CATSA

[stickontheice]

The lack of utter common sense in this industry is absolutely incredible. At the very top of this list has to be CATSA. In my opinion this is one of the most unprofessional groups of people that I've ever met. The other day I am operating a flight from YEG to LAS. We come off a domestic flight so we are in the secured area. We proceed through Customs then we have to go through CATSA screening. Yes a pain but whatever.

What amazes me more than anything is that the flight crew have to be subjected to all this screening but the CSA, any maintenance or ground crew personnel and CATSA agent can come and go as they please with no extra screening. What absolutely infuriates me is that there is bypass screening for CATSA personnel. I was talking to the fellow that was assigned to our gate, for whatever reason they are there is beyond me, and he was telling me that they have an "Aeronautical Act" (a piece of paper with no picture on it) saying that they are authorized by Transport Canada to bypass normal security screening. CATSA Personnel NEVER GET SCREENED.

AGAIN...A piece of paper with no picture on it that allows them to bypass all screening.

I have held a RAIC for more than 10 years. I have held a pilot's license for more than 20 years. No criminal record and no Customs violations. The Gov't of Canada and the USA both have my finger prints and my optical scans. And for some reason I cannot be trusted enough over CATSA agents to bypass normal screening.

I was with a captain once and he had something taken from him because "HE MIGHT USE IT TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT" Those were the actual words. Ok HE HAS CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. That's his job!!!!

The fellow that was guarding our arrival today was on his cell phone texting or playing games. He had no interest in being there and wasn't watching anything around him. I went through security the other day in YYZ and there were SEVEN CATSA agents working the machine and line I was going through. Two were doing the screening the other five were talking.

If you're lucky enough to get someone that hasn't either recently graduated from high school, dropped out of high school 10 years ago and were turned down at the local 7/11, or just came to Canada last week ask them about the AERONAUTICAL ACT that they carry. Ask to see it. Its an extra test and interview to get it.

LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD: Either give the same security screening to EVERYONE or issue AERONAUTICAL ACTS to Flight Crew so that we can do our job. When it comes to security how likely is it that a Flight Crew member would want to cause harm to his/her own aircraft? CATSA is a joke and I can only hope that someday it gets changed. Pilot College where are you????

[J31]

Feel better

I feel your pain....what a joke the RAIC is

[OceansEdge]

Security theatre - it's a freakin' joke.

I appreciate the ACPA speaking up and backing the call for more security, but I really fear that what we'll end up with is more reactionary government stupidity

If it's government it's all about 'as long as it looks good' - it would be really nice to see them do something right and fix the screwed up systems they put in place the last 6 times they reacted to a call for better security.

[mbav8r]

Hey, I had to try and figure out all the places I had lived in the last million years and they also needed to know what color my poop was on August 30th, 1973 to get that RAIC, that's no joking matter.

[Seriously?]

CATSA is ridiculous.

They probably could put a hobo in that uniform if they had to because its only about the "perception" of safety to the traveling public anyway.

[YYZatcboy]

I am shocked that there is no RAIC Bypass for flight crew at YYZ. At my airport everyone with a RAIC can bypass, be they flight crew or CSR/Ramp/MTC/Ops personnel. CATSA can also bypass if they have the RAIC. Yellow pass holders still go through screening (supposedly).

[Mihai]

I work at YUL and I'm pretty sure crew does bypass screening.

As for CATSA, yes, it's a joke. They ALWAYS look overstaffed with 30% of them working and the rest joking around and sitting at the gates playing on their phones and texting.

[mbav8r]

I just used a by-pass in YYZ last week, I didn't know it was there from previous times going through, but it's there...

[Sage]

I just used a by-pass in YYZ last week, I didn't know it was there from previous times going through, but it's there...

Perhaps you didn't go transborder then. There is a domestic and international bypass but not to the States.

