Tuesday, February 16, 2010

This is one of those stories that makes my blood boil. The TSA forced a disabled, 4-year old boy to remove his leg braces before allowing him to clear security at the Orlando International Airport. His custom-fitted, hardened-plastic leg appliance set off the security system.

Four year old Ryan Thomas, along with his father, Bob, and mother, Leona, were on their way to Walt Disney World, when they were met by an overreaching TSA agent who demanded not only that the boy remove his leg braces but, walk unassisted through the security check point.

Born 16 weeks prematurely, Ryan’s ankles are malformed and his legs have low muscle tone. In March he was just started to walk.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

The screener told them to take off the boy’s braces.

The Thomases were dumbfounded. “I told them he can’t walk without them on his own,” Bob Thomas said.

“He said, ‘He’ll need to take them off.’ “

Ryan’s mother offered to walk him through the detector after they removed the braces, which are custom-made of metal and hardened plastic.

No, the screener replied. The boy had to walk on his own.

Leona Thomas said she was calm. Bob Thomas said he was starting to burn.

They complied, and Leona went first, followed by Ryan, followed by Bob, so the boy wouldn’t be hurt if he fell. Ryan made it through.

By then, Bob Thomas was furious. He demanded to see a supervisor. The supervisor asked what was wrong.

“I told him, ‘This is overkill. He’s 4 years old. I don’t think he’s a terrorist.’ “

The supervisor replied, “You know why we’re doing this,” Thomas said.

Thomas said he told the supervisor he was going to file a report, and at that point the man turned and walked away.

A Philadelphia police officer approached and asked what the problem was. Thomas said he identified himself and said he was a Camden officer. The Philadelphia officer suggested he calm down and enjoy his vacation.

I hope the Thomas family file a discrimination law suit under the 1991 Americans with Disabilities Act. This is a outrageous case of an out-of-control TSA in desperate need of top-down reorganization.