Originally Posted by eyecue
That this much info was released about the system. I have had this exact thing happen to me. We didnt dump the concourse though because we had control of the passengers and the bags. The real information about how this system works is SSI. So you will just have to guess.
This isn't at all directed at you as I appreciate your info, but the fact that it appears TSA is using SSI to cover up technical glitches that are causing terminal dumps costing airlines, airports, and pax millions of dollars plus using SSI cover up a system that apparenlty implicates totally innocent pax as having weapons in their bags goes to confirm a lot of the fears some of us have about TSA (administration) mentality. Somebody should class-action sue the TSA, but I would want the $ to come out of the leaderships' pockets, not taxpayer funds.
The first time a pax goes to jail, even for an hour, or is arrested over a non-existent item in his bag, I hope it is splattered over every newspaper in the country. It may have already happened, although I assume responsible checkpoints/LEOs would have to "see" (in reality, not a machine) a prohibited item before a detention/arrest.
For better or worse, I now believe that this sort of technical screwup in the hands of exhausted or unaware screeners is responsible for the vast majority of terminal evacuations that are triggered by "bag with suspicious item left checkpoint without secondary search."
Based on your post, I appreciate you and your checkpoint working with (around?) the technology and being careful not to cause needless dumps. ^ Too bad you aren't given a better system to work with.