[genetic jack hammer]

As a crew member, what really scares me is that, if/when the next terrorist plot unfolds, if it turns out that CATSA employess were involved, it'll be us pilots who will be subject to increased screening.

@#$! CATSA!

[mbav8r]

You're correct, there is no by-pass for transborder in YYC either.

[stickontheice]

Only if you go to an American destination do you, as a Pilot, get screened. But the screening is ridiculous. If I'm going to do harm to an airplane do you think I'm going to tell someone that I have liquid or gels on me? The metal detector isn't going to catch people like the underwear bomber. I can choose whether or not to use full body scans so that's easy enough to get around.

Why is the Flight Crew member guilty until proven innocent and the CATSA worker trusted to come and go as they please? Everyone should be screened or no one should. And if they're so bloody worried about us in American airspace why is that I can fly point to point in Canada through American airspace and I'm not subjected to the same painful experience?

What if you're DH'ing? Why is it that you have to prove that you're DH'ing in order to bypass? I showed a YZ security person my Flica schedule from my iPhone. It clearly showed the pairing I was on and that I was DH"ing back to YC but it wasn't good enough but yet Osama Bin Laden himself could show his boarding card electronically and he can proceed through to security?

These CATSA rejects need to screened just like everyone else. This organization is the weakest link when it comes to aviation security. If I'm a terrorist group I would be getting my people hired at CATSA. The qualifications for getting on are low and the level of trust that is bestowed on you with the Aeronautical Act is high. I'd put several sleeper cell agents through and carry on with my business of causing destruction as I saw fit. And in the meantime I could harass crews trying to do their jobs.

[~Hollywood~]

Ahhh good ol Catsa.....I recommend just doing this next time

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/2 ... 26764.html

[Captain S itmagnet]

Hey look! Capt SM just threw another log on the fire!

http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/2010 ... y-incident

[stickontheice]

That's awesome! I'd love to go through security in my birthday suit. Scan this!

[swordfish]

I assume they scanned the Queen for metal objects and checked her handbag for "liquids, gels, or lotions" over 50 ml....?

[flyinhigh]

i say july 23rd, every pilot in canada that is clearing security drops his/especially HER drawers.

If we all did this, what are they going to do to us. Seriously

[TyrellCorp]

CATSA = Colorectal Association To Screw Aviators

[bater]

With the Federal reviews of Catsa going on, why not send your frustrations to Ottawa. One or two might not get far, but if every pilot in the country is complaining about their lack of professionalism, cellphones at the checkpoint, them bypassing the screening after going out for a smoke etc, something might get done. They're under the microscope right now, pass on your comments.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/aviationsecurity/page-169.htm

[stickontheice]

Done! Thank you for posting that link.

[Solaris]

Thanks bater for posting that link to allow us to express our opinions to the "powers that be" at CATSA

Also, thanks stickontheice for starting this thread, CATSA has been a huge source of irritation for many of us. Now is our chance to voice an opinion, don't say, "what good will it do?" , perhaps things might change if they hear from enough of us. It is only a brief comment box to fill in and you don't even have to leave your personal information if you don't want to. PLEASE DO IT !! THANKS !!!

[OceansEdge]

http://www.loweringthebar.net/2010/07/t ... boxes.html

[The Vault]

Just a tip. I was told the other day by a CATSA employee that if you use one of the security lines that has one of those fancy scanners on it you will get the full pat down search. Regardless of whether or not the machine is in use or you are in uniform. I went throught twice while in uniform... for a moment I thought I was getting my medical done.

[Old Dog Flying]

Hey Vault was he smiling as he snapped his rubber glove?

[stickontheice]

They can afford all the rubber gloves they want after being given an extra 400K from the Feds. for the G8/G20 summit. What a joke. I operated YZ-LAS the last night of the summit. There were 7 CATSA employees working one lineup. 5 were talking to each other and two were actually doing the work.

CATSA is the most expensive optical illusion that I've ever seen.