Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Captain removing SS agent from aircraft

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

TurboS7

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 25, 2001
Posts
2,261
As you all know a captain for a major airline requested and removed a Secret Service agent from the aircraft. The excuse was that they didn't feel that everything was appropriate. Nevertheless the President was very verbal and upset about his agent being removed. As a captain where do you draw the line in a public transport business. I have worked with the Secret Service and the individual's authenticity could have been verified in minutes, yet the flight was delayed over an hour. How do you guys feel about that?????
 
The flight was an American Airlines flight from IAD to DFW, as reported in the media.

I have mixed feelings about it. It is the Captain's perogative to allow a LEO on his airplane. Period. The Captain deserves this authority and should exercize it at his discretion.
On the other hand, we weren't talking about Joe Blow local deputy here. This was a Secret Service agent. His credentials could have been easily researched in no time, especially considering they were still in Washington. The Captain may have acted a little abruptly and maybe irresponsibly by not verifying the agent was indeed who he said he was before booting him. Of course, none of us were there either, so maybe there were other events. The agent just happened to be of Arabic descent. The agent also seems to have a chip on his shoulder about it as seen by his comments in the media and his immediate filing of a lawsuit. Perhaps the agent got smart with the Captain or somehow gave the impression that he was going whether the Captain liked it or not; i.e. pushed the Captain's buttons in some way.

I guess the bottom line is that in normal cicumstances, it was up to the Captain. He could have and should have checked the agents background... unless the agent was booted for some other reason...
 
I agree. As the story unfolded, my journalist hairs began to tingle, telling me that there is likely a bit more to the story.
 
Effort

This is not so much a question of authority, especially on a pilot board, but, what effort was made by the captain or the airline to verify the agents status.

There is a certain implied relationship here between law enforcement and the company. If the company makes little effort to verify, they failed their fuduciary obligation. The airline should have checked and provided the captain with assurance.
 
where does it say you MUST carry SS agents on your plane? I know you cant deny the FAA, but.. I still think a typical airline captain is a reasonable man and it is his call. Captain's DESCRETION!!
 
irresponsible captain

that captain was probably a hillbilly who just couldnt believe that an arab could be a ss agent ,well his stupidity is going to cost the airline and the industry , he could have checked out the agents credentials in a few minutes if he really wanted to
fulcrum
 
Re: irresponsible captain

fulcrum said:
that captain was probably a hillbilly who just couldnt believe that an arab could be a ss agent ,well his stupidity is going to cost the airline and the industry , he could have checked out the agents credentials in a few minutes if he really wanted to
fulcrum

Sorry to be argumentative, but before you call a 121 airline captain an "irresponsible hillbilly" perhaps you should justify your opinion with experience.
At 350 hours, I don't think you know the first, second, or third thing about being a captain for a major airline.
 
As far as the details go, I'm sure more and more will be released. I think the captain had every right to throw the SS agent off the aircraft on the basis of the paper work being out of whack. Terrorists are smart people and that is why it is so difficult to discover one on your flight. Terrorists know how to get paperwork, IDs, and uniforms that look authentic. If the pilot feels uncomfortable, then he/she should throw that individual off the aircraft. For those of us that have been in the airline industry we know captains don't have a whole lot of time to be running around verifying details and checking the paperwork.

Who knows, one day when a captain doesn't allow someone on board could be the day he/she just saved that flight. Its tricky business people.
 
the capt might be a wonderful and responsible pilot
but when it came to being a human being he did not do what was right ,you and me both know that , i am not going to judge his flying skills but surely he lacked the skills to see through that he did the right thing --------- even the president is mad at him
fulcrum
 
fulcrum said:
the capt might be a wonderful and responsible pilot
but when it came to being a human being he did not do what was right ,you and me both know that , i am not going to judge his flying skills but surely he lacked the skills to see through that he did the right thing --------- even the president is mad at him
fulcrum

Again, I challenge you to back this opinion up with experience.
A Captain has a lot to do in a very short time. He is the final authority of all aspects of the flight and is legally and morally responsible for ensuring the safety of all 200 or so passengers. In order to accomplish this, the captain has the final say in all operations... to make a judgement call based on a wealth of experience of what will occur to maintain safety. This captain excercized that right.
We can monday morning quarterback all we want, but none of us were there. He did what he felt was right at the time. End of story.

And I couldn't care less what the President thinks.
 
Last edited:

Latest resources

Back
Top