VegasCableGuy

I'm not trying to throw the TSOs at OMA under a bus - I've been through there many times before the AIT system was installed and they'd always been professional and courteous. This was the first time I'd noted a delay, barkers and general aggravation with the staff. For those unfamiliar, OMA terminals are small enough to where there usually isn't waiting or related stress at the CP. It's been one or two lines/WTMD at B gates - now split between the AIT system and one WTMD. The CP used to remind me of a muni airport.

I'm honestly a little surprised at the replies regarding the contact with my "sensitive areas" (as a BOS TSO described it). At the time it seemed somewhat of a side note of an overall process that was mildly unpleasant and uncoordinated. The contact was surprising but not traumatizing. I assumed that at least a few other people here might have received attention that was similarly intimate through opt-out, random or unresolved WBI.

Note: I might have somewhat of a thicker skin than others after suffering routine indignities in the military. My drug test each 90 days required a uniformed minder at arms length watching the process in graphic detail. These TSA patdowns (really rubdowns) don't seem bad in comparison. However, it's obvious that others can have a huge problem with this treatment and I don't blame them. I opt-out because I have 4th amendment issues with the feds doing mass imaging (strip searches). The body groping isn't much better. WTMD is sufficient for everyone else going in so I'm not pleased with this unusual attention for choosing not to play.

I don't hold a grudge against anyone directly (including Mr. Gruff) but I'm very concerned that the TSA organization as a whole is acting without accountability to anyone. It's been pointed out that my TSO seemingly bypassed several procedures and broke policy with the (lack of) communication and the manner in which the search was conducted (what was touched & front vs back of the hand). However, as almost anyone can attest there are often disparities with TSA policies/procedures between airports. (Keep your pass out, put it away, shoes on the belt, shoes in the bin, route people to AIT or turn it off, how/why a patdown is done, whatever). Either these differences are intentional (keep people guessing what the procedure of the day will be) or it reflects a lack of standardization and training. Having to complain to the TSA about the TSA seems counterproductive.

I'm pretty sure my experience was a simply a result of poor training/procedures - they had no place to put me when I opted-out and it seemed to cause a break down in processing (at least with the imager). If I was a large guy the WTMD line would have been blocked as well. I wouldn't consider a criminal complaint for the body contact just because this TSO sucked at his job - I put the blame squarely on TSA itself. As I mentioned before I didn't think it was punitive for opting out; I just don't think he knew what he was supposed to be doing. There are supervisors there and that see what's going on each day so my feeling is that training/procedural problems are structural within the organization. I don't think it's unique to any single airport. TSA as a whole has no accountability or metric for quality and success - and that's quite unacceptable. And all they want is more money to keep growing larger.

I'll be fair and say that most inconsistencies in procedures don't seem harmful to travelers (opt-out groping aside), but they do reflect in the quality of the organization as a whole. Most of my encounters are unremarkable. However, TSA quality is one of the reasons I'm never surprised when I read of firearms disappearing from TSA secured areas.

msimons

Omaha TSA, or at least a couple of them need training.
The debate on belts or bins came and went. I still occasionally correct one that wants items on belts....but thats freakin ridiculous.
Never be afraid/concerned calling for a manager; typically thats only how some learn.
Coming up to Alaska this weekend, watched a gal put her heels on the belt, and the ensuing crush of items behind it snapped a heel.
But TSA this time weren't saying put them on belts, so I guess its her fault.

As far as that pat down, that TSA guy will be found out sooner or later.
But ought to file a complaint if you're going to before they tape over the video.

Beleive I would have called for the TSA manager, followed by police.
Bet the TSA guy would be on administrative leave (with pay) until suit is settled. (Maybe thats the motive.)

camerawork

Excellent post. Balanced, with no hint of hostility. Whether it will make a difference is hard to say but it should be hard to dispute with the venom that is often shown by some (Ron). I feel the same way. My travel goes in spurts. Sometimes no flights in a month, sometimes up to 17. I travel internationally a minimum of 5 times a year and stay in various countries from 1 to 3 weeks at a time and have done so for more than 30 years. I think we have some TSO's on this site (GSO, HGV) that done seem to come to the forums with a chip on their shoulders and actually understand and respect our perspectives. I'm not against security. I have the pleasure to work every year with high clearance Federal and International LEO's and find that, most of the time, we are on the same page. It is the retaliatory attitudes and smugness in many of the checkpoints that is turning off people like me. I get the process. I might even know more about it that you do. The same applies to a lot of FT'rs. Just let us get on with our business without the screaming, the attitudes, and, sorry, petty theft that is occuring while we are going through the machine du jour that your superiors have purchased.

RVP

I haven't been on an airplane in 4-5 years, and I joined FT because I plan to do some international travel within the next couple of years. But I have to say I'm having second thoughts. These experiences sound downright Orwellian.

