LaGuardia terminal evacuated; flights halted

[alicia-w]

The Delta terminal at LaGuardia Airport in New York was evacuated Friday after a man who had been targeted for additional screening left the screening area, the Transportation Security Administration said.

The man sat down, took off his shoes, then left the area without them, said TSA spokeswoman Ann Davis.

"TSA Security and Port Authority Police are searching for him now," she said. "He's going to have to come out at some point."

The incident occurred at 2:50 p.m., she said. All outgoing flights from terminal D have been stopped until the man is found.

Davis said She did not know why the man had been selected for what the TSA calls a secondary screening, which involves security officers passing a metal-detecting wand around a person's body.

[gtalum]

Idiots. I'm amazed that 4+ years after 9/11 the only response to stupidity like this is "let's shut down the airport!"

[alicia-w]

amazing, isnt it? he's probably sitting in a bar somewhere. how hard would it be to find a guy who isnt wearing shoes????

[gtalum]

That and the "secondary screening" is a joke and waste of time anyway.

[Brent]

Idiots. I'm amazed that 4+ years after 9/11 the only response to stupidity like this is "let's shut down the airport!"

Agreed... this is getting very old.

[ohiostorm]

That and the "secondary screening" is a joke and waste of time anyway.

Basically. They just wand you. Most of the time you already have your shoes off anyways. I work at the Pittsburgh International Airport so I go through security every day of my life. Not too bad when your an employee, but I've seen the "selectee" line and what they do.

[gtalum]

The worst is that seasoned travellers (and terrorists) know how to get around the selectee line anyway. It is truly pointless.

[ohiostorm]

When its busy and the TSA agent thats going to give you further screen turns around to check your bags, you can run off into the crowd of people. At Pittsburgh it's harder since you go through security and have to get on a underground people mover. Be a little easier to track. Could just keep the doors closed on the people mover till they found the person.