OP - fyi on your luggage rant, depending on where you check in within each airport, there could be scanning facilities where you can see them and also below decks. At the elite check in counter for UA at IAD, I specifically request they give me back my luggage those few times I need to check it, so I can walk it over to the TSA folks and watch them scan it and send it down without opening the bag. If I didn't do that, it would've gone on the belt directly downstairs and get scanned there, out of sight. Just because you don't see them do it, doesn't mean their grubby hands weren't all over the bag.