Sunday night, Newark’s terminal C was locked down after someone went to the secure side of the terminal without screening then left the airport. They still haven’t found the person that breached the barrier.

Yesterday, power was out at Reagan International airport for about an hour, bringing that airport to a standstill with FAA grounding flights and TSA halting screening until generators were brought online.  Officials found that the problem was in an airport substation, but they are still investigating. 

Today, Bakersfield airport has had a “hazmat issue” which has been declared not terrorist related, even though they don’t know what the bottle in the passenger’s baggage contained.  Several flights have been diverted.

I was once at the Atlanta airport some time after 9/11, and a small child was playing near the exit doors and set off the alarm (I saw it happen).  I was worried that we would have to be rescreened, and I would miss my flight, although I knew it would have to be done.  An officer showed up less than a minute later and asked the woman, who was very apologetic, what happened, and he ordered the alarm shut off.  That was it.  He didn’t ask anyone else if they saw what happened.  I was rather shocked and slightly disturbed, even though I was relieved.

I’ve thought about that incident a couple of times since and wondered if something like that could be used as a distraction for a real breach, or as a test of response time, etc.  I can’t help but wonder if these airport issues aren’t just a coincidence.  I certainly hope not.

Update: First, the TSA officer at Newark has been reassigned, because he didn’t see the person and was only alerted by a bystander. It also took over an hour to report the incident.

Second, Cavuto is reporting a breach at the Minneapolis airport.  Apparently, there was an alert on an incoming bag, but there aren’t many other details.

All this is going on, and Michael Yon, a celebrated war journalist, is detained because he won’t divulge is income to the officers.  I’m sure his passport stamps are suspicious because of where he’s been, but asking him his income?  C’mon.  That’s not security.  And then Joan Rivers is kept off a plane in Costa Rica because her passport has her real name and her stage name on it. 

I guess it’s good they’re looking at the passports at least, especially after the unconfirmed reports that Abdulmutallab tried to get on Flight 253 without one.

Update II: The incident at Bakersfield was apparently caused by five soda bottles filled with … honey.

Also, FNC is reporting the bag at Minneapolis came from a foreign flight.  No other details.