Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
I am not a US citizen, but travel to the States frequently (around 12 times a year - plus numerous internal US flights). I actually prefer the level of 'security' (read 'reassurance') that I'm given by the TSA.
Well you may feel better - i.e. be reassured - but that's not the same thing as actually having security. I'd prefer that stop wasting time and money on window dressing that doesn't improve airport security.
Being British, I would certainly question why someone was walking around with >10,000 cash. We just don't see that as normal. I would want someone to question that. In the UK, this kind of money would often come from illegal transactions (selling illegally imported cigarettes or pirated CDs or from vice etc).
And there are plenty of legal reasons someone might have that much money on them. But it's not really your business to question it. I might wonder why you're carrying around an outdated cell phone, but that's not my business either. Carrying cash isn't in and of itself suspicious at all.
Carrying a lot of cash isn't illegal. But it's fairly stupid. Stupidity like that should raise suspicion. Suspicious activity should be investigated.
Carrying around an outdated cell phone is stupid. It's big and heavy. Next time I see someone with one I'm going to turn them in. They could be a danger to themselves
If a mom or dad was walking through a TSA checkpoint with a child, and the child looked under duress, I would want the TSA to report that to someone.
The TSA's job is not to make sure that kids aren't kidnapped. I'd call the cops if it looked like something were wrong, sure, but that's something that would be publicly obvious without me having to search through people's bags/person.
Back to my personal experiences. I don't really mind having to take off my shoes - it takes a minute more of my time.
You're welcome to take them off if you want to. That doesn't mean the rest of us should be forced to.
I don't mind my boarding pass being checked every few minutes.
Why? It does nothing to improve security and probably distracts from the real mission of keeping us safe.
I was in Budapest recently and my identity was not checked a single time post immigration. No check before boarding the aircraft. I felt pretty uncomfortable that in reality - anybody could have been on that aircraft which would be flying over central London. The more check the better.
Huh?
How does checking your ID improve security? Does your ID identify whether you're a terrorist or not?
This is the kind of pointless window dressing I despise. It does nothing to improve security. It might make you feel better, but it doesn't make us any safer so it's a waste of time and money.