And Vegas Cable Guy, your last post is indeed fair and balanced regarding your thoughts on TSA. But who ever thought one would need to be strip searched or have their "franks and beans" grabbed before being allowed to get on a plane?

IMO, scary stuff.

FriendlySkies

Welcome, we're glad to have you here!

Not all TSOs are like that. Some of them actually try and make something out of the opt-out situation, rather than barking, and assaulting you. I agree, sometimes I also wonder if I should stop flying because of TSA. However, I remind myself that by flying and opting-out, (which I haven't had to do yet) we are making a stand. If enough people see us doing this, perhaps they will do the same, and TSA will send the NoS to the same warehouse that the puffers are being stored in.

exbayern

RVP the good news as well is that once you pass TSA you may find that security when travelling outside the US is thorough, professional, and logical. That usually means shoes stay on, no barking, professional patdowns, and even includes please and thank you.

ScatterX

****YMMV****

You should try it and judge for yourself. I fly 200K+ miles per year, nearly every week. I've never (not once) encountered an overtly rude/hostile or physically/sexually inappropriate person associated with TSA. Others may have. As for the NOS, I always opt out and get a pat down---no big deal.

On the other hand, I see a bunch of TSA folks that seem inefficient, incompetent, clueless, careless, grumpy, lazy, inadequately trained, and have a "do it my way, just because I say so" attitude. Even so, the percentage of these types is pretty small. I'd say less than one in ten trips through security results in some sort of significant aggravation.

On the third hand... the things that annoy me are most often (>95%) related to other passengers, not security folks.

On the forth hand... if somebody other than Ms. Scatter puts the grab on my junk, there will be a police officer involved in very short order.

greggwiggins

You might want to read what happened to Penn Jillette at LAS several years ago.

VegasCableGuy

Penn is a terrific advocate of personal freedoms. I love his series on Showtime. His celebrity status certainly gives him a pass in certain matters without having to worry about getting slapped with BS charges of assault/battery/disorderly conduct/whatever for arguing with a TSO or requesting a complaint form. (E.g. FT user Sailman?). I'd give myself less than 50/50 odds that calling the police could improve a situation at a checkpoint. Once escalated, the TSA supervisor would likely pull the arriving officers aside and tell them I was causing a disturbance, delaying people from getting to their flights, abusing TSOs, whatever. It doesn't have to be even remotely true, provable, anything - you can be arrested easily (typically disorderly conduct) and released later with charges dropped. There's no blowback on the supervisor or TSA for doing that. I'm not so sure I'd want to take any risks on the spot - especially a non-home airport.

I did submit a complaint to the "Talk to TSA" website. It's my understanding that the details will be forwarded to staff at OMA so they can determine what actions - if any - will be taken. I asked for replies to each of my specific concerns that were detailed in the original post. I'll be curious if they believe my interaction to normal or out-of-policy and let you know the results.

P.s. I saw Penn at LAS pax pickup a few years ago with a yellow New Beetle - there's a lot more room in those cars then you'd think.

DevilDog438

I would have refuesed to even walk through the WBI at all - you have no assurances that the scanner is actually turned off as you are walking through it.

I would have immediately demanded a LEO for sexual assault (no warning on intimate area equals non-consensual touch equals assault). Gotta love it - you don't professionalize until you federalize...

FriendlySkies

+100

I bet it's always ready to deliver radiation to it's next victim




But it's for skewrity

ScatterX

I have no interesting opt-out stories of my own. I opt out, get a pat down, nothing unusual. However, today in SJC, I got to witness a hilarious one.

Two persons, a large gentlemen in his 60s and the other a 20-something Oriental girl. Man was directly in front of me, the girl behind me by three people.

When the man was asked to go through the NOS, he said "I OPT OUT" in a pretty loud voice. I thought, cool. TSA Snuffy asks "why would you opt out?" to the man. Man says in VERY loud voice, "BECAUSE I'M EMBARRASSED ABOUT MY SMALL PEN1S!" I go through the WTMD laughing my ___ off.

The girl is also asked to go through the NOS. She has to pee so bad that she can't stand still (running in place). She virtually opts-out by running through the WTMD without saying anything. Snuffy tells her not to run and to go through again (he has now forgotten about the NOS). She runs through again, obviously more urgently than before. Repeat same for third time. Snuffy then shakes his head and tells her to go on. She runs to the bathroom only stopping to grab her laptop, leaving the rest of her stuff.

Snuffy was so shocked that he forgot to have anyone screen the man.

Superguy

We need a spoof like this on security.

RadioGirl

Those are both great tactics! Any FTer's want to come forward and accept the applause?

ScatterX

What is so funny about biggusdiccus?

Maybe we can try a dead parrot through the NOS?

Who'd a thunk it? Getting through security by exploiting the sense of humor of a TSA agent. Unbelievable.