TSA fires 28 Honolulu bag screeners after probe

[cobra#2885]

By AUDREY McAVOY - Associated Press | AP –17 hrs ago...See latest photos »....HONOLULU (AP) — Dozens of employees at Honolulu's airport were fired or suspended after an investigation found workers did not screen checked bags for explosives, the Transportation Security Administration said Friday.

The firings and suspensions amounted to the single largest personnel action for misconduct in the federal agency's history. It said in a statement that 28 workers were "removed," 15 suspended, and three resigned or retired. The cases of two other employees were still being decided.

The agency began an investigation at the end of last year after two Honolulu employees told officials that thousands of bags weren't checked properly or screened for traces of explosives.

The probe, which included interviews with more than 100 employees, determined that some checked bags during one shift at the airport were not properly screened.

In June, the TSA placed 36 of the workers on paid administrative leave as it began the process of firing them. It also suspended 12 workers at that time. The Honolulu airport has 750 TSA employees.

The National Treasury Employees Union, which represents TSA workers, has said the employees faced pressure to make sure flights departed on time.

The workers can appeal the decision, the agency said. A TSA spokesman declined to comment because it involved personnel issues.

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[347Mike]

Believe it or not (someone may have experience or disagree) but all the screeners I have gone through I have notice everyone atleast look at the screener when bags go through.

When I travel over seas, good fucking luck. I see bags go through and some don't even look at the screen... lol

[HarrisonTX]

When I was in the army, we helped some agency with a screening. I got through the metal detectors with a 22 revolver. It was palm sized, and I tucked it in my under ware waist band right behind my zipper. Of course the metal detector went off, and I got the wand. The tsa guy used the back of his hand to pat my zipper, and let me right on through. The guys with this three letter agency had me point out the guy that screened me, and give my opinion. I said "he barely tapped me. If the security of me, and my fellow passengers is in this guys hands, he needs to be a little bit more concise with your taps"

This was in a civilian airport in west Texas

[LANTIRN]

Believe it or not (someone may have experience or disagree) but all the screeners I have gone through I have notice everyone atleast look at the screener when bags go through.

When I travel over seas, good fucking luck. I see bags go through and some don't even look at the screen... lol

Overseas security is a fucking joke. When I was flying out of the middle east out Bahrain, they let you saran wrap your bags before they ever looked at them, so you could be hiding any god damned thing you wanted. Put the bags on an x-ray, most of the time it was turned off or the guy was playing with his phone. Hundreds of Arabs walked right through with NO screening to get on the plane, and the at the gate they barely blinked if an Arab had the alarm go off. I was the only guy that was checked thoroughly because I was the only American on board the plane that day; they gave me shit because I had loose change rattling in my backpack. Saudi was worse; they only halfway care what is being brought into the country but they are all to stupid to work an xray machine so it doesn't matter. They don't give a fuck what you take from it; it was kind of like watching the metal detector scene on "Airplane" when I flew from the Middle East both times.