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.
Quick! What are the three different aircraft types in this photo?
Growing up I flew a lot out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). I would head over to the North or South Terminals and watch planes come and go for hours. I would love looking at two different aircraft and find the differences so I could tell them apart. Some, like the Boeing 727 and Boeing 737 were easy. Others like the DC-10 and MD-11 took a little more effort. With magazines and the addition of the internet, learning the differences became easier.
When an advertisement starts out with the statement, “WARNING: The following video contains language and themes of a sensitive nature. Viewer discretion is advised,” they get my full attention. When first checking out Air New Zealand new Rico ads about a month ago I wondered how they might out-do their videos of almost-naked employees. Well, I think they succeeded and have made me laugh in the process.
Enter Rico, Air New Zealand’s new spokesperson… err spokesquirrell, maybe spokesfuzzyguy, um, I am not really sure what he is. I do know he is unique, a bit rude and darn funny. He says things that no spokes person should ever say, but some how me makes it seem alright. According to his FaceBook he was born, “on plane between two country on international line of dates on June 6th and 7th 1972.” He states he likes to say he was born on the 6th since that was the same day, “David Bowwow release Ziggy Stardust recording.” Don’t tell Rico, but I have heard he was actually “born” at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in Los Angeles. This is the same place that brought you the much more clean-mouthed Muppet’s.
If you follow quite a few aviation blogs, this is probably not the first time you have seen Rico. He has been up to his shenanigans on the internet for a bit over a month. Since then, he has caused quite a stir around the interwebs. I have seen that most aviation geeks love him, some think he is disgusting and others just do not get it. I say, if an airline is able to make their marketing funny and creative enough to get people to write about them, that says something.
How can you not like this little fuzzy dude? Well, I think I like watching him on YouTube, not sure if I would want to sit next to him on Air New Zealand’s longest flight of 14hrs from Vancouver, BC to Auckland (ok, yea I would, but alcohol would need to be involved and I am not sharing a snuggle seat with him). I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to interview him and he made a funny video for me. I am not sure he 100% understood all my questions, but his answers made me laugh hard. Trying to answer what his favorite airplane to fly in should make any aviation geek smile!
If you haven’t seen Rico’s other videos, be sure to check them out. Just do me a favor and don’t listen to these at work 🙂
Would you want to hang out with Rico for a few hours? If you so dare, you can also follow Rico via his Facebook or Twitter accounts. He sounds like a world traveler and hoping I can run into him someday.
![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")
