Bag Secondary @ MHT... Seeming Motive: Harassment
May 24, 2011, 1:23 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
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Posts: 19,718
Bag Secondary @ MHT... Seeming Motive: Harassment
Got a story for you.
I was catching the early US Express MHT-PHL service Sunday morning. At 5:00am I was at the unmanned Avis counter, doing my return paperwork and stuffing the car key into the dropbox, when I heard myself paged to Gate 9 "for immediate departure." That's odd, I thought. Overzealous departure management. The flight doesn't leave until 5:50am.
I walked down to the US counter, punched my PNR into a kiosk, and it balked. I hailed an agent. "Philly?" she said. "That's 5:20, not 5:50."
Oh, no. My mistake, and a bad one... I have got to be in San Francisco in a few hours to join a project team. I asked the agent to set me up with BPs although we were technically past the deadline. She cheerfully complied.
"Sure. San Francisco, right? I'll call the gate, let them know you're coming."
I trotted up the central escalator to the checkpoints. Miraculously, the line to the left was open and passenger-free. I did the podium ID check in seconds and very rapidly indeed stripped off my sweater, pulled out my laptop, emptied my pockets, et cetera, et cetera. A kindly TSO spotted my boarding pass and pointed through the glass at Gate 9. "Don't worry," he said. "See through there? The guy in the orange vest? They're still boarding."
"Thanks!" I shoved all my stuff through the scanner and stepped through the WTMD. Retrieved phone, watch, coins, shoes, sweater.
But the belt stopped.
Two new TSOs moved in my direction.
"We're... going to have to... scan your bag. For... explosives," said one. He grinned heavily and walked my bag over to the swab station.
I couldn't believe it. Now? At this of all times? I was the sole customer at the checkpoint, my flight was closing in two minutes, and the bag was packed exactly, and as innocuously, as it always is.
What I had not done this time was pull my Kippie bag out for separate inspection... an omission that excites no TSA interest nowadays at most airports I know.
"Look, please," I said, politely but urgently. "My flight is closing now."
I could not keep fear and worry out of my voice and the TSO heard it loud and clear. A tall, graying man, he stared at me impassively. "It's not my fault... you arrived... late... for your flight," he intoned.
He unzipped my carryon and poked through my socks with exquisite slowness.
"There's a lot of stuff in here," he drawled, "that's not supposed to be here." The only piece of electronic gear in there was a Kindle.
The TSO began dismantling my Kippie bag in leisurely fashion.
"Aerosols," he muttered. "Gels." He stared at my mini-Mennen Speed Stick as if it could be gelignite. His colleague regarded me with what I took as faint amusement.
I could not believe this was going down. It was 5:08am. My heart began to race. I was going to miss my plane, and my connection, and my project, because these guys have decided to mess with me.
"I'm going to tell the gate I'm on the way!" I blurted, and I ran fifty yards down the concourse to Gate 9, where the GA was waiting on me and only me.
"The TSA is screwing with my bag!" I gasped from twenty feet away. "I'll be right back, I promise!"
"I have to close this flight now!" she shouted back -- not unsympathetically. She was a small Asian woman with an authoritative voice.
"We've still got two minutes!" I yelled. "It's 5:08! Please wait!"
I ran back up to the checkpoint and my two TSOs are standing there... doing nothing. My stuff was spread across the table. They fixed me with solemn glares.
"You left... your bag... unattended," stated one gravely. "That's... not... good."
(This although I've been in dozens of situations, of course, where TSOs have done everything possible to separate me from my belongings.)
"Oh, my God," I moaned. My knees started to knock -- literally. I must, must, must make this flight. Please, God, I need a break here. The TSO returned to his work. He opened my little dry-stuff shaving bag, an old Malaysian Air amenity kit, and swabbed my Gillette Fusion razor.
It was like a Twilight Zone nightmare. The more agitated I got, the slower the TSO worked, and the more satisfied his companion looked. "F$%@ me," I swore under my breath, involuntarily. They heard it, though, froze for a few seconds as if tacking on additional penalty time, then continued.
Another minute passed. Then a figure swooped around the corner from the concourse, lanyards and badges rattling. Unbelievably, it was my gate agent, coming from Gate 9 at a dead run.
"We have to go! We have to go!" She had a field marshal's voice.
I swear her arrival, and only that, was what did it. With the slow precision of a bomb-disposal expert, the TSO replaced my razor in the Malaysian bag and zipped it closed.
