Just had this forwarded to me from a co-worker. The level of professionalism at the TSA checkpoints at some of our largest "gateway" airports it truly disgusting. I have also had words with TSA agents and how they were acting (although, no coffee ever thrown at me) because when customers get pissed off at these agents they seem to still blame the AIRLINE who has minimal control of how the TSA treats their customers.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/s...eply_at_jfk_1MPVUvXcIMbxUzbYoH5HGP

Not going to defend the TSA agent, but the pilot should have never reached for the agents ID tags. It could have been considered a threat, depending on how the pilot reached for them. I had a passenger reach over the counter to grab my badge once. I instantly reached back to knock this person down. I for one had no idea what he was doing, and I wad not sure if the guy was going to assault me. Turns out, he was trying to get a closer look at a pin attached to my id necklace. Glad I didnt hit the guy!  

Not defending a violent or aggressive reaction, but this...

Quote: When he tried to grab at the ID tags of screener Lateisha El, 30

...is not really acceptable either. I've had my ID 'grabbed at' and it's a fine line in some cases between that and physical assault.

Nonetheless, as usual, all we really know here is that we don't really know all the details.

Quoting RussianJet (Reply 2): is not really acceptable either. I've had my ID 'grabbed at' and it's a fine line in some cases between that and physical assault.

Agreed as well (but I also agree having a coffee thrown at him is not acceptable at all).

This is why I wear my IDs on a clip 

There is always three sides to every story, the pilots, tsa and the truth. And we are dealing with two work groups that have major ego issues.

Any reason to get rid of the TSA is good enough for me. Say they're not playing well with others, cite this as an example.

The other week I had a TSA "superagent" deny me access to the checkpoint because my ID "was falling apart," insisting I would have to "get a new one" before I could fly. My ID is barely a year old. I was finally able to explain to her, after numerous interruptions, that there is a see-trough part on my drivers license that is very much there on purpose (it's a security feature), and it's shaped like my state. Her supervisor was finally able to let me through after confirming, in fact, yes, that's what the state of New Hampshire looks like.

Idiocy!

Just an innocent question: Why do these things always happen in the USA? People are getting assaulted, tasered, groped, arrested for petty crimes, strip searched for not wearing a seatbelt or even killed. You don't really hear those stories from other continents.

I don't think the institution of the TSA is the real problem here. Their conduct is merely indicative for a mentality prevalent among a certain, not too tiny, portion of the American population. The only reason people get mad at the TSA is because they're now experiencing themselves, what minorities have been experiencing for a much longer time in many more facets of life. Ironically, probably from the same people who now cry foul.

And it's not going to change anytime soon, with or without the TSA in place. As long as people are afraid of everything, like people reaching for their name tag, people will perpetuate the notion of ''throwing the book'' at people.

Personally, I could really care less. Without diplomatic immunity there is just no way I'd step foot on US soil. Nothing of this affects, or will affect me. I should be happy that people here don't believe in locking everybody up but seem to intuitively have a better understanding of the concept of a state of law, as opposed to a state of war. But I'm not [happy about it]. The USA is a really beautiful country that I'd love to visit. If entering the country means hot coffee in my face though, it's not really making a very compelling case for itself.

Quoting N766UA (Reply 5): Any reason to get rid of the TSA is good enough for me. Say they're not playing well with others, cite this as an example.

I don't recall most of the private security contractors being any more "professional"... and yet they had the added advantage of paying even lower salaries, and hiring people with criminal backgrounds! The problem, whether TSA or private contractors, is whether we're willing to pay enough to attract and hire the right people for the job.

Quoting something (Reply 6): Their conduct is merely indicative for a mentality prevalent among a certain, not too tiny, portion of the American population.

