Originally Posted by
ORDofcr
It all started when someone decided that we needed to have discretion. I personally don't care if it is in the bin or in your bag, or if its in the cute little "clear plastic zip top bag". I've been looking at LGA everyday for... O what is it now like 3 years since liquid ban? I can't even remember. But the point is this: Do you want every bag stopped if there is one LGA in the bag? In that case 9 out of 10 bags will be stopped. Do you have any clue what the lines would look like if we did this? Now I have no problem if management said to stop every bag with a LGA in it and not use any kind of discretion, but that's not the case.
Two counterarguments.
- The problem with exercising discretion in this manner is that it's largely silent. Which, given the major difficulty in figuring out exactly what the rules are regarding permitted and prohibited items, is a very bad idea. If you let my widget through into the sterile area, and don't talk to me about it, how do I know if my widget is (a) permitted, (b) permitted with additional testing, but you're giving me a break, or (c) not permitted, but you're giving me a break because the threat is minimal? Furthermore, when I approach a different screening checkpoint at a different airport the next day, and the screener chooses to exercise that discretion completely differently, how am I to understand what the 'real' rules are?
- On what basis do you decide to exercise that discretion of yours in not screening every oversized item? If it's a completely individualized choice, you open yourself up to charges of discriminatory conduct. (This is how "driving while Black" became a phenomenon.)
Originally Posted by
ORDofcr
But do remember this, if you ever encounter me and give me a p*&S poor attitude (mind you that I am always respectful to you until you give me reason otherwise), 3.4oz and it needs to be in the bag, and you may be asked to step back out to submit your items in the proper manner for screening, to be cleared. (I've never had anyone go back out to do it the right way, but I'm just sayin...)
Where does it say that I have to have a good attitude when passing through screening? And on what basis are you going to judge what qualifies as a poor attitude?
Customer service organizations understand that they have to excel at their treatment of their customers, regardless of how they are treated in return. I wish TSA would understand this simple principle.
And this in no way justifies treating a screener poorly. But people have bad days. It's bad enough that you get to look through my personal effects in order for me to travel to my workplace. It's worse if you're going to make me paste a fake smile on my face at the same time. (Heck, if I do that, the BDOs will probably flag me for additional screening, since I'm "obviously" concealing my true feelings, right?)