"Would you... like me... to repack your belongings.... sir?" This in an exaggerated John Wayne tone. He elongated the last word so it was not exactly a term of respect.
"No!" I shouted and grabbed everything out of his hands. The GA and I went flying down the concourse. My Kippie bag slipped out of my hands and went skittering across the tiles. The GA scooped it up without breaking stride. Bless her.
She scanned me and I stumbled down the jetway flushed, drenched in sweat, untied shoelaces flapping, collar askew, juggling my toiletries, flooded with adrenalin, speechless... completely wrecked. I had been mind-raped for sure, and my aggressors had enjoyed it.
The aircraft door closed behind me and I flopped into 3C. We were passing through 10,000 feet before I got my breath back.
I was furious -- at myself for getting the departure time wrong, sure, but also at the TSOs for, apparently, leveraging my situation for their own amusement.
Just to screw with me, as far as I can tell.
Two different US Express (possibly Air Wisconsin) employees saw a passenger in distress and did everything they could to help me along -- bending both the BP-printing-cutoff and jetway-door-closing deadlines by a minute or two. They saved my day. I'm sending the GA flowers as soon as I finish this post.
Two TSOs saw a passenger in distress and did everything they could to make things worse... for no good reason. They set out to wreck my day, as a perfect expression of everything they and TSA stand for. I can't tell you what I'd like to send them.
I've read horror stories here about MHT TSOs, of course... and now I believe all of them.
My God, what is wrong with these people? This isn't security. This isn't helpful. This doesn 't... make us safer.
This is just... madness. Sadistic, pointless madness.
This is how you radicalize people.
I was catching the early US Express MHT-PHL service Sunday morning. At 5:00am I was at the unmanned Avis counter, doing my return paperwork and stuffing the car key into the dropbox, when I heard myself paged to Gate 9 "for immediate departure." That's odd, I thought. Overzealous departure management. The flight doesn't leave until 5:50am.
I walked down to the US counter, punched my PNR into a kiosk, and it balked. I hailed an agent. "Philly?" she said. "That's 5:20, not 5:50."
Oh, no. My mistake, and a bad one... I have got to be in San Francisco in a few hours to join a project team. I asked the agent to set me up with BPs although we were technically past the deadline. She cheerfully complied.
"Sure. San Francisco, right? I'll call the gate, let them know you're coming."
I trotted up the central escalator to the checkpoints. Miraculously, the line to the left was open and passenger-free. I did the podium ID check in seconds and very rapidly indeed stripped off my sweater, pulled out my laptop, emptied my pockets, et cetera, et cetera. A kindly TSO spotted my boarding pass and pointed through the glass at Gate 9. "Don't worry," he said. "See through there? The guy in the orange vest? They're still boarding."
"Thanks!" I shoved all my stuff through the scanner and stepped through the WTMD. Retrieved phone, watch, coins, shoes, sweater.
But the belt stopped.
Two new TSOs moved in my direction.
"We're... going to have to... scan your bag. For... explosives," said one. He grinned heavily and walked my bag over to the swab station.
I couldn't believe it. Now? At this of all times? I was the sole customer at the checkpoint, my flight was closing in two minutes, and the bag was packed exactly, and as innocuously, as it always is.
What I had not done this time was pull my Kippie bag out for separate inspection... an omission that excites no TSA interest nowadays at most airports I know.
"Look, please," I said, politely but urgently. "My flight is closing now."
I could not keep fear and worry out of my voice and the TSO heard it loud and clear. A tall, graying man, he stared at me impassively. "It's not my fault... you arrived... late... for your flight," he intoned.
He unzipped my carryon and poked through my socks with exquisite slowness.
"There's a lot of stuff in here," he drawled, "that's not supposed to be here." The only piece of electronic gear in there was a Kindle.
The TSO began dismantling my Kippie bag in leisurely fashion.
"Aerosols," he muttered. "Gels." He stared at my mini-Mennen Speed Stick as if it could be gelignite. His colleague regarded me with what I took as faint amusement.
I could not believe this was going down. It was 5:08am. My heart began to race. I was going to miss my plane, and my connection, and my project, because these guys have decided to mess with me.
"I'm going to tell the gate I'm on the way!" I blurted, and I ran fifty yards down the concourse to Gate 9, where the GA was waiting on me and only me.
"The TSA is screwing with my bag!" I gasped from twenty feet away. "I'll be right back, I promise!"
"I have to close this flight now!" she shouted back -- not unsympathetically. She was a small Asian woman with an authoritative voice.
"We've still got two minutes!" I yelled. "It's 5:08! Please wait!"
