Man booted from airplane for wearing anti-TSA shirt

[RickN]

The TSA could've made him change the shirt before allowing him into the Sterile Area. Jokes about bombs in an airport are taken VERY seriously. They obviously screened him and determined that he was merely an azzhat, who was exercising his rights while judgement impaired. That's the part everyone forgets. Just because you have a right, does not MAKE you right. You can be fully within your rights and be completely wrong. Your 1st Amendment rights allow you to burn the US flag as a form of protest, but you're wrong if you do it. The Delta pilot recognized that this guy was wrong, exercised his judgement as Pilot In Command that it would cause civil unrest on board the aircraft and denied him passage. As PIC, that's within his authority.

With rights come responsibilities. Some people care nothing about the responsibilities, only the rights.

I agree, but make that a lot of people.
Before anyone says anything, I stopped flying commercial because of all the stupidity so I am not a fan of the TSA or the airlines.

 

[LightningCrash]

When you step on an airplane, the pilot becomes your king. This isn't a bus, it's a plane. You play by his, and the TSA, rules or you're done. You can always walk to your destination.

+1. When you voluntarily get on an airplane, you're in their domicile and your rights no longer apply. If you don't like it just don't go in someone else's property.

 

[Have Blue]

The airline, a private company, is the one who kicked him off the flight. And they have every right to decline service to those they choose....

If they are a private company, how come my tax dollars pays for their security? It's a good thing that pilot protected us from the brown man's evil shirt.

 

[Dave70968]

How many of you saying "it's a private company" know what the term "common carrier" means? Do you really think it would be okay for Delta to say "you can't fly our airline if you wear a shirt that says 'Democrats Suck?'"

(Also, TSgt Twitch: you said Delta is a "privately held company." You're wrong.)

 

[TwoForFlinching]

Were you there? Did you personally witness his behavior when confronted by the gate agent about his poor choice in attire? Just because TSA said he was OK to travel doesn't mean the airline has to accept him. I would almost bet he made a douche bag spectacle of himself in dealing with the gate agent for the airline, fastest way not to get on a plane be loud, argumentative or disorderly.

Want to know why places have dress codes? It's a litmus test to see if you're a douche bag.

I'm already irritated that I am not allowed so much as a pocket knife when I fly I certainly don't want some douche bag with a **** the TSA shirt on my flight that has been spouting off.

Maybe I am in the minority but good job Delta.

I see what you did there... Contradicting the action of speculation with more speculation...

 

[MoBoost]

BTW, what the hell kind of name is "Arijit" ?

Doesn't sound white enough, eh?

 

[Glocktogo]

He made a bad decision- but I'd say they took it a little far. They could have asked him to turn his shirt inside out or change.

I think we'd have less issues w/ the airport security if it was all run by private sector instead of Gov. Its amazing to me the low standards the TSA has for its employees, some of them wouldn't be eligible for Walmart and yet they can grope the general public.

**edit- of course I don't mean that ALL of them are low quality people/workers/etc. But I do maintain that private sector would do it better. The Gov is really only good at Armed forces imo.**

Please list your credentials that allow you to state the bolded part as fact. You see, I'm on the inside. I know what those regulatory standards are. My job is to ensure those regulatory standards are met. I know what vetting processes are used to ensure compliance with those standards. I'm going to go out on a very large and solid limb, and state that you don't know what you're talking about. You have no idea of the level to which these employees are vetted, and not just upon being hired. No organization or company can employ 50,000 people and not have a bad egg from time to time. I've yet to see the report where a TSA employee went Maj. Hasan on their place of employment to date.

Here is his blog entry about the whole thing: http://arijitvsdelta.blogspot.co.uk/ it has more info from the guys point of view, no way to tell if it is accurate, however I have not seen anything from Delta to dispute the facts.

