Hi Chichow,

My understanding is that SOP is actually only to keep a passenger's belongings in his sight if the passenger insists that it be done that way. If nothing is said to the screener, then screener has leeway to take your items out of your sight, so as to "speed up the screening process". I think you should have called over a supervisor, but only to complain about the bad attitude you got from the screener after you made a perfectly reasonable request that your items stay in your sight at all times. It sounds to me like your screener was just having a bad day.