Sigh. Hate to admit it, but it's true. After all, our Supreme Court just approved strip searching anyone who's arrested... for any reason, no matter how minor. That was the outcome of a case that began with a man riding in a car with his wife, who got pulled over... and was arrested and strip searched on suspicion of being wanted (in spite of his having documents on him showing that a previous warrant for him was now void)... then being transferred to ANOTHER prison, and strip searched there. Yes, according to our finest legal minds, this is totally appropriate, since there's always a chance that the person you arrest for eating on the subway has an explosive device strapped to their genitals...

So, anyone know of some good hiring opportunities in Australia, or maybe Scandinavia?  

Quoting something (Reply 6): You don't really hear those stories from other continents.

You do. The USA is the largest fully-industrialised, free media source out there. Hardly surprising that the impression exists that it is always in the US, but pretty far from the truth. How about the Polish(?) guy who died after being tased in a Canadian airport a while back? Pretty sure I read a story on the BBC today describing how British Police are accused of having tased a guy while he was already lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Also, anecdotally, having worked in numerous UK airports I can assure you that security-related complaints and annoyances are reported by many.

Quoting something (Reply 6): Without diplomatic immunity there is just no way I'd step foot on US soil.

A tad extreme, particularly as.....

Quoting something (Reply 6): I could really care less

....you are perfectly content to use American language.

Quoting nycdave (Reply 7): I don't recall most of the private security contractors being any more "professional"... and yet they had the added advantage of paying even lower salaries, and hiring people with criminal backgrounds!

They both hire lousy people, but at least I don't have to pay for the private workers' company. That, and TSA people think they're freaking federal agents or something… they need to get a clue.

M'learned friend from Kazakstan is of course right - stupid happens all over the world, and there is an enormous amount of media attention in the US. But even taking that into account, there's still only one TSA, and just like that there's a lot of things you'll only find in quantity on the Western seaboard of the North Atlantic.

Quoting luv2fly (Reply 4): There is always three sides to every story, the pilots, tsa and the truth. And we are dealing with two work groups that have major ego issues.

Very true. I've had many run ins with both....and I LOATH confrontation. Hard to say who's (more) at fault here, but I can say the TSA screeners at JFK Terminal 8 are some of the most rude, unprofessional folks I've ever seen. Seeing them roll their eyes and shout out passengers is a daily part of my morning routine. This has convinced me that the TSA is nothing more than a "get out of the ghetto" job creation program. As crewmembers we've sort of developed this uneasy "truce" with them over the years and they usually leave us alone. (Although I almost NEVER get any kind of a response when I smile and say "Good Morning"...just blank stares.)

On my last LAX trip I was running a little late (thank you JFK AirTrain, but I digress). My bags were next to go through the X-Ray machine and the belt stopped moving. I waited a good 20-30 seconds before I started looking around to see what the hold up was. I could see the last few passengers on the secure side walking away with their bags so there was no problem over there. Hmmmm? Was the lane closing? Did the machine break? I waited...and waited some more. Another 30-40 seconds goes by and the passengers behind me start asking ME whats going on. I peer behind the machine and discover the young lady who's supposed to be operating the machine is comfortably seated on her little bar stool texting away on her iPhone. I gave her a few moments to wrap it up, but she was deep in her text conversation. So I said, "Excuse me, I'm cutting it close here, could you run my bags through please." No response...didn't even look up. Pause. "Ma'am, sorry, can you start the belt." She sucks her teeth "tsssss" and keeps texting. I was like...oh, hell no. So I walked back to the podium where they check your ID's and asked for a supervisor. I told on her ass and the guy was actually very nice and apologized and said she would be "talked to". Whatever that means.

Quoting something (Reply 6): Just an innocent question: Why do these things always happen in the USA? People are getting assaulted, tasered, groped, arrested for petty crimes, strip searched for not wearing a seatbelt or even killed. You don't really hear those stories from other continents.

While you have a somewhat valid point, I had to chuckle when I saw the Union Jack next to your name. The BAA security screeners at LHR make the TSA folks at JFK look like the cheerful hostesses at your local Hooters. Those sadistic bastards literally "get off" on harassing, delaying, belittling, and humiliating the flying public, and flight crews in particular. You must approach them humbly, oozing humility and respect, and they just might grant you access to the aircraft without tearing your bags apart and groping you from head to toe. (Which I didn't mind so much when it was a hottie doing the groping.)  

