seaduck79

I saw this on a Facebook post from a friend of a friend, both of whom work for TSA.

"I don't care if it is a cat X airport or a III airport the people are the same, "the rules don't apply to me". Remember, when they step on airport property they lose all ability to, read, hear, think, listen or understand the spoken word. just treat everyone as if they had never been on a flight and this is the first time they knew that there were any rules to follow. and you will be fine."

I would like to see your thoughts and reactions to this, from both sides of the blue shirt.

FWIW, I haven't usually been subjected to such an attitude, but then, I try to at least act like I've done this before.

doober

Sounds more like this is a description of screeners rather than the sheeple.

Boggie Dog

Sounds like the typical arrogant TSA employee.

chollie

(bolding mine) It's pretty difficult to know 'the rules' when they vary from airport to airport and screener to screener. Lots of us would probably do a better job of following the rules if the website was clear and up-to-date and the signs at the individual airports/checkpoints were accurate and reflected actual checkpoint procedures.

littlesheep

deleted

BubbaLoop

How on Earth am I expected to know the rules? They are way too many of them, change constantly and make no sense whatsoever.

Dea Certe

The TSA doesn't recognize customers, they only see suspects. Especially if the suspect is old, infirm or has something like cupcakes or candy in their possession which needs to be confiscated for closer study.

gsoltso

While it may seem to be the case, that is a pretty silly attitude. Most of the folks coming through are not necessarily in an element they are used to. The business travelers have an edge, in that they have more experience and time in the airport enviornment, but they are not always certain of what is going on either. Casual travlers have no clue what is going on, simply because they (in many cases) have had 14 people tell them 14 different things, and by the time they get into the checkpoint area, they have read about half of the signs, and none of them josh with what the 14 people have told them. When you get into an unfamiliar situation, there will always be some element of confusion, this is usually resolved fairly easily by the TSOs talking to you or answering questions (which is what is supposed to happen). It is not that the folks coming through are stupid, just unused to what is going on and not always on the same sheet of music. TSOs should slow down and talk more to the passengers - not yell at them, or bark at them - just talk to them. I would venture that tons of problem situations at checkpoints could have been resolved by a TSO taking 30 seconds and communicating with the passengers.

Tom M.

Exactly the reasoning on why the Hotline being discussed in another thread won't work. That simply adds another "layer" of telling the traveler something different.

InkUnderNails

Nice in theory, seldom applied in practice. Whether by training or repetition, most TSO's project an image of control and authority. They do not project comfort and assistance. It may be the uniform or the seriousness that they have been told the job entails. If they have been taught that everybody they see is there to potentially kill someone, then it is hard to make small talk and be friendly with a bunch of potential murderers.

Either we are all suspects needing approval of the authority to continue or we are just travelers trying to get on a plane and there may be those among us that are "bad guys." Pick the prevalent thought process and the attitude for dealing with us comes automatically.

Boggie Dog

The problem as you so clearly point out is if a person asks 14 different TSA employees a question they are very likely to get 14 answers that are completely different. Visit 14 different checkpoints and things are done 14 ways differently.

The public needs clear, written, documented rules, and procedures that we must comply with.

TSA has failed to properly serve the public on this point!

Combat Medic

Don't forget that some of them are SSI so you can't even know them.

Allan38103

I read it on Facebook (from some guy), so it must be true.

Michael El

Not "some guy" but a person who works for the TSA.

VelvetJones

I didn't think that the TSA view travelers as customers. I thought we were all consider terrorist suspects until "cleared" by their highly skilled TSOs.