I ran back up to the checkpoint and my two TSOs are standing there... doing nothing. My stuff was spread across the table. They fixed me with solemn glares.
"You left... your bag... unattended," stated one gravely. "That's... not... good."
(This although I've been in dozens of situations, of course, where TSOs have done everything possible to separate me from my belongings.)
"Oh, my God," I moaned. My knees started to knock -- literally. I must, must, must make this flight. Please, God, I need a break here. The TSO returned to his work. He opened my little dry-stuff shaving bag, an old Malaysian Air amenity kit, and swabbed my Gillette Fusion razor.
It was like a Twilight Zone nightmare. The more agitated I got, the slower the TSO worked, and the more satisfied his companion looked. "F$%@ me," I swore under my breath, involuntarily. They heard it, though, froze for a few seconds as if tacking on additional penalty time, then continued.
Another minute passed. Then a figure swooped around the corner from the concourse, lanyards and badges rattling. Unbelievably, it was my gate agent, coming from Gate 9 at a dead run.
"We have to go! We have to go!" She had a field marshal's voice.
I swear her arrival, and only that, was what did it. With the slow precision of a bomb-disposal expert, the TSO replaced my razor in the Malaysian bag and zipped it closed.
"Would you... like me... to repack your belongings.... sir?" This in an exaggerated John Wayne tone. He elongated the last word so it was not exactly a term of respect.
"No!" I shouted and grabbed everything out of his hands. The GA and I went flying down the concourse. My Kippie bag slipped out of my hands and went skittering across the tiles. The GA scooped it up without breaking stride. Bless her.
She scanned me and I stumbled down the jetway flushed, drenched in sweat, untied shoelaces flapping, collar askew, juggling my toiletries, flooded with adrenalin, speechless... completely wrecked. I had been mind-raped for sure, and my aggressors had enjoyed it.
The aircraft door closed behind me and I flopped into 3C. We were passing through 10,000 feet before I got my breath back.
I was furious -- at myself for getting the departure time wrong, sure, but also at the TSOs for, apparently, leveraging my situation for their own amusement.
Just to screw with me, as far as I can tell.
Two different US Express (possibly Air Wisconsin) employees saw a passenger in distress and did everything they could to help me along -- bending both the BP-printing-cutoff and jetway-door-closing deadlines by a minute or two. They saved my day. I'm sending the GA flowers as soon as I finish this post.
Two TSOs saw a passenger in distress and did everything they could to make things worse... for no good reason. They set out to wreck my day, as a perfect expression of everything they and TSA stand for. I can't tell you what I'd like to send them.
I've read horror stories here about MHT TSOs, of course... and now I believe all of them.
My God, what is wrong with these people? This isn't security. This isn't helpful. This doesn 't... make us safer.
This is just... madness. Sadistic, pointless madness.
This is how you radicalize people.
May 24, 2011, 2:16 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,145
What other motive could there possibly have been than to teach you a little lesson, young man? They clearly didn't think they were rummaging through your stuff because you might have something which could go ka-boom in your bag.
There ARE nice people in this world; glad you found two today.
There ARE nice people in this world; glad you found two today.
May 24, 2011, 2:23 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: CMH
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion, United
Posts: 433
I'm so sorry for what these TSA employees chose to do to you. I'm upset just reading about your experience. There is absolutely no reason to treat passengers like this. So much for the standard "TSA's policy is to treat everybody with respect." and "We train our officers to be sensitive to various types of needs and individuals." Yeah, right. What a load of Bravo Sierra. The TSA once again showed why they are the most despised agency in the U.S. although I think they manage that about every minute they are on the job.
What will you attempt to do to follow up on this, for all the good it will do?
It's also really sweet of you to send flowers to the GA. It'll make her day, even though your's got trashed. Too bad we have to pay for that "privilege".
Hey, TSA employees? What the heck are we supposed to do in a situation like this in which the TSA employee is deliberately behaving in a deplorable manner, which your spokespeople insist over and over doesn't happen? And please don't tell me I'm ignorant for asking or that you've already posted an answer to this question.
What will you attempt to do to follow up on this, for all the good it will do?
It's also really sweet of you to send flowers to the GA. It'll make her day, even though your's got trashed. Too bad we have to pay for that "privilege".
Hey, TSA employees? What the heck are we supposed to do in a situation like this in which the TSA employee is deliberately behaving in a deplorable manner, which your spokespeople insist over and over doesn't happen? And please don't tell me I'm ignorant for asking or that you've already posted an answer to this question.
