TPA 9/26 United Flight
I have been traveling through Tampa a lot lately and have managed to avoid these infernal machines for awhile now. In the past I just timed my walk so I would come to the machine just as another was entering. This time is didn't work.
"Would you step in here Sir?"
I said no thanks.
I was directed to a chair to sit in and an agent came over and asked if I had anything on the belt. I told him yes and he politely said he would get all the items and bring them to me so I could keep my eyes on everything.
He performed a quick 2 minute pat down, was friendly and professional and asked me to wait a few moments while he ran his gloves through an explosive detector. Then said I was free to go and wished me a nice trip.
Not what I was expecting at all.
I travel a lot through both TPA and also Sarasota (SRQ), and I find the TSA people at both these airports are the most courteous and professional of all the airports I travel through.
All the a$$hole TSA personnel at ATL and Delta at LGA should be required to spend time at TPA or SRQ and see that this is how you treat the traveling public, friendly and with a smile, and guess what, the traveling public will treat them back the same way.
But unfortunately most of the Wal-Mart/McDonald rejects that the TSA scooped off of the streets have no people skills whatsoever, probably why they had to get a job with the TSA, nobody else would hire them.
Mr. Elliott