Topic: Dulles Airport

8 chapters across the catalog

Freedom Phoney
Episode 1364 39:15 - 40:37

1364: Freedom Phoney

International Travel Requirements, COVID-19 Testing Costs

Travelers at Dulles International Airport and other U.S. hubs face inconsistent international COVID-19 entry requirements, including mandatory temperature checks and expensive nasal swabs. Rapid same-day testing can cost up to $250 per person, creating a significant financial burden for families. Airlines are increasingly integrating digital health apps and self-test kits from companies like Abbott Labs to manage shifting global regulations.

Chow Hound
Episode 948 40:57 - 44:14

948: Chow Hound

Biometric Airport Screening, Facial Recognition Rollout

Customs and Border Protection is expanding biometric facial recognition testing at major airports including Dulles, Houston, and Atlanta to track visa overstays. The system compares passenger faces against passport and visa photos on file, with the ultimate goal of replacing paper tickets. While officials claim photos of US citizens are deleted within two weeks, privacy advocates remain concerned about the normalization of mass surveillance in travel.

Loyalty Test
Episode 899 32:03 - 36:20

899: Loyalty Test

Dulles Airport Protests, ACLU Tactics and Deportation Law

A producer reports from Dulles Airport, describing organized protest groups using "mic checks" and chants reminiscent of Occupy Wall Street. The ACLU is identified as a primary organizer of the legal challenges and demonstrations. The hosts dispute a protest chant claiming green card holders cannot be deported, asserting that permanent residents can be removed for various legal violations.

Foot Stomp
Episode 892 2:34:52 - 2:38:22

892: Foot Stomp

Istanbul Shooting and Luggage Compartment Incident

A report on the Istanbul nightclub shooting notes that the attacker managed to escape despite a police station being located across the street. In a separate, bizarre news item, a United Express employee was trapped in the pressurized cargo hold of a flight from Charlotte to Dulles Airport. The hosts speculate that the employee might have been locked in as a prank by a co-worker, noting the lack of "human interest" follow-up in the initial reporting.

Weather Whiplash
Episode 726 2:06:58 - 2:10:53

726: Weather Whiplash

TSA Facial Recognition, Dulles Airport Pilot Program

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is testing new facial recognition technology at Dulles Airport to identify passport imposters. The system compares a traveler's live image with the photo stored on their passport's RFID chip. Critics question the necessity of the program, noting that modern passports already have high-security printed images and embedded chips.

War on Brains
Episode 480 1:07:29 - 1:12:50

480: War on Brains

Body Scanner Removal, Media Complicity and Automated Target Recognition

News reports from Dulles Airport confirm that 174 naked-image scanners will be removed because they are too revealing. The hosts mock the media's sudden shift in tone after years of defending the technology. They also criticize "man-on-the-street" interviews that feature passengers who claim they don't mind the privacy intrusion, labeling it as "TSA theater."

Episode 400 2:00:23 - 2:05:14

400: This is How We Spin

TSA Boarding Pass Scanning and Employee Misconduct

The TSA is testing new automated machines at Dulles, Houston, and San Juan airports that scan IDs and boarding passes to verify travelers. The hosts argue this is a data-tracking initiative rather than a security measure. Additionally, a TSA agent at Boston's Logan International Airport was recently arrested in a major child pornography crackdown, marking the third such incident in that location.

Agenda 21
Episode 315 39:05 - 40:38

315: Agenda 21

Hot Pockets 2008 Tour and the Pentagon

Adam Curry announces the "Hot Pockets 2008 Tour," named after President Obama's 2011 date error in the Westminster Abbey guest book. The tour begins July 15th with a trip to Virginia, involving a listener pick-up from Dulles Airport that Curry jokingly suspects might be a Secret Service or Pentagon operation.