chollie

Neither do I - need to be talked down to or treated like a child.

Let me be clear. I have posted before, no one, no one is more obsequious and cringing than me at a checkpoint. I'm all 'sir', "ma'am", avoid eye contact, speak very quietly.

(I have been spoken to loudly by one groper in PHX for not maintaining direct eye contact while being spoken to and during the grope. Each admonition was accompanied by "OK, then, we'll start all over again. We're going to keep doing this until you get it right. I said 'look me in the eye, and I meant it'.")

So when I see a screener dish that kind of cr*p out and someone dishes it back, it is really hard to feel sympathy for the screener, particularly when he/she holds the DY...T, 'random extra grope/swab/bag search/gratuitous karate chop' cards.

chollie

You know, Ink, it's sad that my first reaction on reading your post isn't to roll my eyes and think "Don't exaggerate, ha-ha!"

Instead, my first reaction is that it is probably just as close to the truth as it is to believe that the supervisor actually corrected the employee.

knotyeagle

I hope by now you are breathing better. I go thru FLL about 1 x week and a variety of other checkpoints the end of the trip.

I correct errant screeners immediately, it is much more effective for the errant screener to back down and correct his behavior than it is for me to do a quick email to my congressperson.

Screeners telling me photography of them or the checkpoint is not allowed is the prime example of what actions to take with such screeners.

I give no quarter to those who do harm to this country, even more so to those in guise of government service.

InkUnderNails

In most cases, I have no problem going through the CP. I say nothing to anybody, they say little to me. Everyone is polite as one can be given the circumstances, and I survive without even a hint of my dander getting up.

There are times, however, when I get a truly ignorant or even stupid screener. Even then, it is no big deal as I more pity them or feel sorry for them than anything. I still want to move along and I will tolerate this to a large degree.

Then there are the officious martinets that feel it is their sole lot in life to control, berate, yell at, and belittle passengers. They are power hungry little tyrants that use the tiny bit of authority they are given to turn the checkpoint into their own little fiefdom in which all law is at their discretion and whim. No one has any knowledge except them. No one may cross their path without paying proper homage. They control the destiny of everyone that dares enter their domain. Thankfully, they are rare. Nonetheless, they deserve every bit of righteous wrath and ridicule that I can spew and still get to make my flight that day. It is a fine line, and one must know when to stop. I guess one of these days I will find the exact extent of that line, but so far, so good.

Michael El

Yes they do.

GrinAndBearIt

A direct confrontation of the agent who sighed loudly, rolled his eyes, and asked if I really wanted a full body pat-down at LAS did not seem like it would be productive in this case. He was just ignorant and immature; he kind of reminded me of a bratty teenager (do not ask me how I know this). The supervisor actually seemed irked about it when informed.

chollie

If the supervisor has been paying attention, he's observed this behavior before. He was most likely just irked that you 'wasted' his time with your complaint.

Unprofessional employee means unprofessional/AWOL management who enable the poor behavior.

nachtnebel

Probably falls in the category of picking the right battles to fight. How much to lean on an employee for this versus more serious things. It comes down to the pool of replacements available if you get rid of someone. The chances are high that you'll get someone as bad or even worse from the pizza box recruiting campaigns TSA HQ runs for you.

Upgraded!

You're right: children can't be held responsible for their actions, these people should be. I, for one, have no sympathy for any screener taking abuse from pax at a checkpoint. When you take a job doing infinitely more harm than good and violating the rights of thousands of people per day you deserve what you get and then some.

Global_Hi_Flyer

And customer service people like the TSA should NOT be talking down to the customers or treating them as children. Frankly, I can't blame him a bit for treating the TSA folks in the same manner as they treat us.

nachtnebel

absolutely. At LHR, when there was a gap in the line through the checkpoint, people dawdling being the cause of it, an agent walked up to those holding it up and asked them politely and quietly, actually, with some humor, to move up. At SFO, same trip, when this gapping occurred the 5 x 5 TSA woman watching the line screeched at everyone at the top of her lungs "you people have to keep moving. You're holding up everyone. Keep it moving, people!"

There's no way this kind of person should have ever been hired to work with the public. You hire gutter people, you get gutter behavior. The people that are hired, and the behavior tolerated from them says everything you need to know about TSA leadership.

lovely15

Agreed. Why is ok for them to abuse us, but when passengers decide they've had enough and either get angry or condescending, we're the bad ones? They treat me like a terrorist, so I treat them like the welfare to work lackeys that they are. Seems fair to me.

bdschobel

Same here. Totally agree.

Bruce

GrinAndBearIt

I would ask how one should treat "welfare to work lackeys", but I am afraid I would even more disturbed by the answer.

If one enters a checkpoint with this type of offensive attitude, I would not be surprised if one is met with unprofessionalism and hostility.

knotyeagle

So as I was leaving the checkpoint at FLL terminal 1 concourse B, what exact "offensive attitude" did I convey when I took this photo of a TSA screener who promptly told me to come back and enter the sterile area thru the exit?





I give no quarter to those who do harm to this country, even more so to those in guise of government service.