SHAME ON THEM

Healthy People Demanding Wheelchairs At Airports To Skirt Security Lines

There's no law against it

Feb 22, 2013 by David Mark

Editor-in-Chief t

Image: AP.

What would you call a perfectly healthy person at an airport demanding a wheelchair explicitly to avoid security lines? For TSA workers, a normal day at the office.

The Wall Street Journal reports the 1986 Air Carrier Access Act requires airlines to provide free wheelchair service to anyone who requests it. No description or documentation is required.

"Airports across the country say more able-bodied travelers have figured out they can use wheelchairs for convenience, making waits a lot longer for travelers with genuine needs," according to The Journal. "Airports across the country say more able-bodied travelers have figured out they can use wheelchairs for convenience, making waits a lot longer for travelers with genuine needs."

Wheelchair-service providers say some passengers running late for a flight will request immediate wheelchair service simply to cut to the front of the security line or to avoid a typical hour-plus wait at Immigration when entering the country. Some just want help with multiple heavy carry-on bags.

Via The Wall Street Journal.

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Yes, obviously

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Comments (view in Forum)

Feb '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

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This country is coming unglued. Maybe we can all move to Brazil.
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Feb '13

PNWest

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Not Brazil - you know socialized medicine and gun control too. But that's really bad Karma taking a wheel chair when you don't need one. Only a real a$$hole would do something like that.
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Feb '13

jessejaymes

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@PNWest This a sterling example of why I am so dead set against the extremist of the left. Against the right as well but this is a result of liberal legislating. You can't ask anyone about anything because you're "infringing" on their "rights". I remember when this came into place in California. I don't know if it's a federal law but I do remember the uproar about healthy people using wheelchairs at LAX back many years ago. After the initial grumbling it disappeared as an issue. But my wife had an aunt who was a slackard extraordinaire and she used that wheelchair dodge 10 years ago. Sometimes in society people who run businesses should have the right to challenge those who abuse the system.
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Post @jessejaymes
Feb '13

PNWest

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@jessejaymes I with you on this. Common sense should trump political correctness.
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Post @PNWest
Feb '13

PoliticalSpice

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@jessejaymes When has the extreme left ever taken the position that healthy people should be permitted to use wheelchairs to avoid long security waits? My friend, you've been spending too mich time reading Neo. As a card carrying member of the extreme left I bet you ten thousand dollars you can not find any credible documentation showing a leftist organization has taken this absurd position.
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Post @PoliticalSpice
Feb '13

jessejaymes

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@PoliticalSpice But I bet I can find documentation that the left is behind laws that you can't challenge the rights of people in wheel chairs.
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Feb '13

Knightkore

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Um....didn't work for the little girl did it?
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Feb '13

AntiPorcheria

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My don't we have a short term memory on Politix? Thanks for bringing that back up. I was just getting ready to do it myself.
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Feb '13

AMSCountryboy

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That story seriously had me pissed last night
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Post @AMSCountryboy
Feb '13

AntiPorcheria

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@AMSCountryboy - That's exactly why I can't figure out where this story is coming from.

I have seen videos of quadriplegic veterans in wheelchairs having their diapers and colostomy bags searched; I have seen videos of elderly, frail, female octogenarians getting felt up in their crotch and breast area and sobbing at the humiliation; I have seen videos of women being thrown to the ground by these TSA agents for trying not submitting fast enough to demands.

The education requirement to be a TSA agent is a High School Diploma or GED.

The training for a basic TSA screener is a 3 hour block of video instruction and a 24 page pamphlet.

You figure out why the system is broken.
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Post @AntiPorcheria
Feb '13

AMSCountryboy

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@AntiPorcheria TSA is a joke. I try not to fly. The one time i had to fly lately i went to florida. Every TSA agent at both airports looked like a person you couldnt trust with a bic lighter.... that or they were old as dirt. The guy working the screen for the bag xray scanner in orlando looked 95 years old if he he was a day! Actually i noticed when i got to FL and was unpacking that i had my keys in my carry on bag... i always kept a small knife on my keychain. I completely forgot to take it off. I never fly so i guess it sliped my mind...but it was in my carry on which went through the damn scanner. If they would have found it i would have thrown it away. No big deal. But they didnt even freaking notice.... makes me wonder how they would stop somebody ACTUALLY sneaking a weapon on the plane. They seem to be ineffective anyway.... so why the hell do we allow them to harrass people in the name of "safety" that they cant even really provide?
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Post @AMSCountryboy
Feb '13

AntiPorcheria

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@AMSCountryboy - Rather than enact any real legislation that can help with the problem, our government is satisfied to give us this little show. This will keep people from demanding more help, based on their dissatisfaction with the current "solution".

The TSA Motto: Ignorance is Bliss.
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Post @AntiPorcheria
Feb '13

zachsquatch

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God bless America.
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Feb '13

mimi57

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That is so wrong, not only for the able bodied people who have to wait, but for the
ones who really do need a wheel chair. Crazy!
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Feb '13

Rocker

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You can't tell me that manners, morals, and fair play hasn't taken a de-sensitizing hit in the last decade or two resulting to the 'ME' philosophy.
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Feb '13

standout

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people rent wheelchairs and ecvs at amusement parks.to cut line or ride in seats for handicapped.i know it's not the same thing.but i think that is bad also.
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Feb '13

