Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Omaha Steve

(99,071 posts)
Thu Nov 26, 2015, 03:52 PM Nov 2015

Utah man passes airport security with stolen boarding pass

Source: AP

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A man with a stolen boarding pass got through airport security in Salt Lake City and checked in at a gate for a flight to California before he was caught earlier this month, authorities have disclosed.

Michael Salata, 61, was arrested on Nov. 5 shortly after checking into a Southwest Airlines flight to Oakland, The Deseret News reported (http://bit.ly/1SmBXVy ) Wednesday.

Salata, who is on the sex offender registry in Utah, grabbed a boarding pass that a woman accidently left at a check-in kiosk and used it to get through a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, said Craig Vargo, chief of airport police.

"He tried to make it seem like it was a mistake, that the boarding pass printed incorrectly, or that he grabbed the wrong boarding pass," Vargo told the newspaper.

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/99a15126a4ec4b97a42c8b55f1433868/utah-man-passes-airport-security-stolen-boarding-pass

9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Utah man passes airport security with stolen boarding pass (Original Post) Omaha Steve Nov 2015 OP
Trying to escape Utah, eh? nt Erich Bloodaxe BSN Nov 2015 #1
Once at the gate, what could he do? rickford66 Nov 2015 #2
So he got past TSA, of course dixiegrrrrl Nov 2015 #3
Is TSA privately owned? This is another example of private company bein a complete disaster. yeoman6987 Nov 2015 #5
Oikes...TSA or Transportation Security Administration is the government. SoapBox Nov 2015 #7
No, but the privately owned airline caught him Recursion Nov 2015 #9
Not good, Wellstone ruled Nov 2015 #4
I was able to pass TSA with the wrong boarding pass ROC > MCO last month... Earth_First Nov 2015 #6
They pay close to minimum wage. rickford66 Nov 2015 #8

rickford66

(5,498 posts)
2. Once at the gate, what could he do?
Thu Nov 26, 2015, 04:35 PM
Nov 2015

It would quickly become apparent that another person "owned" the ticket. What did he expect to accomplish? Maybe he wanted to buy some overpriced fast food?

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
3. So he got past TSA, of course
Thu Nov 26, 2015, 04:51 PM
Nov 2015

and it was the airline that caught him.
TSA is a an enormous waste of time and money, and a joke. Its agents have been repeatedly caught stealing passenger goods, and 73 of them were hired depsite being on the Terrorist no fly list.
TSA has repeatedly failed to catch contraband items in Government inspection exercises.

 

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)
5. Is TSA privately owned? This is another example of private company bein a complete disaster.
Thu Nov 26, 2015, 06:26 PM
Nov 2015

Have the government run this.

 

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
4. Not good,
Thu Nov 26, 2015, 05:30 PM
Nov 2015

SLC Airport has issues. Got a hunch there is more to come on this. BTW,when this person went through Pre Screen,that boarding pass is recorded in their data base and time stamped with the TSO's I.D. at that time. Some one lost their job,you can count on it.

Earth_First

(14,910 posts)
6. I was able to pass TSA with the wrong boarding pass ROC > MCO last month...
Thu Nov 26, 2015, 07:10 PM
Nov 2015

A simple mixup on our part, I had the wrong name on my boarding pass (same last name...)

The worst part about it was not the delay in getting to our gate, but it was the assumption by TSA/DHS that I was up to something nefarious.

It wasn't even TSA that approached me on it after gathering my things and on my way, it was a DHS suit-dummy.

TSA/DHS is one of the most ineffectual agencies giving us the illusion of security, all while someone makes a mint...

I'm making this same flight tomorrow morning...wish me luck!

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Utah man passes airport s...