US Airways SUCKS!

I have, so far, stuck to pointing out how badly US Airways sucks on this blog. And for the most part I intend to continue to do so despite all of the nuttiness surrounding full body scanners, invasive searches, and abuse of power that has been happening at our airports thanks to the TSA, corporations wanting to sell many millions of dollars worth of fancy equipment, and certain segments of the ill-informed public who support such measures. But today something interesting happened which has bearing on my situation with US Airways.

A fellow named Phillip Mocek was arrested in 2009 at Albuquerque airport for not showing ID. He knew that you don't have to. The TSA didn't know that and apparently neither did the local police. Mocek was charged with concealing identity, disorderly conduct, refusing to obey an officer, and criminal trespass. He was recording the whole incident on video and was told to stop by a TSA "officer". Both the real police and the TSA seem to have forgotten that the TSA "officers" are not police officers and have no such powers. They cannot arrest you or order you to do much if anything.

http://www.pixiq.com/article/man-arrested-after-refusing-to-show-tsa-his-identification

He was bailed out for $1000 by some good people on the net and then waited for trial. His trial was January 22nd. He was found not guilty of all four counts by a jury:

http://www.papersplease.org/wp/2011/01/22/phil-mocek-found-not-guilty-by-albuquerque-jury/

US Airways insisted that we show ID that day we had our troubles. The Papers Please blog has some good resources about not needing ID to fly. We are so fortunate that the TSA in Indianapolis had more of a clue than the TSA in the Mocek case and allowed my wife to fly without ID.

http://www.papersplease.org/wp/2010/11/23/what-you-need-to-know-about-your-rights-at-the-airport/