May 24, 2011, 2:33 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Second star to the right and straight on 'till morning
Programs: SkyMiles
Posts: 175
You described that so well; my heart was racing,too,as I was reading!
Kudos to the people who gave you a break.
A pox on the two who messed with you only because they could...the epitome of security theater.
Kudos to the people who gave you a break.
A pox on the two who messed with you only because they could...the epitome of security theater.
May 24, 2011, 3:53 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ATL Lost Luggage
Programs: Kettle with Kryptonium Medallion Tags
Posts: 10,274
May 24, 2011, 3:58 pm
#7
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: PDX
Programs: TSA Refusenik charter member
Posts: 15,978
Please respect one another's prerogative to travel or not travel. Proselytizing belongs over in OMNI/PR for those of you enabled. Thanks.
---------
essxjay
TS/S moderator
---------
essxjay
TS/S moderator
to TSA
May 24, 2011, 4:05 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: CMH
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion, United
Posts: 433
Here's the link to their page that can get you to their online complaint form: http://www.tsa.gov/contact/index.shtm
Rob Krekorian, " TSA Federal Security Director for New Hampshire" (that's from a news article from earlier this month - I know he was FSD for the airport in 2009, at least).
[email protected]
Here's the airport personnel contact information:
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
One Airport Road
Manchester, NH 03103
Phone (603) 624-6539
Fax (603) 628-6038
Mark P. Brewer, A.A.E.
Airport Director
[email protected]
J. Brian O'Neill
Deputy Airport Director
[email protected]
Stephen J. Adams, A.A.E.
Assistant Airport Director
Operations and Facilities
[email protected]
Last edited by NotaCriminal; May 24, 2011 at 4:11 pm
May 24, 2011, 4:29 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,718
NotaCriminal and others, thank you for this contact data. I will write. MHT enplanements are declining as Manchester loses its pricing edge versus BOS. So you'd think airport management would be out to attract customers, not repel them with stuff like this.
As it is the apparent goal of MHT and TSA is to achieve an airport totally unpolluted by airlines and passengers.
As it is the apparent goal of MHT and TSA is to achieve an airport totally unpolluted by airlines and passengers.
May 24, 2011, 5:01 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Salish Sea
Programs: DL,AC,HH,PC
Posts: 8,974
Hey, TSA employees? What the heck are we supposed to do in a situation like this in which the TSA employee is deliberately behaving in a deplorable manner, which your spokespeople insist over and over doesn't happen? And please don't tell me I'm ignorant for asking or that you've already posted an answer to this question.
It does seem like a deliberate attempt to make you miss the flight since it was the only one leaving from the entire airport at that hour.
RPA3197 E170 Philadelphia Intl (KPHL) Sun 06:58AM EDT
SWA2459 B733 Orlando Intl (KMCO) Sun 06:33AM EDT
SWA1630 B733 Chicago Midway Intl (KMDW) Sun 06:23AM
GJS3627 CRJ7 Chicago O'Hare Intl (KORD) Sun 06:12AM EDT
AWI3896 CRJ2 Reagan National (KDCA) Sun 06:06AM EDT
RPA3183 E170 Charlotte/Douglas Intl (KCLT) Sun 05:59AM
AWI3809 CRJ2 Philadelphia Intl (KPHL) Sun 05:27AM EDT
You've been the TSA equivalent of 'punked'. Let it go, you'll likely get no satisfaction whatsoever from anyone - just generate more personal aggravation and frustration. And get there on time in future
.
May 24, 2011, 5:58 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: UA *Alliance
Posts: 5,590
Can you fill out a complaint/comment card anonymously or in the third person (I witnessed this and I'm offended)? I ask because, not to sound paranoid or anything, but what if TSA clerks are starting to do these types of searches in an effort to out frequent flyers on this board or others?
I'm sure I'm just being paranoid and that TSA couldn't possibly be that organized or care, right? But think about it, here they have a very low volume checkpoint at a low volume time of day and they pick one person apparently for an extensive bag search. Knowing that there's a good possibility a frequent flier will go and blab about it on FT or another forum, you monitor the boards for a few days and see if the story gets retold. Once the complaint form rolls in with the person's name it's pretty easy to put two and two together and figure out the name of the person posting under a handle on a forum like FT.
