TSA and Breast Milk: AGAIN!!
#91
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From the twitter post:
"Those bags of milk should NOT be sitting on table where God-knows what else has been placed there."
The tool case that I drag trough oily, greasy, dirty factories from coast to coast gets its time on the same tables. I have never seen them even wipe it down after they finish with my bag. And not to be too disgusting, people do not leave their roller bags outside the the restrooms or carry them in and out either. They roll them along floors that have just been mopped with strong chemicals or sprayed for vermin or insects overnight.
I work in food processing plants and there are very serious regulations for the handling of food and its containers. This meets none of them.
This may be dangerous treatment in addition to rude and inconsiderate.
"Those bags of milk should NOT be sitting on table where God-knows what else has been placed there."
The tool case that I drag trough oily, greasy, dirty factories from coast to coast gets its time on the same tables. I have never seen them even wipe it down after they finish with my bag. And not to be too disgusting, people do not leave their roller bags outside the the restrooms or carry them in and out either. They roll them along floors that have just been mopped with strong chemicals or sprayed for vermin or insects overnight.
I work in food processing plants and there are very serious regulations for the handling of food and its containers. This meets none of them.
This may be dangerous treatment in addition to rude and inconsiderate.
#92
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And, of course, the Blue Cancer Boxes that the TSA would not allow to be tested by an independent agency.
#93
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Moderator's Note: Topic Drift
Second reminder!
Reminder!
Thank you,
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
If you wish to discuss ETD testing, TSA dogs, screener's discretion, etc., when not directly relevant to breast milk, please post in one of the existing threads on those topics or start a new one.
Thank you,
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
#95
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To hold TSA accountable under the BABES Act, a federal law, will require lawsuits. Hold both the individual screener(s) and DHS/TSA accountable. If a screener violates the law they should be punished as provided by law.
Give no quarter!
Give no quarter!
#96
Join Date: May 2011
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My daughter connected in ORD about a week ago on her way home after a 5-day trip. She had about 50 bags of frozen breast milk. TSO told her she could not bring all the bags with her through security. She told him that he was wrong. He then said she'd have to open every bag and allow them to test each one for explosives. She told him no, as her arriving flight had arrived late and she was in danger of missing the next flight.
TSO finally obtained a supervisor, who didn't seem to know what to do. The TSO asked the supervisor, 'what are the rules?' (imagine that: the TSO does not know the rules, and even more strangely, thinks there are rules!) After some hemming and hawing, the supervisor said she had to open four bags for testing. (This is not the TSA's rule of course!)
Then the TSO wanted to physically dip the test strip into each bag. My daughter refused to allow that. However the TSO and supervisor said she had no choice. So after testing she threw away the opened bags that had been contaminated by the test strips.
This process by the TSA is completely out of control. Nonsensical... illogical... illegal... and so on. She (and I) were very angry about another "fine" example of the TSA's "making us safe."
TSO finally obtained a supervisor, who didn't seem to know what to do. The TSO asked the supervisor, 'what are the rules?' (imagine that: the TSO does not know the rules, and even more strangely, thinks there are rules!) After some hemming and hawing, the supervisor said she had to open four bags for testing. (This is not the TSA's rule of course!)
Then the TSO wanted to physically dip the test strip into each bag. My daughter refused to allow that. However the TSO and supervisor said she had no choice. So after testing she threw away the opened bags that had been contaminated by the test strips.
This process by the TSA is completely out of control. Nonsensical... illogical... illegal... and so on. She (and I) were very angry about another "fine" example of the TSA's "making us safe."
#97
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,526
My daughter connected in ORD about a week ago on her way home after a 5-day trip. She had about 50 bags of frozen breast milk. TSO told her she could not bring all the bags with her through security. She told him that he was wrong. He then said she'd have to open every bag and allow them to test each one for explosives. She told him no, as her arriving flight had arrived late and she was in danger of missing the next flight.
TSO finally obtained a supervisor, who didn't seem to know what to do. The TSO asked the supervisor, 'what are the rules?' (imagine that: the TSO does not know the rules, and even more strangely, thinks there are rules!) After some hemming and hawing, the supervisor said she had to open four bags for testing. (This is not the TSA's rule of course!)
Then the TSO wanted to physically dip the test strip into each bag. My daughter refused to allow that. However the TSO and supervisor said she had no choice. So after testing she threw away the opened bags that had been contaminated by the test strips.
This process by the TSA is completely out of control. Nonsensical... illogical... illegal... and so on. She (and I) were very angry about another "fine" example of the TSA's "making us safe."
TSO finally obtained a supervisor, who didn't seem to know what to do. The TSO asked the supervisor, 'what are the rules?' (imagine that: the TSO does not know the rules, and even more strangely, thinks there are rules!) After some hemming and hawing, the supervisor said she had to open four bags for testing. (This is not the TSA's rule of course!)
Then the TSO wanted to physically dip the test strip into each bag. My daughter refused to allow that. However the TSO and supervisor said she had no choice. So after testing she threw away the opened bags that had been contaminated by the test strips.
