Our Troubled TSA: Woman Slips Steak Knife On JetBlue Flight

The not small knife in question.

Another day, another report of a TSA screw-up. But just to shake it up, the latest lapse—in which a mother mistakenly took a steak knife aboard a flight—was at Newark, instead of JFK.

Apparently Floridian Evelyn Freay, 37, recently boarded a JetBlue flight home when she realized that her mother had packed a steak knife and an apple into the Freay's 1-year-old baby's bag as a snack, something which the TSA had very much missed. Freay sheepishly admitted the mistake to flight attendants who brought her back to the TSA for questions. In the end she wasn't charged and eventually booked another flight to the Sunshine state.

The TSA says they are investigating the security breach, which is nice and all. But can someone explain to us again why we're supposed to be ok with letting people prod our privates for weapons if the same people can't even spot a steak knife?

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By Garth Johnston in News on March 17, 2011 10:05 AM

Comments [rss]

Debra Jordan

Tsa is a joke anyway. Those losers have not prevented anything from happening.

nicemarmot

I accidentally brought something much more illegal on a flight a few years back. I didn't find it until I was at my destination and nearly had a friggin heart attack. But there's no way in hell the TSA shouldn't have seen it - they must be blind.

In other words, I'm sure this shit happens every single day.

Julian Bush

Marmots on a plane? Quick! Call Samuel L!

cr17

Yeah, I don't understand why this woman told a TSA agent about the discovery. Did she think there was a chance that she might become a threat to someone while in-flight?

neustreber

Because it's more about using fear to siphon money away from you, and get you accustomed to not having privacy, which makes it easier to siphon money away from you.

If it was about our safety, they would just lock the cockpits and fire all these TSA losers.

cr17

Was wondering if anyone know what the last year was when there was absolutely no security at an airport. Anyone?

SFNY

After hijackings etc. in the early 1970s the FAA instituted the search everyone/magnetometer policy in December 1972 which went into effect Jan 1973.

ishtar_79

I kinda agree with this. It's all theater.

Also, why did she go back AFTER she made it through security? Just keep the knife in your bag and do not remove it until you're home.

coupdefoudre

If it were me, I'd definitely consider turning myself in to try and avoid it being discovered somehow and getting myself locked up. Ultimately I think I wouldn't, because the chance of it being found would be small, but just think how much worse the punishment would be if it was.

Spirit of 76

On the other hand, you also have to think about how flight crews panic at the smallest thing nowadays. You turn yourself in and all of a sudden, the plane diverts to the nearest airport, all the other passengers are delayed for hours, a gate at that airport is tied up when it didn't have to be, TSA personnel may be pulled away from real threats. Would it be worth it to salve your conscience?