As I remember, just a few months ago, there was an issue about the dress code of the Air Marshals. They were "military" like people, and easily identified!
As far as I am concerned, they are goose-stepping government thugs, and need to have their leashes shortened.
I consider myself a Conservative Republican. I am also a retired military man.
This is where I part ways with this sort of government thinking.

I have flown in and out of DCA many times since the added security of the Air Marshal service. I have noticed them as I sit and wait for my flight. They approach the counter and identify themselves. Anyone paying any attention could spot them. I have boarded first in First Class and when I get on the aircraft there are 2 male individuals already seated. Of course, the air marshals were pre-boarded.

How long does it take to review some policies? We're not talking about the Oxford English Dictionary here.

Having spent 20 years in the military, I know that things can be slowwwwwwww. But this is ridiculous.

Also, given a difference of accounts between the air crew and some air marshalls, I'd go with the air crew version. I can't help but think there's a lot of arrogance about many air marshalls.

Why do air marshals need to be discreet in the first place? Let their presence be a detterent. I'd rather prevent an incident than have someone try to stop one that is already rolling.

If I was a serious terrorist, I would case the situation so as to identify the air marshals. Then I would know who to kill first, then I could carry out my plan. The air marshals must be given undercover status in order to be effective.

I am sure that there are abuses, since when you give some people power they do tend to take advantage of the situation. But I would most certainly rather fly with Air Marshalls on board then without them. Some of them might be jerks but they are hopefully prepared to stop another 9/11 from happening.

I concur with RRMorgan. Their presence would be a deterent. The mentality of US Citizens has changed dramatically since 911. Before that, we were instructed to remain passive and let the authorities handle it. Well they didn't do such a good job, so now the passengers are totally involved and probably better than the "cowboys" with the guns. Also, what if the bad guys impersonated an air marshall. They're not stupid.

Air Marshall's should never be identified, especially to the "stewardesses". It would be easy for a terrorist to infiltrate an airline and become a stewardess. It would be impossible for a terrorist to infiltrate the federal air marshall program. Talk about arrogant, these flying waitresses who demand to be called flight-attendants are incredibly ignorant people, in fact some jerk just kicked a mother and newborn off the plane because she was breast feeding her baby in the last seat of the plane with her husband at the aisle seat screening the view. The only person that should be informed of the identity is the Captain, Co-pilot and flight engineer the flying waitresses can't be trusted. It would also be better if the marshalls didn't look like Military types. Long haired hippie Marshalls would be much more covert.

for heaven's sake, i'm so tired of some of the egos on these people. so their paperwork wasn't proper? even their supervisor couldn't get them on the flight? auwe,let the air marshalls do their job

The fact is, that plane need an air marshall. Rememmber that passengers paid extra $ for its security. How dare you "flight crew" not letting them in even their supervisor said they were legit. Are the airline will make refund the money paid for this security service not receive? Common sense is needed flight crew!

I would tend to believe the Air Marshals story because I have flown on various airlines and it seems to me that it is somewhat difficult to get the flight crew to understand anything. I say the Air Marshals are doing their job to protect us, so let them do it however they see fit. Yes I agree that the Government did not do such a swell job of heading off 9-11, but neither did the airlines left to their own procedures. You can't always see something coming and even if you do sometimes you can't do anything until it happens. Lets give it a break and concentrate on the problem at hand: The airlines need to fly and the Air Marshals need to protect and the public needs to sit back and enjoy the ride.

According to FAA FAR 91.3 the captain or pilot in command is ultimately the final authority in the operation of an aircraft. In other words, the pilot in command has the final word regarding who gets to fly on his aircraft, period.

According to FAA FAR 91.3 the captain does get final word except for another little law that was passed that says Air Marshals cannot be refused flight. Punishment for refusing boarding is pretty hefty to airlines ans captain. Investigate if they receive the fine that is suppose to be imposed.

I personally will fly another airline if US Air does not like to protect it's passengers. Replace the pilot with someone who cares about the passengers.

The simple reason the Marshalls can't dress in an obvious or uniform manner is that we'd know just how few there are. They have been slowly reduced-in-force since 9/11, with no new slots for new hires. It was a band-aid situation, and, job satisfaction with the Marshalls was apparently also really really low. We will of course lower our guard (again) until we are struck (again). This is the pattern in the U.S....head-back-into-the-sand.

Its all very silly when you look at the big picture. I cant help but laugh about it! Its a battle between a failing airline industry, Alpha Male crew members, and Air Marshals having to deal with every airline having their own particular rules about boarding Air Marshals. It's a joke and a terrible shame. The European Union just gave permission for all their countries to allow EU and foreign Air Marshals to have authority in the air over entire EU. Originally they were very opposed to this but they changed their viewpoint on this issue. Why? because the threat reporting continually says airlines are still a high priority target. How do you say? Get a CLUE.

You know it's getting to the point where flight attendants need to be brought down a notch. They need to start doing their jobs and stop becoming "flight Nazis". Accomodating their pasangers and providing service (Passing out peanuts and sodas) is what they are there to do. If they don't like their jobs then leave.

Do you honestly think that if it were so easy for a terrorist to become a flight attendsnt that they would have done so already? Fact is the screening for Flight Attendants is very rigorous. Do you think the terrorists haven't already tried, and faild due to the level of screening so they have to try other avenues. Your Flight Attendant is responsible for your safety and if you are an unruly, cocky, arrogant person who is disrupting the flight, you are a security risk, and in some cases it is the senior flight attendant that will tell the Captain to divert a fligt for security reasons since they are the ones dealing with passengers. Try to be more respectful of your Flight Attendants, male and female, they are human as well and are doing the best they can for you during your flight.

If the comments by the airline are correct, I doubt that the Air Marshal's were at fault here.

The bit about "proper paperwork" is the tip-off. Sounds like an airline employee does not know the difference in processing an on duty Air Marshal, and an off duty Law Enforcement Officer who happens to be flying armed.

I am in complete agreement that changes need to be made for air marshals to conceal not only themselves, but where the "secret backpack" is kept on a flight. Last year I was on a full flight where the air marshal tried to be discreet in identifying himself to the flight crew, only to be seated in a jump seat at the back of the plane, and where the flight crew indiscreetly were announcing to one another where the air marshal's backpack (which anyone could only assume contained a firearm) was going to be stored during the flight!

As of this time and date flight attandants have no clue of the job description for which they are hired and pay to do;They are simply air maids. without exceptions, they consider themselves prima donnas and with the new security measurements in force they have been mistakenly over empowered by the airline industry to challenge, mistreat, remove and falsely accuse any cutomer who does not meet their profile for which there are no general guidelines other than the state of their sickening minds...with their employers having no chance to restore salaries and fringe benefits to pre 9/11 levels, the airlines have wisely used such empowerement as a motivating tool as well as way for this whining employee group to voice and discharge their frustration against no other than those guranteeing their job security. Under the current scenario, the order of authority on a commercial flight should be such that the captain will maintain and control the safety and security of the airplane, delegating the the security upon the air marshalls with the flight attendants limiting themselves to serving the customers and assisting, given their training, in safety related matters only.