I'm sure I'm just being paranoid and that TSA couldn't possibly be that organized or care, right? But think about it, here they have a very low volume checkpoint at a low volume time of day and they pick one person apparently for an extensive bag search. Knowing that there's a good possibility a frequent flier will go and blab about it on FT or another forum, you monitor the boards for a few days and see if the story gets retold. Once the complaint form rolls in with the person's name it's pretty easy to put two and two together and figure out the name of the person posting under a handle on a forum like FT.
May 24, 2011, 7:13 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,657
I'm really ambivalent about this posting.
I mean ... what can you complain about here? By your own admission, you arrived at the airport late for your flights, you failed to comply with TSA rules by removing your "3-1-1" bag from your suitcase, and you voluntarily abandoned your luggage at the checkpoint. The TSOs, on the other hand, appear to have executed their duties strictly according to the SOP.
Yes, it appears that the TSOs on duty decided to execute a slowdown on you, enforcing every possible stupid rule they could. Is that tactic any different from what AIT protestors here on FlyerTalk recommend? (Opt-out, ask for new gloves, ask for a new swab, ask for all your belongings to be brought over, ask for a witness ...).
Others here have noted the vulnerability of TSA checkpoints for terrorist activity, specifically because they're a choke point where people gather. Wouldn't it be just like a terrorist to show up abruptly, obviously in a hurry, and plead with the TSOs for a quick screening so that they can make their flight (and, oh, by the way, smuggle some WEIs aboard because of that leniency)? Or, perhaps, to run away from the checkpoint, claiming "I'll be right back", in order to get a safe distance away before detonating the bomb in their luggage?
I want to be generous in reading your account. It sounds like the TSOs who screened your luggage were real jerks. Unfortunately, I suspect there's no rule in the SOP that says you can't be a jerk --- and, ultimately, that seems to be the only basis of your complaint.
I mean ... what can you complain about here? By your own admission, you arrived at the airport late for your flights, you failed to comply with TSA rules by removing your "3-1-1" bag from your suitcase, and you voluntarily abandoned your luggage at the checkpoint. The TSOs, on the other hand, appear to have executed their duties strictly according to the SOP.
Yes, it appears that the TSOs on duty decided to execute a slowdown on you, enforcing every possible stupid rule they could. Is that tactic any different from what AIT protestors here on FlyerTalk recommend? (Opt-out, ask for new gloves, ask for a new swab, ask for all your belongings to be brought over, ask for a witness ...).
Others here have noted the vulnerability of TSA checkpoints for terrorist activity, specifically because they're a choke point where people gather. Wouldn't it be just like a terrorist to show up abruptly, obviously in a hurry, and plead with the TSOs for a quick screening so that they can make their flight (and, oh, by the way, smuggle some WEIs aboard because of that leniency)? Or, perhaps, to run away from the checkpoint, claiming "I'll be right back", in order to get a safe distance away before detonating the bomb in their luggage?
I want to be generous in reading your account. It sounds like the TSOs who screened your luggage were real jerks. Unfortunately, I suspect there's no rule in the SOP that says you can't be a jerk --- and, ultimately, that seems to be the only basis of your complaint.
May 24, 2011, 7:16 pm
#15
Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: SSSSS
Posts: 867
I agree that is does no good to complain. To the TSA. When a dog is biting its master, it does no good to complain to the dog. But I think we should let someone who can do something about it know and complain to them.
The only people who can control the TSA is Congress (and possibly Texas). The only way Congress will want to control the TSA if if they think there's something in it for them. We need to let them know that we are rapidly becoming single issue voters.
Instead of TSA comment cards/complaint cards we should develop a form letter addressed to our congressman. When something like this happens, we could write a brief paraphrase and send it on.
I don't think form letters will hurt, since staffers just tally and summarize and it will let Congress know that there are 2 million passenger votes on the line and only 60k TSA votes on the line.
Maybe we can get somewhere with this approach?
We can even get creative and get some clever computerman to set up a web site to collect complaints and send them to the appropriate Congressman, automating the process.
Good idea? Bad idea?
The only people who can control the TSA is Congress (and possibly Texas). The only way Congress will want to control the TSA if if they think there's something in it for them. We need to let them know that we are rapidly becoming single issue voters.
Instead of TSA comment cards/complaint cards we should develop a form letter addressed to our congressman. When something like this happens, we could write a brief paraphrase and send it on.
I don't think form letters will hurt, since staffers just tally and summarize and it will let Congress know that there are 2 million passenger votes on the line and only 60k TSA votes on the line.
Maybe we can get somewhere with this approach?
We can even get creative and get some clever computerman to set up a web site to collect complaints and send them to the appropriate Congressman, automating the process.
Good idea? Bad idea?