Quoting nycdave (Reply 7): The problem, whether TSA or private contractors, is whether we're willing to pay enough to attract and hire the right people for the job.

Being a TSA screener (The term officer is insulting to real law enforcement officers) doesn't even require a high school diploma yet the starting pay is at least $13/hr... What other job, that doesn't require any sort of education, pays $13 an hour? The least these people could do is conduct themselves in a professional manner.

Quoting m11stephen (Reply 12): Being a TSA screener (The term officer is insulting to real law enforcement officers) doesn't even require a high school diploma yet the starting pay is at least $13/hr... What other job, that doesn't require any sort of education, pays $13 an hour? The least these people could do is conduct themselves in a professional manner.

That's what happens when a place is overrun by unions - low level of professionalism, ridiculously high pay, and zero accountability.

The collapse of private sector union membership within the US is proof that it's a failed model. Just wish the public sector would follow the inevitable trend someday.

The military should do the screening. They are trained, disciplined and most importantly courteous...

Quoting mogandoCI (Reply 13):

They have had issues before they unionized.

Quoting vegas005 (Reply 14): The military should do the screening. They are trained, disciplined and most importantly courteous...

You mean like Janis Karpinski of Abu Ghraib and Robert Bales of Kandahar ?

Quoting vegas005 (Reply 14): The military should do the screening.

Let's just let the army be in charge. Yup, I'm pretty sure that works. Doesn't it?

Quoting vegas005 (Reply 14): most importantly courteous...

and respected. At least until they get into the screening business...

Quoting Hypoxik (Reply 15): They have had issues before they unionized.

Somehow, I do not think unionizing *helps* the situation at all.

TSA sure gets some rough reviews on here and the media. I do however find them to be much better than the numerous contracted vendors before 9/11. I know TSA is not perfect, but they seem to be improving over the years. I wish our airport security was as good as El Al. I have read that there is no slipping going on there.

Quoting vegas005 (Reply 14): The military should do the screening. They are trained, disciplined and most importantly courteous...

I'm at COS right now where a LOT of the TSA personell are ex-military and they're really really friendly folks. The same goes for SEA. Seriously, they always ask you about your day, how you're doing, etc. These are people I wouldn't mind having over for dinner. It's a shame that other cities stain the reputation of those who are actually professional and courteous.

Quoting SEA (Reply 20): These are people I wouldn't mind having over for dinner

There has to be a tv show in that. Invite your screener to dinner.

Quoting luv2fly (Reply 4): There is always three sides to every story, the pilots, tsa and the truth. And we are dealing with two work groups that have major ego issues.

So true, could not have said it better myself!

Quoting F9Animal (Reply 19): TSA sure gets some rough reviews on here and the media. I do however find them to be much better than the numerous contracted vendors before 9/11. I know TSA is not perfect, but they seem to be improving over the years. I wish our airport security was as good as El Al. I have read that there is no slipping going on there.

That would mean arriving at airports 3 hours before departure for a domestic flight, and 4.5 hours before for an international flight.

Security is important, but El-Al-level borders on paranoia. My friend, who is east asian descent and holds a US passport, already got the third degree at TLV. Can't imagine what the others have to endure.

I'm afraid I have to agree with most of the negative opinions of the TSA displayed on this thread. I travel about twice a year to the U.S. and I am always aghast at how the TSA personnel present themselves to the public.
They seem to have a problem with dressing correctly in their uniforms with shirts unbuttoned down to the chest, medallions and assorted junk around their necks in full view, trainers instead of shoes which is ironic as most of them look like they couldn't run to catch a bus!
It is disappointing that more attention to detail and discipline is not displayed as theoretically these people are supposedly performing a vital function but do not instill any confidence that they are capable. A few courses on dealing with the public and how to provide a public service wouldn't go astray either, along with dressing for dummies!

