Originally Posted by
HSVTSO Dean
Don't worry, it's not. It's actually TSA policy that TSOs are to "be courteous" and "polite" to passengers (quotationed words actual terminology used in the SOP!)
But as we've seen, SOP can be interpreted by the FSD and made more "restrictive." It only seems to be a suggestion, not a rule. Otherwise, there'd be no excuse for designed inconsistency if everyone stuck to the SOP.