<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tazi:
This is the person whose qusetions I am to answer at the airport? I don't think so. If your training taught you that silence is suspicious when you ask stupid questions then I am even more convinced that what I see is true .. security is a farce ... just a show for those easily fooled by smoke and mirrors. Enjoy your job while you have it and by all means, keep evacuating terminals .. these events are noticed and publicized and eventually, even the non-flying public will realize what a joke this is.
Verbal interaction is not needed, nor is it required, at the checkpoint. All that is required is that I do what is necessary to make sure I don't beep when walking through the metal detector. If I need to answer questions, then you **** well better spell out what they are on the TSA website. Most of us our tired of the inconsistancy found from airport to airport. Get a process and follow it. Don't publish guidelines to the public of what to expect at the airport and then subject them to more when they arrive. The less interaction I have with screeners, the happier I and they will be. I will say this once more ... the TSA decided we didn't have to answer stupid questions when checking in and we sure shouldn't be subjected to more at the checkpoint.
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Why do you consider screeners asking you if you have removed your laptop, etc. stupid questions? Not everyone flys on a daily basis and has no idea what to remove, etc. Secondly, I would hardly consider airport security a "joke" or "farce". It can only go as far as the U.S. constitution will let it go. If folks wanted drop dead security, there would surely be some extremely oppressive rules and regulations adopted and enforced. Currently, it's not even close. As far as your idea of TSA posting questions for travelers on the website, that just will not work. Every conversation is unique and not everyone has the same questions. There is no way to anticipate what someone will say or answer when it comes to various questions that may or may not get asked. And remember, questions are just that, questions. You don't have to go into great detail about every facet of your life, just a simple yes or no works. Not to mention its just plain good manners. They do have a process, and it is evolving. Congress legislated some very vague and generalized statutory guidelines which are subjected to daily interpretation. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but since each situation is unique there is a degree of latitude to be expected. Again, thanks for the dialogue.