| Maybe not - as others note in this thread there are real guns that could match the description of this one. Whether or not those guns are lethal enough to warrant being removed from a flight is a very valid question. Before we cast aspersions on the TSA agent, let's look at it from her perspective. The TSA has rules that say replica guns are not allowed on flights. The TSA is not likely an agency that smiles upon its front line employees exercising discretion. Her options are: 1) to confiscate the "offending" item, as supported by her training and the TSA policies, or 2) to decide the item is not a threat and let it pass security. If she takes the first option, she risks a bit of media hullabaloo being directed at the TSA. If she takes the second she risks being wrong (what if it is a gun and someone is shot, what if someone on the airplane sees it and panics because they think it is a gun,...) and being held accountable. And even if she lets it go through what's to say a supervisor who is evaluating the front line agents doesn't take note of a deviation from training/policy and fire her then? The TSA agent was acting, in my mind, completely rationally given the framework under which she has to act. If we want to blame anyone here we need to look straight to the system. |
Could you link to those rules? TIA.