This process by the TSA is completely out of control. Nonsensical... illogical... illegal... and so on. She (and I) were very angry about another "fine" example of the TSA's "making us safe."
I think your daughter needs to file a complaint with TSA and the DHS IG's office.
P.S. I hope she made the screener(s) change gloves before testing the breast milk.
PPS I just found this information: "4. Breastmilk will be screened by x-ray or another testing method.
Additional screening measures may involve testing with strips that detect explosive residue. You may be asked to transfer some milk into a separate container for testing."
https://www.themommyscoach.com/tsa-breast-milk/
Again, file that complaint with the DHS IG: https://hotline.oig.dhs.gov/hotline/hotline.php
ETA: Note that like changing gloves, TSA does not voluntarily suggest that the milk can be transferred to a separate container. It's apparently the passenger's responsibility to request it.
Last edited by petaluma1; Feb 14, 2018 at 6:03 am
#98
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My daughter connected in ORD about a week ago on her way home after a 5-day trip. She had about 50 bags of frozen breast milk. TSO told her she could not bring all the bags with her through security. She told him that he was wrong. He then said she'd have to open every bag and allow them to test each one for explosives. She told him no, as her arriving flight had arrived late and she was in danger of missing the next flight.
TSO finally obtained a supervisor, who didn't seem to know what to do. The TSO asked the supervisor, 'what are the rules?' (imagine that: the TSO does not know the rules, and even more strangely, thinks there are rules!) After some hemming and hawing, the supervisor said she had to open four bags for testing. (This is not the TSA's rule of course!)
Then the TSO wanted to physically dip the test strip into each bag. My daughter refused to allow that. However the TSO and supervisor said she had no choice. So after testing she threw away the opened bags that had been contaminated by the test strips.
This process by the TSA is completely out of control. Nonsensical... illogical... illegal... and so on. She (and I) were very angry about another "fine" example of the TSA's "making us safe."
TSO finally obtained a supervisor, who didn't seem to know what to do. The TSO asked the supervisor, 'what are the rules?' (imagine that: the TSO does not know the rules, and even more strangely, thinks there are rules!) After some hemming and hawing, the supervisor said she had to open four bags for testing. (This is not the TSA's rule of course!)
Then the TSO wanted to physically dip the test strip into each bag. My daughter refused to allow that. However the TSO and supervisor said she had no choice. So after testing she threw away the opened bags that had been contaminated by the test strips.
This process by the TSA is completely out of control. Nonsensical... illogical... illegal... and so on. She (and I) were very angry about another "fine" example of the TSA's "making us safe."
#99
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#100
Join Date: Aug 2012
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It's happened yet again
https://patch.com/florida/miami/miam...st-milk-behind
*
For those not reading the link, according to her tweet on the subject, two containers of breast milk were thrown out.
In addition, she was told by a screener, who claimed he was a supervisor when she asked for one, that she could not take pictures/film.
A mother claimed on Friday that she was forced by a TSA agent at Miami International Airport to leave behind her baby's breast milk or risk not being allowed on her flight.
For those not reading the link, according to her tweet on the subject, two containers of breast milk were thrown out.
In addition, she was told by a screener, who claimed he was a supervisor when she asked for one, that she could not take pictures/film.
Last edited by petaluma1; Apr 20, 2018 at 4:27 pm
#101
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Absent formal acknowledgement from TSA, I will assume this episode was either a misunderstanding on the pax's part about the handling of breast milk or the result of an aggressive pax burdening an over-stressed TSO.
In the unlikely event that it is true, the actions of that one single TSO amongst tens of thousands, in no way reflects on the performance, etc. of all the other fine folks in blue.
Don't believe me? Just ask any TSO if I'm not right.
In the unlikely event that it is true, the actions of that one single TSO amongst tens of thousands, in no way reflects on the performance, etc. of all the other fine folks in blue.
Don't believe me? Just ask any TSO if I'm not right.
#102
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,526
Follow-up to report of mom's experience at MIA
I fear this poor mom is going to be disillusioned.
#104
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,526
TSA dumped breast milk
Unless the rules have changed yet again, there are TSA employees at MSP (the same airport with the 95% failure rate in the most recent testing) who need to lose their jobs, not be "retrained" but lose their jobs.
Gieseke claimed TSA agents wanted her to open her bag of milk to test it, but she felt uncomfortable doing so and asked them to do a different screening method.
"I was told 'Too bad, we have to open it up and test it or you can't take it with you,'" Gieseke said.
"I was told 'Too bad, we have to open it up and test it or you can't take it with you,'" Gieseke said.
#105
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TSA dumped breast milk
Unless the rules have changed yet again, there are TSA employees at MSP (the same airport with the 95% failure rate in the most recent testing) who need to lose their jobs, not be "retrained" but lose their jobs.
Unless the rules have changed yet again, there are TSA employees at MSP (the same airport with the 95% failure rate in the most recent testing) who need to lose their jobs, not be "retrained" but lose their jobs.
"screener discretion"