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I agree with the policy of air crew having to be in uniform in order to be exempted from some searches. Otherwise, how do other travellers know why the person in front of them didn't have to remove their shoes.
When I was a crewmember several years ago here in Canada... pre-911, we weren't even allowed to wear our security badges through security unless we were in uniform. If you were deadheading in civies, you went through all security screening. If you were in uniform, with your ID, you usually got waved through.
I'm more able to get my back up over what seems to be a policy of red flagging employees' family members travelling on benefits. My better half is the employee, and every time I travel in the U.S., I get flagged at check-in for secondary inspection. As do other "travel partners" I know of.
Apparently, theres something about travelling standby that is a big red flag, as is not having a confirmed return ticket/itinerary (through no fault of our own since thats how employee travel works)
Seems like a waste of Security resources to be routinely heavily searching persons whose names and other personal information is in most cases, on file in an airline Human Resources computer somewhere, rather than passengers they don't know from Adam.