I can understand anybody losing their cool with some of these agents and unfortunately all are tarred by the same brush. I'm sure their are some very capable and professional people in the TSA but unfortunately they are let down by some of their colleagues.
From an outsider perspective it really does look very poor.

Brgds
SB03

Quoting RussianJet (Reply 2): ...is not really acceptable either. I've had my ID 'grabbed at' and it's a fine line in some cases between that and physical assault.

I once ripped the ID badge straight off the shirt of a employee of mine in front of 300 people. I didn't plan on it but their behavior at that event was unspeakable. We were in the spot light for all to see when that happened.

Quoting mogandoCI (Reply 16): Quoting vegas005 (Reply 14): The military should do the screening. They are trained, disciplined and most importantly courteous... You mean like Janis Karpinski of Abu Ghraib and Robert Bales of Kandahar ?

How many stories like that do you hear? How many stories of poor TSA behavior (or just plain incompetence) do you hear? Yes, they have their bad apples, but if you want a professional group of people to do your security screening, the military is it.

-Mir

I too agree w/ the majority of the posters. TSA is a pathetic organization. The vast majority of the agents I've encountered are incredibly rude. The other day when I was flying through IAD, the first agent took ten minutes to lecture the family in front of me about their children's identification. The kids couldn't have been more than five. The second agent at screening told me that my laptop has to come out of my bag, but iPad doesn't. I'm not a techie, by any stretch of the imagination but what's really the difference between an iPad and a computer? Who writes these policies?

Quoting chopchop767 (Reply 28): I'm not a techie, by any stretch of the imagination but what's really the difference between an iPad and a computer? Who writes these policies?

I believe the difference is a laptop has many times the number of moving parts as an iPad. Theoretically it'd be far easier to put something "untoward" in a computer.

I don't even mind the policies (though they are usually silly), I just want to be treated like a customer/human being. I bet inmates in prison get similar if not better treatment and more respect from the corrections officers.

Yet another "TSA is bad" thread; people, look around you.......you're blaming the wrong people here. To begin with, as several people have correctly noted, prior to TSA, we had a terrible assortment of private (all we're interested in is profit) companies overseeing security; who did they hire ? Why, the people willing to work for the lowest wages, suffer the worst working conditions, etc; it was rare to find a "screener" who spoke decent English. Obviously, that situation had to change;

So after 9-11-01, the Federal Government steps in, takes over security; for quite a time, they had a very good man heading up TSA; (or was it the "parent body", HLS ? Anyway, Michael Chertoff was "in charge"......did a damn good job; he's a very smart man, BTW. Then, in comes the new "Bumbler-in-Chief", and who does he appoint to "run the show" ?

Why, that paragon of no-nothingness, of ZERO ability to run anything, Queen Janet ! THAT's when it all started to go "down hill", and it's been going down farther and farther ever since. Take a close look and you will notice that many of the people who are screaming about TSA right now, are the same people who who put O'bummer in the WH, who in turn gave us the present sorry excuse for leadership running Homeland Security, which in turn runs TSA. The actual guy who is "in charge" at TSA is a pretty decent, well qualified ex-FBI type.........(forget his name at the moment), but as long as he, (and everyone below him in TSA) has to answer to the present lack of leadership at "the top", you're going to continue seeing the same old, same old from the people at "the bottom". A very good example below...........

