HSVTSO Dean

When it comes to the TSA, verbal compliments don't amount to squat (the same is not true for complaints, incidentally; at least, not in Huntsville). The only time they get to count is if the passenger stays and fills out the form.

Typically, the standard here is that when a passenger compliments one of us, we ask them if they'd like to put it in writing. I don't even bother to ask passengers if they'd like to fill out a compliment form. A lot do anyway; I find out about it later - they went and told it to the supervisor, who offered them the form.

Me, I just offer a thank you and wish them a good day.

* - Regardless of the fact that I never solicit the filling out of a compliment form, I've already got enough customer service citations to build a little fort out of. Good times.

Agreed.

In a similar tack, that's one of the things I've never been able to identify with, when it comes to some peoples' work ethic: The reward for a job well done is... knowing you did the best you could do, and therefore have earned your paycheck. Why do you need someone constantly kissing your butt about it?

OttawaMark

Precisely. And mentioning that a particular employee is unusually knowledgeable in no way implies that other employees do not have knowledge requisite for the job. Unless, of course, someone has a huge inferiority complex and works for TSA.

neuron

Did the TSA supervisor I got get sent to DAL?!? I said it before, I will say it again, IDIOTS!

jkhuggins

YMMV, of course. But at least for me, it's not so much "need" as ... well, it's nice to get some affirmation now and then that I'm actually doing something useful. Official affirmations ... well, they come pretty rarely, and are constrained by pesky other things like budgets and political considerations.

Plus, it's nice to get external confirmation. I mean, I may think that I'm the best employee my boss has ever seen ... but my ability to self-delude is pretty strong. External compliments at least give me some evidence that my satisfaction in my work isn't just my giant ego.

clrankin

I'd say that some TSOs who have posted in this thread might not be "unusually knowledgeable" about personal interaction and compliments given from the world outside of the TSA cult.

Personally, if I'd gone to the LTSO and provided the compliment only to start getting harassed, I would have refused to provide any ID to them at that point.

You're past the ID-checking hurdle and have assumedly been cleared to leave the checkpoint, correct? If so, then requiring ID again is outside of SOP and tantamount to any government agent asking for ID without probable cause.

jkhuggins

Of course, TSA seems to feel justified in asking for ID again at the gate, which is well removed from the checkpoint. It would be entirely consistent for TSA to assert that it has the authority to require you to produce ID at any point past the entrance to the checkpoint, up to and including the aircraft door.

Disclaimer: I have no way of knowing what TSA actually thinks ...

tkey75

Yes. It's called insecurity.

Wally Bird

They do and have. It's characterized as a 'roving' checkpoint and no court (surprise!) has yet ruled on the legitimacy or otherwise of such.

sylvia hennesy

"reminds me of the passenger who started to speak Russian to me when I gave him the advisement before the pat down; he was trying to make a point. "Sir, is that French?" He then says something else in Russian. "German?" He's became more upset, insulted me in Russian. "I know that's not Spanish." Finally he spoke in English, answering my questions throughout the advisement. He must have left wondering just how stupid I was. "

Just wondering what "questions" need to be asked "throughout the advisement"? And you knew it was Russian, yet you deliberately needled him and acted like a moron who spoke no language other than English? Wow, you sure showed him. Something...

Vidiot

I think that's entirely correct, whether it's out of a desperate desire to justify their budgets and bloated headcount, or a "show of force" ("Stop! Or we'll say 'stop' again!"), or what, but TSA insists on all sorts of things that don't make rational sense.

A couple weeks ago, the gate agents at my LGA-MSY flight announced that TSA would be "checking IDs for random passengers." Turns out that meant that a TSO stood blocking the boarding lanes until she could check everybody's ID. Every single person had to have their ID checked twice -- no magic flashlight was in evidence -- which slowed down boarding considerably. I asked her "so why don't you guys trust your TDCs?" She said it was for "extra security on random flights", and while it's not polite and I'm not proud of this, I couldn't keep from laughing to her face about that.

Extra security! Who wouldn't want extra security? But if they're providing extra security, why don't they do it on ALL flights? I guess they're gonna catch those terrorists who pass the checkpoint with a fake ID and then manage to lose it between the checkpoint and the gate.

I guess it worked, though, as my plane did not explode and I made it to MSY intact.

hedoman

Why do you people attempt to speak to TSA employees? Reading this thread confirms my silent approach reduces aggravation.

chollie

I prefer to give written compliments, myself. For someone like the cable installer, I thanked him and asked if there was a form/email/supervisor I could submit my compliments to - he gave me the supervisor's number.

The point of my post was that I encountered a very good TSO. I wanted to compliment that employee - just like the cable installer or an FA on the flight I was going to take. TSA made it difficult - indeed, impossible for me to do so.

I shouldn't have to wait almost 25 minutes just to get a form - and then be told that I have to submit the form with a blank name field so that the person I hand it to can fill in the TSOs identifying info and turn it in for me. I would like to trust him, but can I be confident that he will submit the form if something negative is on it? Can I be confident he will submit it if I am praising someone he is at odds with?

I did not ask for the full name of the screener. I just needed a name or employee ID or something to ensure that my compliments went to the correct person. FAs always give me a name and an employee number.

I thought about looking for an online avenue. I have seen things posted on here about best ways to submit feedback. But then I thought of older folks in my family who don't use the internet. How are they supposed to provide feedback?

I don't know if it was this particular airport or this particular TSO, but I did not get asked for a copy of my ID and boarding pass to get the form.

I don't work for compliments myself, but I have read more than one study that points out that morale is higher in a workforce where managers and co-workers take the time to thank each other and to recognize outstanding efforts. I have certainly observed this to be true within my own organization.

SATTSO

I certainly agree. Which is a human emotion/behavior. For people here to deny it exist, that sadly people do respond in that way sometimes, is to bury ones head in the sand. It is amazing to me the resopnses of some of the people here - including the personal attacks some are making - simply because I am pointing out a potential aspect of human behavior.

IrishDoesntFlyNow

I think you need to realize the particular potential aspect of human behavior you describe isn't a potential aspect of normal human behavior. It's only a potential aspect of the insecure and paranoid.

~~ Irish

4nsicdoc

It's the right thing to do for someone who's constantly fondling yours