Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 16:42:39 -0400
From: "Ellis, April" <April.Ellis%AT%dhs.gov>
Subject: RE: Got Feedback : Ontario International (ONT)
To: Phil Mocek
Cc: GotFeedback <Gotfeedback%AT%dhs.gov>

Good Afternoon Mr. Mocek:

I am in receipt of your GotFeedBack? submission and would like to thank you for contacting us with your inquiry. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is committed to excellence in both security and customer service. Customer feedback is important to our operation, as it gives us the opportunity to review our operation from a customer's point-of-view, and improve or change in the areas where needed.

Photography at the security checkpoint and of security procedures is permitted as long as there are no photos of our computer monitors and the photography does not interfere with screening operations. As far as local airport policies, please contact Los Angeles World Airports for their policy.

If you have any further questions regarding your inquiry, please feel free to forward them to me. Thank you again for taking the time to submit your question.

Sincerely,

April Dawn Ellis
Customer Support/Stakeholder Liaison Manager
TSA *\240Ontario International Airport * Palm Springs International Airport
909-472-0113 office * 909-229-1853 cell * 909-937-1403 fax

Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 15:56:31 -0700
From: Phil Mocek
Subject: Re: Got Feedback : Ontario International (ONT)
To: April Ellis - TSA <April.Ellis%AT%dhs.gov>
Cc: GotFeedback <Gotfeedback%AT%dhs.gov>

Good afternoon, Ms. Ellis. I'm happy to learn of your agency's commitment to excellence, though I'm confused about the "customer service" part, as to my knowledge, TSA does not sell anything and thus does not have customers to service.

You wrote that photography of your computer monitors at airport security checkpoints is prohibited. This conflicts with information published yesterday by Bob Burns at TSA [1]. He wrote that photography was allowed, and that TSA asks people not to photograph the monitors. Also, among the dozen or so airport representatives who have responded to my question, your response is unique in describing that prohibition.

[1]: <http://www.tsa.gov/blog/2009/03/can-i-take-photos-at-checkpoint-and.html>

Could you please direct me to an authoritative source of information about this "no photographing monitors at the checkpoint" policy at your airport? I'd like to read the rule and make sure that it applies only to your airport, not to the others at which TSA representatives are apparently aware of no such rule.

Mr. Burns also wrote, "while the TSA does not prohibit photographs at screening locations, local laws, state statutes, or local ordinances might. Your best bet is to call ahead and see what that specific airport's policy is. I suggest you use the Got Feedback program to directly contact the Customer Support Manager at the airport you're going to be traveling through. They will have an answer for you and if they don't, they can connect you with somebody who does."

I took his suggestion and contacted TSA via the TSA "Got Feedback?" form. In response, you did not mention any applicable laws, statutes, or local ordinances. Are you aware of any?

Thank you for your assistance.

--
Phil Mocek

Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:10:15 -0700
From: Phil Mocek
Subject: Re: Got Feedback : Ontario International (ONT)
To: April Ellis - TSA <April.Ellis%AT%dhs.gov>
Cc: GotFeedback <Gotfeedback%AT%dhs.gov>

I have received no further contact from you. Are you able to provide the information I have requested?

--
Phil Mocek