Air carrier captain's complaint that an airport security check in front of passengers could cause an...

Attributes
ACN	168519
Time
Date	199101
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 9000
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was detailed by security and requested to remove numerous items from my uniform, up to and including my belt. This was done in front of the very passenger that I would be flying in a short time. This type of treatment borders on harassment of flight crew members and would be in violation of far 121. We, as flight crew members, are expected to immediately put this encounter and all the emotions that accompany it and then perform our jobs in a flawless manner. I feel that for most flight crew members, this is impossible to do. As a result, at some point in time, a pilot is going to have an accident because he is too upset to perform in a safe manner. I would like to recommend that, if security finds it necessary to search a crew member, it be done in the privacy of a separate room with someone in addition to security observing the procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPT'S COMPLAINT THAT AN ARPT SECURITY CHECK IN FRONT OF PASSENGERS COULD CAUSE AN EMOTIONAL TRAUMA SEVERE ENOUGH TO EFFECT THE FLT CREW'S PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES AND THE SAFETY OF THE FLT.

Narrative: I WAS DETAILED BY SECURITY AND REQUESTED TO REMOVE NUMEROUS ITEMS FROM MY UNIFORM, UP TO AND INCLUDING MY BELT. THIS WAS DONE IN FRONT OF THE VERY PAX THAT I WOULD BE FLYING IN A SHORT TIME. THIS TYPE OF TREATMENT BORDERS ON HARASSMENT OF FLT CREW MEMBERS AND WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF FAR 121. WE, AS FLT CREW MEMBERS, ARE EXPECTED TO IMMEDIATELY PUT THIS ENCOUNTER AND ALL THE EMOTIONS THAT ACCOMPANY IT AND THEN PERFORM OUR JOBS IN A FLAWLESS MANNER. I FEEL THAT FOR MOST FLT CREW MEMBERS, THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO. AS A RESULT, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, A PLT IS GOING TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE HE IS TOO UPSET TO PERFORM IN A SAFE MANNER. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT, IF SECURITY FINDS IT NECESSARY TO SEARCH A CREW MEMBER, IT BE DONE IN THE PRIVACY OF A SEPARATE ROOM WITH SOMEONE IN ADDITION TO SECURITY OBSERVING THE PROC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Air carrier captain's complaint that an airport security check in front of passengers could cause an emotional trauma severe enough to effect the flight crew's performance of their duties and the safety of the flight.