FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - TSA wants to get more intimate when doing passenger pat downs.
Old Sep 2, 2018, 1:27 pm
  #733  
petaluma1
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,526
Originally Posted by gsoltso
TSOs catch things in those areas more often than one may think. The vast majority of the time, it is something that a passenger is just trying to keep safe, like money, or jewelry, or even important papers. Most of the time it is not a big story, because it is much more common than most folks think. The only time I would anticipate we would even have a story about it would involve a firearm or something more dangerous. I am at a loss to explain the current uptick, as the process has not changed recently. I take each of these comments the same way - unverified until we have facts/info to initiate the investigative process. I still want the organization to treat each complaint, case or situation exactly the same and investigate each of these claims to the fullest. One problem is that people go onto social media sites and make a statement, rather than filing a complaint to the system for TSA to use in order to get to the bottom of it. When TSA has a standalone comment on Twitter that says something like "I was stripsearched by TSA at LAX" without a flight number, airline, time frame or terminal - how is TSA going to be able to effectively address that or investigate? LAX has 7 terminals, and all of them are in perpetual motion. Without specifics, the comment is just someone making a statement that is unverifiable. Which brings me back around to asking all of you to have anyone that makes these types of comments to file the complaint with TSA. TSA can not address the issue if they do not know it has happened.
Your former colleague, Mike England, claimed that "dangerous items" are found every day while sexually assaulting passengers. Strange that he would never back up his statement with facts. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nat...168955927.html

“Pat-downs result in the discovery of knives and other dangerous items carried on a passenger’s person on a daily basis,” spokesman Mike England said. “They are a valuable tool in keeping our skies safe.”
In 2017, one (1) pocketknife was found in Denver, yet thousands of flyers were harassed and many traumatized by having to under go sexual assault at the hands of a TSA screener.

Filing a complaint with the TSA is an exercise in futility, because the TSA will NEVER accept responsibility. I always advise people to file their complaints about poor treatment with the DHS Inspector General.

P.S. Most people are afraid to file a complaint with the TSA, <redacted>. They are afraid of being put on a "list" - and with the recent news of "Quiet Skies" and TSA's list of disruptive flyers, I don't blame them.

Last edited by TWA884; Sep 15, 2018 at 2:08 pm Reason: Privacy (FT Rule 21) / Personal exchange (FT Rule 12.2)
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