thaliajen

Not sure if I should post this here or some other Forum but I fly CO out of DTW every 4 weeks and go through security for CO/United flights there. As the planes say United and this affects United & CO security area at DTW, I chose this section.

I had a 6:05am flight (1 of 3 to get me to Anchorage today) and going through security, a TSA agent grabbed my roller board bag and said "Uh Oh!" and grimaced. He waved another guy over to look at my bag (I was praying I didn't have to repack it) but then I noticed they were just looking at my yellow Flyertalk tag. I got that when I was chosen by Flyertalk to compete 3 years ago in the 1st Competitours trip to Europe. As Flyertalk picked up the tab for a week in Europe, I figured I'd show my loyalty by using the tags we were given. I often meet up with people in hotels, airports, clubs, etc., who see the tag and want to chat. I've never heard a negative remark, at least not to my memory. And no one comments on my CO Plat Elite tag. So today was just odd.

So the TSA worker tells me that they were "warned" about Flyertalk b/c apparently we "hate the TSA". Both TSA agents told me that Flyertalkers are angry with the TSA and they were warned about us. I explained that Flyertalk was a travel website w/ areas for hotel & airline loyalty programs, etc., and that I'd never heard of this TSA business before. He was nice about it all, but kept shaking his head as he looked at the tag. He insisted that there was "trouble with FT" and that Flyertalk "hates the TSA" but wouldn't elaborate.

I'm SO confused. So Flyertalk hates TSA at DTW? Just in the United/CO security area or in the other terminal as well? Is this state, nation or worldwide? I told him that he must've got the name wrong but he insisted- Flyertalkers were some sort of trouble and my yellow tag was the whole reason this "chat" began.

Honestly, I only kept that tag on the bag b/c the bag has lasted longer than any other, AND b/c I love running into other Flyertalkers. I asked him if it was a Continental/United thing as we have a separate terminal from Delta @ DTW where it's mostly CO/United and Star Alliance airlines, among others. He didn't answer, told me to have a good trip and returned to work. Has anyone else heard of this? Anyone else from the CO/United security area at DTW?

Long, long day with 3 flights and a very short connection at Seattle where we ran the airport then caught a train to terminal H (or was it "N"?) and barely made it. But that exchange, at around 5 this morning still has me wondering. IS Flyertalk in some "feud" with TSA as my new TSA friend claims, or is it just some TSA guy in the United/CO security area who is confusing FT with someone else?

scoow

Not FT, nor all FT'ers. But a number of posters in the TS/S forum on FT are not thrilled with the TSA or at least some of TSA's policies and/or practices.

Red '74 TR6

I've been flying with my Flyertalk tags for close to ten years now and they have *never* gotten any notice...
DTW must have a lurker who wanted to yank your chain a bit..

miguel0881

I'm not overly familiar with DTW as I don't pass through there regularly, but I did witness what I found to be some disturbing TSA behavior at the DL terminal a couple of weeks ago. I was passing through security after arriving off an international flight, and I noticed that the normal TSA ID checkers were questioning the passengers about their travel. For instance, the passenger in front of me handed the agent her boarding pass and US passport, and the agent started asking her questions about where she lived. The passenger advised that she lived in Michigan, and the agent asked her if she had her Michigan driver's license with her. The passenger stated that she did not. The agent then started inquiring as to the passenger's employer, and the passenger stated the name of her employer. The agent then asked if she was travelling with an employee ID. The passenger stated that she was, and the agent smugly replied, "Let me see that." The entire scene left me very unsettled, and when I asked an agent about it, he advised that it was a new two-week old "pilot" program. Upon further research, it looks like it's called the Behavior Detection Pilot program. I'm not sure what they're up to in DTW, but it was enough to convince me that I don't want to pass through there again. Fortunately, as a UA and AA flyer, it's unlikely that I will.

redburgundy

When I'm asked (for example, on visa applications), I say I'm retired. Aren't you?

arollins

FT does have a section regarding security and there are numerous threads.about TSA. After all, flyertalk deals with travel, maybe TSA has heard comments that others have posted. I would not worry about the ft tag.

hobo13

I've had bad experiences with TSA at that terminal.

Then again, Detroit definitely has an attitude. Don't believe me, try the Faux 1K line....

xliioper

Never had a problem with TSA at DTW. And now that DTW is part of the TSA pre-check program, I no longer have to take off my shoes or remove my laptop from the bag and it takes about 5 seconds to get through security.

FlyingNone

[QUOTE=thaliajen;17388669].....So the TSA worker tells me that they were "warned" about Flyertalk b/c apparently we "hate the TSA". Both TSA agents told me that Flyertalkers are angry with the TSA and they were warned about us. I explained that Flyertalk was a travel website w/ areas for hotel & airline loyalty programs, etc., and that I'd never heard of this TSA business before. He was nice about it all, but kept shaking his head as he looked at the tag. He insisted that there was "trouble with FT" and that Flyertalk "hates the TSA" but wouldn't elaborate......"

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Why be confused (hopefully not intimidated)......really, WHO actually likes the TSA ?....I love the part that they were "warned".....
They (the TSA) need to look no further than any media outlet (newspaper articles, TV reports about them, etc.)....and then they likewise should hvave been "warned" about people posting in any and all these other websites/forums.

raehl311

Actually, that's exactly the way other countries with "real" security do it. Instead of putting you and everyone else through a full body scan - after making you take off your shoes - they just ask you some questions and see if you respond in an odd way.

I think they also let you keep your bottled water.

SiberianTiger

That is really cool, it really bugs me that I have to take my shoes off, in Europe they don't require to take your shoes off either.

travel.flier

Maybe FT'ers are more educated about the TSA and porno scans, so we opt out more often in protest

l etoile

Please follow this in the Travel Safety/Security forum.

l'etoile
UA moderator

catocony

So, you would rather be delayed and questioned as to where you live, why you're traveling, where you're going and where you work than take your shoes off? I understand that both choices are bad, it's actually a false choice since the most logical answer is "don't get questioned and don't take shoes off". But having a screener questioning travelers about their business is step way, way over the line.

miguel0881

Not saying that's right either, but I believe those countries at least invest significantly more resources in training their agents than we do with the TSA.