Originally Posted by
Passmethesickbag
SFO (where else?). I'm shown into the Nude-O-Scope. Screener orders me "Empty your pockets!". I tell him I only have a handkerchief, which is is in a pretty unsavory state (owing to my hayfever). He orders me "Take it out!". I do so. He orders me "Hold it in your hand!". I ask him to clarify what he wants me to do as I'm already holding it in my hand. He repeats "Hold it in your hand". I raise my hands in an involuntarily gesture of exasperation. He shouts at me that I'm "acting like a buffoon" and threatens me with not being able to fly out today. He gets the nude picture and, upon exiting, I tell his colleague that I wish to file a complaint. Supervisor gets screener over. Screener has the nerve to suggest that I was trying to hit him (from the Nude-O-Scope? At a distance of several feet?). If he'd only had the grace to say he was sorry I'd have walked away, but no, he has to make an offensive and ludicrous counter-accusation. Supervisor takes down my full detail, including passport and flight number. I'm told to record the incident and enable him to disclose details about agent and ID number, but I'm still a bit wary. Will there be police waiting for me at my gate? We'll see. At least supervisor made a carefully worded apology.
Also, I thought all security at US airport were TSA, but no, this is a private contractor (Covenant). I guess we're heading back towards the regime of the Argenbright geniuses that waved through the 9/11 terrorists...
If it had been me, as soon as the screener accused me of trying to hit him, I would have told the supervisor, "Pull the tapes -- now!" and called for a LEO. I would not, under any circumstances, have provided the supervisor with ANY personal information, and insisted that this be handled as a police matter. If the screener repeated his lie to the police (which I doubt he would do -- he's aware there are tapes), I would calmly explain the consequences of filing a false police report, done whatever the LEO instructed me to do, and then sued the living %^&* out of TSA, the contractor that is responsible for security at SFO,
and the screener, personally.
This is beyond outrageous.