Originally Posted by
gsoltso
I don't necessarily think that they are disinterested, I think they are simply doing basic numbers comparisons - like senior leadership at most locations do. They are primarily focused on the numbers, and even if we take every single unsubstantiated report in social media for this week, they would be a miniscule number in comparison to the overall numbers of the flying public. The majority of passengers come through and have a neutral experience - they have no particular good or bad parts. A small percentage have good experiences, and an even smaller percent have bad experiences. The over-arching concern for TSA HQ, is to prevent planes from going down - and by any measurable statistic, they have done just that for 15+ years.
I would love to see a citizens group that works with TSA (similar to the groups we work with for people with disabilities) to provide insight and brain storm suggestions for the organization. I would also love to see TSA HQ possibly through social media, engage the public at large, to gain even more insight from other focus groups - parents with young children, families with elderly members that need more assistance getting through, essentially any group that is not 18-50 male/female and traveling on business. Once we engage those folks, we can being to take their suggestions and input into account for future policy planning. To some extent, TSA does this, but not in the same way I think you or I would like to see.
I am not necessarily in favor of removing the investigative process from TSA, but I would like to see more transparency in the process, and more released information on the results - again, I am not privy to all the information involved in these situations, so my opinions may change based upon new information.
and an even smaller percent have bad experiences. The over-arching concern for TSA HQ, is to prevent planes from going down - and by any measurable statistic, they have done just that for 15+ years.
The percentage of travelers that have bad TSA experience appears to be more than just a small number. And small numbers sure seem to concern TSA, just look at all the shoes that get removed due to one failed attempt of a shoe bomb in another country. And look how TSA harps on the guns and stuff found each week, just a fraction of 1% of all passengers that are screened each day. And TSA doesn't keep planes from going down. Locked cockpit doors do that. Toss in the repeated testing across the country of TSA screeners showing a high failure rate of detecting target items and I think claiming that TSA is responsible for preventing planes going down is laughable.
I would love to see a citizens group that works with TSA (similar to the groups we work with for people with disabilities)
TSA partnering with disability groups hasn't really worked out so well for people in those groups. The same abuses still occur.
I am not necessarily in favor of removing the investigative process from TSA, but I would like to see more transparency in the process
The public, in my opinion, does not trust TSA to conduct an investigation of its workers that is not biased against travelers. Verified reports of complaints being thrown away, too many times of "policy was followed", lying under oath during a court trial, and other such abuses removes TSA and its employees from the credible witness list. Simply put, TSA cannot be trusted on any matter.
I recognize that you will disagree with my beliefs. So be it but unless someone within TSA takes up the gauntlet of bringing some real change to the organization these discussions will continue and TSA workers will find their jobs more difficult each day.