Recent TSA policy change on questioning children?
I traveled through Dulles at 7:00 this morning with my 14-year-old son. We went through the TSA checkpoint together. I handed the ID-checker both boarding passes and my passport. (Note that my son is too young to require ID, and he looks his age.)
The TSA guy flashed his magic light at my passport, then wrote a bunch of idiotic squigglies on my boarding pass. Then he turned his attention to my son. Neither of us had spoken a word yet to the TSA guy or to each other.
TSA guy: "Timothy. Is that your name?" [Hey, he's 14, knucklehead; don't talk to him like he's a 3-year-old.]
Tim: "Yeah."
TSA guy: "How old are you?"
Tim: "14."
TSA guy: "I'm sorry. Could you speak up? I couldn't hear you."
Tim: "14."
TSA guy: "Who are you traveling with?" [I'm still standing there watching this. Who did this moron think my son (same last name) was traveling with?]
Tim: "My dad."
TSA guy: "OK, have a nice flight."
What kind of idiocy is this? Incidentally, that was followed by the slowest x-ray line I've ever experienced. Each bag was examined multiple times, as the belt moved backward and forward at a snail's pace. Each person required as much as 5 minutes. Finally, I had to go through the metal detector three times. First, the guy said he wasn't looking (true!). Second time, I walked too fast! Third time, I crept through in an especially annoying manner. We gave each other death stares. I think that mine won. I'm still alive, obviously.
Bruce