Quoting kevi747 (Reply 11): On my last LAX trip I was running a little late (thank you JFK AirTrain, but I digress). My bags were next to go through the X-Ray machine and the belt stopped moving. I waited a good 20-30 seconds before I started looking around to see what the hold up was. I could see the last few passengers on the secure side walking away with their bags so there was no problem over there. Hmmmm? Was the lane closing? Did the machine break? I waited...and waited some more. Another 30-40 seconds goes by and the passengers behind me start asking ME whats going on. I peer behind the machine and discover the young lady who's supposed to be operating the machine is comfortably seated on her little bar stool texting away on her iPhone. I gave her a few moments to wrap it up, but she was deep in her text conversation. So I said, "Excuse me, I'm cutting it close here, could you run my bags through please." No response...didn't even look up. Pause. "Ma'am, sorry, can you start the belt." She sucks her teeth "tsssss" and keeps texting. I was like...oh, hell no. So I walked back to the podium where they check your ID's and asked for a supervisor. I told on her ass and the guy was actually very nice and apologized and said she would be "talked to". Whatever that means.

You know why crap like that goes on ? Because the "people at the top" allow it to go on ! Yeah, that little "twit" texting her boy friend needed to be "talked to" all right.......as in "you are fired ! Get out of here ! NOW ! Word of mouth travels at the speed of light in the work place...........after just a very few "heads roll", you won't be seeing any more arrogant, half trained, TSA types sitting around on their hands; they will be doing what they are paid to be doing.........Their job !

I'm sure everyone has noticed that the employees in certain businesses are "professional, friendly, polite, and are a pleasure to come in contact with"; look a little farther "up" at management, and you'll find smart people who realize the importance of hiring qualified people, and properly training their them. You don't find that in the Federal Government; quite the opposite in fact; All organizations have one thing in common............it all starts "at the top"; if you have "schmucks" at the top, you'll have "schmucks" all the way to the bottom ! The "trick" is to replace the schmucks at the top with people who understand what leadership is all about. In the meantime, all this screaming about TSA (at the bottom) is falling on deaf ears.

Charley

Quoting vegas005 (Reply 14): The military should do the screening. They are trained, disciplined and most importantly courteous...

  With the amount of unemployed, educated people out there the TSA has got to be able to find better people to be screeners... How about hiring people with real law enforcement or criminal justice training?

Quoting nycdave (Reply 7): Scandinavia?

What kind of job ?

Going through security and TSA at Dulles in March 2012 I have to say they were the rudest folks I've ever dealt with. I was selected to go through the full body scanner (only 2nd time) and I took everything out of my pockets except my change; no signs or personnel to tell me otherwise, I go through the scanner and did as they told me. Well the scanner showed my change and was very rudely asked to step to the female TSA agent and I did; she then very nastily asked if I had anything still in my pockets and I said only change to which she rolled her eyes and said I needed to be wand-ed (her words) so I said OK which way do I stand, facing you or my back to you? She just looked at me, so I repeated the question. Then along comes a male TSA agent and very rudely says "I wouldn't have to touch you, if you'd follow instructions"!! Me not understanding what he was talking about and him being so rude left me no choice, so I said to him in my most feminine voice, "But I like it when you touch me". He left and said you can go over his shoulder and the rest of the folks beside me got a great laugh. This all took place at 5am. Is it always like this at Dulles?

Last week on my 6th domestic flight in the USA from LAX to HNL I was very rudely addressed by a TSA employee and told I wasn't allowed to have my watch on my wrist when passIng through the security arch I told him I have never heard of such a thing he said in an aggressive way it's the law but you can hold it in your hand!! What's the difference?! I was forced to remove it from my wrist and walk through with it in my hand! Complete nonsense! I understand why people get annoyed with there inconsistency and lack of knowledge and common decency!

Also in DTW I recently didn't have my passport to hand so showed my Airline ID when boarding a domestic to LAS and the TSA agent refused it as 'he had never heard of my airline'

Quoting something (Reply 6): Just an innocent question: Why do these things always happen in the USA? People are getting assaulted, tasered, groped, arrested for petty crimes, strip searched for not wearing a seatbelt or even killed. You don't really hear those stories from other continents.

Simple answer: FEAR. It's the one domestically manufacturered product which will never be outsourced to China!

Hmmm..

Although throwing a hot cup of fluids at anyone is not acceptable, I have some issues with the posted article.

