I'm surprised no-one has noticed this particular quote:

If chatting up the BDO means that you'd get a chance to skip the AIT/WTMD/X-ray, might that change your willingness to participate in the process?

OTHO what if the chatting-up turns out to be foreplay?

Hmm, a BDO gets to chat up an attractive passenger, and if they respond well, they might get out of AIT/patdown?

No chance for abuse there.

Like the words "opt out"?

BDO "how are you today?"
PAX 'Oh good, porter service. Carry these over there will you?'

It would only change my response to them slightly.

In other words, instead of saying "Go f*** off, a**h***" to the screener, I'd say "As an American citizen schooled in government with an understanding of my Constitutional rights, I respectfully decline to participate any further in your unwarranted interrogation."

I have no desire to bypass the WTMD or not have my bags x-rayed, and I doubt very much that anything I would ever say to a screener would get me a no Nude-O-Scope pass.

Knowing about the 5th amendment alone should be enough to decide you're not a bad guy, but sadly, in DHS-land, that's a tactic the all-clever terrorist would adopt now that they've seen it discussed here.

Are you referring to the 'did you pack your bags yourself' questions or the 'what did you purchase at the airport' and other random questions?

I have been asked the first set very rarely; only at LHR if I recall, and only for a UA flight bound for the US. The second set I was asked at MUC and FRA for UA flights bound for the US.

I fly from many western European countries on a very regular basis, and am asked the first set of questions maybe once or twice a year, if that. And since I recall being asked those in English, it would be at UK airports and most likely LHR.

I've flown quite a bit from Europe to the US the first half of this year, and up until last week at MUC, hadn't been asked those silly questions.

Check out the comments in response to Pistole's plan over here.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshge...eckpoints.html

They make FT vitriol seem tame in comparison.

I even mentioned in the IAH "speak your name" thread that this appeared to be SPOT actions to the TDC. Sounds like they're trying to make everyone SPOT now.

I read those before the comments above.

I applaud the folks who claim to have given up flying in response to the TSA theater.

Drive safely.

You forgot the :rolleyes: emoticon

Yes, but we all know that isn't gonna happen.

Perhaps this has something to do with all of the recent outrage over TSA screening practices? Maybe the TSA brass finally realized that you can have security theater that 1. Is non-invasive. 2. Does equally little as the scanners/gropes. 3. Still leaves 90%+ of the traveling public feeling like the government is "doing something" about security. People can rest easy that there's some magic formula by which the TSO asking you the questions can tell if your answers indicate the likelihood of you being a terrorist.