The restaurant is not a good comparison. If there is a jacket and tie requirement you can usually find that in writing somewhere before you arrive. Also those types of restaurants would not call the police to tell you that you can not eat there. If this shirt was such a big deal how did the guy make it all the way to the gate before anyone said anything? I have read too many stories of a flight attendant kicking someone off a plane because of baggy pants. If the airlines want to have dress code go ahead. I fail to see how a person wearing a tshirt is the same as an intoxicated person. One person, the Delta manager, caused this whole issue. The TSA was fine with it, and the Delta manager got over themselves. The public outcry on the plane was most likely caused by seeing a person about to get on the plane with them being non discreetly interviewed by the TSA and local law enforcement.

If you understood TSA and airport operations, you'd know that's most likely NOT the case.

Were you there? Did you personally witness his behavior when confronted by the gate agent about his poor choice in attire? Just because TSA said he was OK to travel doesn't mean the airline has to accept him. I would almost bet he made a douche bag spectacle of himself in dealing with the gate agent for the airline, fastest way not to get on a plane be loud, argumentative or disorderly.Want to know why places have dress codes? It's a litmus test to see if you're a douche bag.

I'm already irritated that I am not allowed so much as a pocket knife when I fly I certainly don't want some douche bag with a **** the TSA shirt on my flight that has been spouting off.

Maybe I am in the minority but good job Delta.

I'm not saying for a fact this was the case here, but you'd be amazed how many times this is exactly the case. Same thing for passengers getting kicked off planes (though a nearly equal number of times, it's a cranky flight attendant blowing things out of proportion). Investigating interference with flight crew allegations is one of my duties.

I agree, but make that a lot of people.
Before anyone says anything, I stopped flying commercial because of all the stupidity so I am not a fan of the TSA or the airlines.

Understood and I empathize with you. I don’t like to fly either. As someone who thoroughly understands the process, even I find it stressful (though less so than the average flyer). I blame the terrorists, and to some extent the leadership in our country. Sometimes we create unintended consequences in our myopic pursuits.

How many of you saying "it's a private company" know what the term "common carrier" means? Do you really think it would be okay for Delta to say "you can't fly our airline if you wear a shirt that says 'Democrats Suck?'"

(Also, TSgt Twitch: you said Delta is a "privately held company." You're wrong.)

I understand what it means. It does not bind the certificated and contracted air carrier to transport persons in violation of 49 USC §46302 (hint, it’ll take a LOT more than a Google search to understand how that applies in this case). Further, Part 121 certificated carriers operating under 14 C.F.R. have fairly wide latitude in ensuring the safety of their flights. Additionally, Title 49, Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Chapter 449 sets fort requirements for the implementation of Security Programs, to which the general public does not have access. The Pilot In Command (PIC) is also the In-flight Security Coordinator (ISC) and has annual training requirements that outline those duties. One of my other duties is to audit those training programs on an annual basis and conduct periodic inspections of ISC’s on their implementation.

While I’ve seen numerous overreaches by cabin crew members, I’ve yet to see an ISC do so in over 7 years conducting inspections and investigations in this area.

Would anyone else like to comment without detailed information regarding aviation law and regulations?

 

[inactive]

Would anyone else like to comment without detailed information regarding aviation law and regulations?

Well since you ask, sure - I would

I think the passenger and the pilot are both asshats, just to varying degrees The passenger being the more severe of the two. I think they both were trying to flex their muscle a little (though the Pilot - without knowing all the circumstance - apparently justifiably so), but when you mess with an airline and air travel the way this guy did, you have to know you'd lose.

 

[Glocktogo]

Well since you ask, sure - I would

I think the passenger and the pilot are both asshats, just to varying degrees The passenger being the more severe of the two. I think they both were trying to flex their muscle a little (though the Pilot - without knowing all the circumstance - apparently justifiably so), but when you mess with an airline and air travel the way this guy did, you have to know you'd lose.

 

[Werewolf]

You must've been snoring next to TwoForFlinching....

The airline, a private company, is the one who kicked him off the flight. And they have every right to decline service to those they choose....

Right....

And if the guy had been a flaming homosexual dressed all in pink and electric blue with feathers and swishing all about and the airline had decided to toss it off the plane would the media's reaction have been the same? Would yours?

It was a T-Shirt. If one is so screwed up they are intimidated by a T-Shirt then it sucks to be them. They can get off the plane.

Jeezus - when did it become a freaking right for people not to have to feel uncomfortable?