1. It is from the New York Post. Junk journalism.
2. It does not indicate where the conversation took place. Was this in a public area, or just overheard banter between known colleagues?
3 The "perp" was from East New York. I would love to have witnessed a pilot with a Tenn. accent telling a TSA agent from East New York how they should "behave" at 5am at any New York airport.

Quoting muzyck (Reply 35): I would love to have witnessed a pilot with a Tenn. accent telling a TSA agent from East New York how they should "behave" at 5am at any New York airport.

Popcorn's on me! 

what a surprise.........a sista droppn N bombs

Quoting nycdave (Reply 7): Sigh. Hate to admit it, but it's true. After all, our Supreme Court just approved strip searching anyone who's arrested... for any reason, no matter how minor. That was the outcome of a case that began with a man riding in a car with his wife, who got pulled over... and was arrested and strip searched on suspicion of being wanted (in spite of his having documents on him showing that a previous warrant for him was now void)... then being transferred to ANOTHER prison, and strip searched there. Yes, according to our finest legal minds, this is totally appropriate, since there's always a chance that the person you arrest for eating on the subway has an explosive device strapped to their genitals...

Just to clarify on the Supreme Court ruling, the court ruled a person can be strip searched when entering a correctional facility to prevent contraband like drugs that is hidden in body cavities from being brought into the facility

Many people are arrested and released on a promise to appear or on a low bail without ever entering a correctional facility, they might spend some time on a bench at the police station, but not be jailed.

Just an arrest is not grounds for a strip search, a police officer can do a regular body search for weapons for their own protection and for drugs, but they cannot do a strip search at the time of the arrest

JetStar

Quoting F9Animal (Reply 1): Not going to defend the TSA agent, but the pilot should have never reached for the agents ID tags. It could have been considered a threat, depending on how the pilot reached for them.

Here's the irony. A friend of mine is an AA captain. He wears a clip-on necktie for safety reasons. He's told me that if a passenger pulls hard enough on the necktie that it comes off, then in the opinion of AA, the passenger has committed a battery and should be handed over law enforcement upon landing and held on federal charges.

So, if the pilot grabbed at the TSA screener's ID tag, under AA's protocol, the pilot committed a federal offense.

That said, TSA needs to make screening procedures uniform. I understand the reasoning that uniform procedures are easier to circumvent than non-uniform procedures. But, if TSA wants passengers to not get frustrated with screeners, the screeners need to apply the rules uniformly.

It's been several years since I had to have my boarding pass in my hand while undergoing the screening process, but I needed to have my boarding pass to show the screener after going through the metal detector at MOB last Saturday. I heard at least 4 people complaining about this on their cell phones while sitting at the Eagle gate.

And, MOB doesn't have the body scanner. Just the metal detector.

Quoting CALMSP (Reply 38): what a surprise.........a sista droppn N bombs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiXZ-7WlByo

It's not that funny of a show as a whole, but the TSA references are hilarious. You can watch the full episode here

http://www.southpark.de/alleEpisoden/1601/?lang=en

Quoting 757ops (Reply 33): Also in DTW I recently didn't have my passport to hand so showed my Airline ID when boarding a domestic to LAS and the TSA agent refused it as 'he had never heard of my airline'

Ah... that's my favorite! Any airline ID issued by an air carrier with a TSA-approved security program (every part 121 carrier) is considered valid. I always tell the screener, "It's not my problem that you've never heard of my airline. Look it up!" when they reject it.

Quoting N766UA (Reply 28): I believe the difference is a laptop has many times the number of moving parts as an iPad. Theoretically it'd be far easier to put something "untoward" in a computer.

There is an interesting story concerning just this topic in the travel section of the New York Times today, 04/04/12. The author was asking the TSA and various private security types what the threshold was for taking an electronic device out of your bag. TSA typically wouldn't really comment much citing "security concerns", but did basically say that if the screen is smaller than 13" diagonal, it does not need to be screened separately. The moving parts and circuitry theories were untrue.
As to screener's attitudes, I've seen plenty of good and bad. I must say that those at BOS and SNA were extremely nice, and those at SFO ( at least the UA gates) seem to have a permanent chip on their shoulders.

