[IP] more on more on DHS Passenger Scoring Illegal?

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Giles Robetson <gwjr2@cam.ac.uk>
Date: December 12, 2006 9:54:53 AM JST
To: dave@farber.net
Subject: RE: [IP] more on more on DHS Passenger Scoring Illegal?

This is the doctrine of "captain's authority."

I don't think anybody questions the authority of the captain of an  
aircraft
to do as he sees fit to further the safety of his aircraft, crew, and  
cargo
(self-loading or otherwise).

But the captain is also responsible for that authority. In this case, he
seems to have discharged that responsibility admirably, because the
behaviour the gentlemen exhibited - in positioning themselves  
(contrary to
assigned seating) at exit points of the aircraft, and requesting  
seatbelt
extenders but not using them - was that which would give any captain
reasonable cause to believe the men were a threat to his aircraft.

What needs to be stopped are incidents like the one that occurred  
earlier
this year on a Monarch airlines flight from Malaga to Manchester, where
conversations between the passengers lead to the removal of two  
muslim men
from the aircraft, for no real cause (they'd been "looking at their
watches", and "talking in Arabic" - two activities that most Arabic  
speakers
will engage in while on airports.) In that incident the Captain was
instrumental in removing the men's passports and arranging for their  
removal
from the aircraft, and he too should take responsibility for his  
decisions.

Giles Robertson



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