from Frischling’s blog (he does a lot with the TSA), he talks about how he was recently detained at Hartford’s Bradley International Airport (BDL) by the TSA and a state trooper for committing a federal offense. Luckily Frischling had some TSA folks on speed dial and he was released, but what about those that do not have those sort of connections to the TSA? If you take photographs of the TSA security process, make sure you know your local rules and be polite and professional if you are questioned. However, definitely stand up for your rights, I wish I would have during my TSA encounter.
* The TSA is listening, but not caring: I have talked before about the “TalktoTSA” program, where they seem to take feedback, but not really care to reply. Now the TSA Administrator John S. Pistol has posted a video via YouTube to assure all of us that the TSA is ONLY caring about our safety and will continue their privacy invading body scans and “enhanced” pat downs. Mr. Pistol, you need to listen to the people you are supposedly put in charge to protect.
* We do not have the same parts: Many people argue we all have the same parts and why should it matter that we get scanned or groped? We we do not. I recently talked about a transgendered person having issues and more recently a man ended up urinating on himself, being humiliated by the TSA.
Argh. See, now I am angry. Did I miss anything? I just feel lucky I am not planning to travel at all during the holidays, but good luck to the rest of you that will be flying. If you need a little humor to add to this situation, check out this great TSA video from Saturday Night Live.
American Airlines commercial from 1972 showing off their new luxury liner fleet DC-10, Boeing 707 and Boeing 747. Classic. Check out that economy lounge they had back then.
Malev Hungarian Airlines Boeing 737-600 (HA-LOE) in snowy Moscow
Malev Hungarian Airlines was founded back in 1946 as the Hungarian-Soviet Civil Air Transport Joint Stock Company (that’s a long name). The airline is based out of Budapest and flies to 50 cities in 34 different countries.
Malev has 22 aircraft, including 6 Boeing 737-600’s, 7 737-700’s, 5 737-800’s and 4 Q400. They used to fly Boeing 767’s which make the livery look good as well.
![Why should you feel like a victim to just visit grandma? [©2010 M.Trombly / M.Prophet Photography]](https://www.airlinereporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/FlyWithDignity1.jpg "FlyWithDignity")
