Originally Posted by
PTravel
"That said, and regardless of how fast you think you can get through the line with two infants compared to other pax, you're not going to be faster than the average frequent-flying business person with a rollaboard and a computer bag. The polite thing to do would have been to use the family line.
Just my opinion."
I've been behind too many people with infants.
I am familiar with your view on being stuck on planes next to screaming kids
and since we agree on 99% of everything else, we're going to have to agree to disagree here. By the time we get to the front of the line, our shoes are off, the bags are ready to go and the strollers are folded. I'm just going to have to ask you to trust me that we are still way faster than the average traveler, even with infants in arms. Given the length of the family line and the fact that there was virtually no line at the other WTMDs, it made more sense for everyone to use the regular WTMD.
Originally Posted by
jkhuggins
Several problems with this scenario.
- You're assuming that as this process escalates, the passenger --- who, remember, has an entire family in tow --- remains calm. Certainly it's possible to do ... but it requires a great deal of personal discipline. And especially if the TSO who escalates the process in the first place gets agitated, it requires even more discipline. I think it's far more likely that the passenger starts getting agitated right along with the TSO.
- Keep in mind that you've now got a "he-said, she-said" scenario. Who has more credibility in that situation: an unknown passenger who appears to be in the "wrong lane", or a uniformed TSO and STSO?
- And, again, I return to my original premise. Failure to obey the (misguided) order of the TSO, and then contesting that (misguided) order could be construed as "interfering with the screening process". Yes, it's a stretch. But so is claiming that an ill-timed request for orange juice is interference with the duties of a flight attendant.
But by then, the passenger has already lost. Most likely, the passenger has been arrested (in front of his family, by the way), they've missed their original flight (probably by a day or more), and the passenger has had to spend time and money in preparing a defense. Meanwhile, the TSOs involved receive their full government salary while assisting the prosecutor in developing their "case".
Far better to keep this from even getting that far.
Agreed on all counts. But knowing that there are plenty of good TSOs out there doesn't help when you happen to draw a bad one.
You've pretty much hit it right on the nose. I have no interest in a confrontation. I completely understand the concept of winning the battle and losing the war. I just hate bullies.
Mike