Flying With Fish The Blog for Those Who Fly & Those Who Want to Fly Smarter

The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) have at times taken a beating in the media, in the House and in the Senate for having not prevented a hijacking in progress … however despite the political posturing between the United States and Iran … the Federal Air Marshal Service may be able to cite an incident [...]

The Registered Traveler Program began with grand ideas of streamlining the passenger airport security experience when it debuted back in 2005, under the direction of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Office of Transportation Threat Assessment and Credentialing … but the program never developed as expected. Frequent flyers joined Registered Traveler programs around the nation, offered [...]

Over the course of the past few years, as travelers have experienced changes in the evolution of airport security procedures, the first layer everyone now experiences is the presentation of their valid government identification with their boarding pass. While other countries have begun to implement boarding pass verification at the point a passenger begins the [...]

In the past few weeks since the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) implemented its new “enhanced” pat down procedures there has been considerable backlash from the traveling public. This backlash has been loud and angry … but what is not heard or seen in the media is the quiet resentment of this new policy within the [...]

With all the negative press related to of aviation security and by extension the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) over the past week, today I’d like to step back and discuss what the TSA is doing to make air travel safer … taking a look back over the month. The TSA’s primary mission, in response to [...]

Over the past few years the topic of “Security Theater” has come up more often than passengers complaining about checked baggage fees. The inconsistencies surrounding passenger security often makes for a quick sound bite on the news, or a one liner quote in print (and online) stories because it is generally an easy topic to [...]

A constant complaint from travelers is an inconsistent security and airline policy experience.  This week’s reader mail addresses a wide range of these inconsistencies. This reader mail comes from Derek in Phoenix … who asks his question about security and carry-on policy in multiple parts. Derek asks 1) which airport strictest? like: nothing sharp, even [...]

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has battled many public relations gaffs as the young agency finds its feet overseeing transportation security in the United States. The agency promotes its career opportunities on its careers website as “From law enforcement to technology and from security operations to management, we are looking for dedicated people with the [...]

Last night around 11:45pm law enforcement officials arrested Faisal Shahzad, the suspect in the most recent New York, Times Square, terrorism attempt after he had boarded Emirates Flight 202 for Dubai, from New York’s JFK Airport.  Law enforcement was quite close to missing Shahzad, in fact not only was Shahzad on board Emirates Flight 202, [...]

A few years ago I saw possibly the worst tourist slogan t-shirt of all time, “London Is For Lovers.” Now granted I love London, but it isn’t a city exactly known for its romance. Despite London’s lack of romantic sense, it seems that a mere 211 miles to the northwest, Manchester may be a better [...]