Food4thoughts

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At the risk of sounding insensitive to those who are really physically disabled...if they're going through that much effort to park two spots closer... screw it ... Take the damn spot
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Feb '13

standout

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@Food4thoughts no they do it at the rides.some rides have special seats or areas for handicapped.people who seem to be in good health.will rent a wheelchair or ecv just to ride in the handicapped seats.
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Post @standout
Feb '13

Food4thoughts

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@standout
Shameless...smdh
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Feb '13

Clarke12

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these lazy arses will avoid getting screened unless they are a 3 year-old girl. hope they don't bring a stuffed animal...
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Feb '13

No_Bama

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I'm sure this is a follow up from the liberal The Wall Street Journal to defend the disgusting actions of the TSA after the molestation of a 3 yr old girl in a wheel chair going to Disney World. Absolutely pathetic.
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Feb '13

jessejaymes

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Ahem, the Wall Street Journal is owned by Rupert Murdoch. You remember ole Rupert? The same guy who owns Fox News? Try again.
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Feb '13

DARSB

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@jessejaymes Come on, JJ, the WSJ uses things like grammar, structured sentences, and vocabulary, all that liberal arts stuff. Clearly that makes it part of the liberal media. ;)
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Post @DARSB
Feb '13

jessejaymes

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@DARSB What the hell was I thinking? I must be on drugs.
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Feb '13

DARSB

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@jessejaymes "on drugs"? When did you move to Colorado?
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Feb '13

jessejaymes

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@DARSB I have a fast car. I was in and out and you never even knew I was there.
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Feb '13

Hireman

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I'm not for regulating or making laws against this. However as a regular traveler, I'm definitely going to get confrontational with people that abuse this. I welcome others to join in.
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Feb '13

Xarai

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ingenius, i myself shall do this as well wheelchairs here i come
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Feb '13

Real4WheelDrv

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May they all burn at the stake...or even better, once they sit down, don't let em get up again....
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Feb '13

jessejaymes

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Amen brother.
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Post @jessejaymes
Feb '13

Tralee

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Self fulfilling prophecy - may they get what they wished for. How about one down and one who wants to be up, get up? I'm sure there are many who would willingly trade places.
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Feb '13

AceLuby

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These are private companies, we don't need laws governing line waiting rules. Taxpayers shouldn't be funding their security either. If I asked a police officer to pat down every customer that came into my business for free, I would get laughed at. Own an airport though and they not only do it for free, but force you to comply. TSA and homeland security are the biggest wastes of money ever shouldered by the taxpayer... well besides the DEA.
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Feb '13

Knightkore

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Agreed....agreed....agreed.... actually....Standing Ovation....
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Post @Knightkore
Feb '13

Thegrif

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It should be a ticketed offense, like parking in a handicap spot in a parking lot.
Lazy, impatient, fat asses, with no respect for others.
What is America becoming?
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Feb '13

JoinCCA

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I agree with you 100%. Especially to your rhetorical question. Lazy, impatient, fat asses is correct. Makes me sick.
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Post @JoinCCA
Feb '13

Thegrif

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@JoinCCA this lazy crap, impatient attitudes, from FAT A$$ES and all this give give give crap. Is getting old.
I remember when people would bust their a$$ to make ends meet. I remember when fat was a rare thing, hell we all worked to hard to get fat, heck half the time we were to tire to eat to much.
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Post @Thegrif
Feb '13

SavageMazx

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But griff, you are violating their right to be ass hats...what should happen is if they get caught they get banned from flying for a year.....or Southwest should give the a spacious wing seat :)
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Post @SavageMazx
Feb '13

Thegrif

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@SavageMazx wing seat, nice. LOL
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Feb '13

MarkJM

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They must be Liberals....
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Feb '13

Emerald1

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When you park in a handicapped parking spot you have to have a handicapped card.
Why not at airports for those who truly need assistance. Just remember, some people look able bodied but may have a respiratory or cardiac disability.
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Feb '13

Realthinker

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Not all people who appear to be able bodied are. Physical conditions that make walking for long distances such as those at airports are not usually visible. Heart and lung conditions that make long walks difficult can strike young people, so does arthritis. That person you think grabbed that scooter at Walmart because they are overweight may just have an arthritic hip, or be recovering from joint replacement surgery.
Yes, people can abuse such priviliges, but this is one subject where I think the general public has become entirely too sanctimonious and judgemental.
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Feb '13

LGRepublican

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MAYBE if we didn't treat innocent people like criminals at the airport they wouldn't need to find ways to skirt the "security" process.....
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Feb '13

Yank

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Fraud is fraud. If you went to the DMV and pretended to be handicaped to get a better parking spot, what would happen?
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Feb '13

blue_yahoo

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You have to have a document signed by your doctor to take to the DMV to get a handicapped permit.
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Post @blue_yahoo
Feb '13

miketost

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I wish nothing bad on even those i dislike with that being said.I would bet if these fools were to lose their health or limbs they would think back to the time they had used a wheel chair to beat the system and wished they could walk once again on their own.More times than not what goes around comes around.Be careful of your choices.
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Feb '13

SignifiedNBlue

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Who the hell would think of something that damn lazy!!??
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Feb '13

Tralee

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There should be a special pink and green feathered wheelchair with the handicap sign with a slashed circle around it for the able bodied who pull this scam, after all, if they want to skirt the meaning of the law, attention should be brought to them in some way. Unfortunately, I just know that there are some who just don't give a hoot and will not be embarrassed at all. After all, they won didn't they? BTW - the wheelchair should also make a really rude noise, not the beep beep, but perhaps blurrrttttt, blurrrrtttt, as it passes. ;()
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Should this be illegal?

Should this be illegal?