Quoting N766UA (Reply 5): Her supervisor was finally able to let me through after confirming, in fact, yes, that's what the state of New Hampshire looks like.

     

Quoting kevi747 (Reply 11): The BAA security screeners at LHR make the TSA folks at JFK look like the cheerful hostesses at your local Hooters. Those sadistic bastards literally "get off" on harassing, delaying, belittling, and humiliating the flying public, and flight crews in particular.

I flew out of LHR this summer, and I never had any of that treatment! The screeners at ATL were worse than LHR.

Quoting m11stephen (Reply 42): Ah... that's my favorite! Any airline ID issued by an air carrier with a TSA-approved security program (every part 121 carrier) is considered valid. I always tell the screener, "It's not my problem that you've never heard of my airline. Look it up!" when they reject it

You my friend are my hero. I come across this problem all the time.

I just want TSA to be the same across the board no matter what airport I am at. It shouldn't be a guessing game.


Last week I was flying through ORD, connecting from an international flight, and TSA going into terminal one was a complete nightmare. They had one security lane open for economy passengers and two for premier passengers. I couldn't even begin to tell you how many screeners were standing around, watching the line increase. Own up. The so called supervisor don't help the situation either. I would suggest a quality control inspector that audits the handling of passengers, just like they have TSIs to investigate airlines, airports, and tsa themselves in regards to security.

Quoting luv2fly (Reply 4):

Which is why cameras have to be a part of the system. Video and pictures don't lie.

Quoting nycdave (Reply 7): Sigh. Hate to admit it, but it's true. After all, our Supreme Court just approved strip searching anyone who's arrested... for any reason, no matter how minor. That was the outcome of a case that began with a man riding in a car with his wife, who got pulled over... and was arrested and strip searched on suspicion of being wanted (in spite of his having documents on him showing that a previous warrant for him was now void)... then being transferred to ANOTHER prison, and strip searched there. Yes, according to our finest legal minds, this is totally appropriate, since there's always a chance that the person you arrest for eating on the subway has an explosive device strapped to their genitals...

This is the same group of so called jurists that handed the Presidency to Bush in the 2000 debacle though Gore had won the popular vote and the same group of fools who made it easy for big corporations to buy and fund elections.

Back to the situation at hand; Whether it's government workers or so called private agencies you get what you pay for. And maybe if we took some cues from Israel how they conduct security maybe we'd get somewhere without all the groping, feeling and mickey mouse officious attitudes. If this includes pshycological profiling so be it. We (the USA) have a hard on for beaurocracy, political correctness and pandering to lawyers we do things ass backwards much of the time.

Quoting geezer (Reply 29): You know why crap like that goes on ? Because the "people at the top" allow it to go on !

  

I think many of the problems with TSA are management problems, not screener problems. Otherwise, how do we explain the fact that some airports have lovely screeners and others have lousy screeners even though they are all starting with the same fairly low-quality applicant pool? Whenever I fly through JAX, for instance, I see at least one TSA manager, and usually more than one, in the checkpoint. JAX has friendly, efficient screeners. Coincidence?

It's no different that fast food or any other low-wage service sector job. With the right management, the low-skill, low-wage buffoons act like professionals. With the wrong management, the low-skill, low-wage buffoons act like low-skill, low-wage buffoons.

Quoting IAHworldflyer (Reply 43): As to screener's attitudes, I've seen plenty of good and bad. I must say that those at BOS and SNA were extremely nice, and those at SFO ( at least the UA gates) seem to have a permanent chip on their shoulders.

I agree with your sentiments about SFO, but to be fair, SFO screeners are private, not TSA.

It's time for TSA to go. They have over stepped their bounds, over stressed their powers, and over powered the rights of the Citizens of the United States. Last time I checked the Constitution and Bill of Rights were the documents that guided the United State of America.