Isn't SFO contracted to Covenant for "TSA" functions?

Hmm.... and I assumed that my relatively benign experiences at BWI were just anomalies, triggered by an early morning arrival and sleepy-headed screener... and that my experiences at DCA were due to 'extra special' training that screeners got there because of needing to know how to handle Congress critters and the like.

Perhaps they're finally "getting it" on the customer service front, and are coming to an understanding that being confrontational only creates additional problems for them in terms of delays, smart remarks, and protests by passengers. There is still the very significant problem of apparent Constitutional violations to hammer out - but that is in the court's hands, and (unfortunately) unlikely to ever be decided on its true merits. (TSA and the Supreme Court apparently believe that suspending Fourth Amendment rights at the checkpoint and elsewhere is acceptable, "out of an abundance of caution". )

I think y'all are over-thinking this. The reason for less invasive pat-downs could also be as simple as most individuals do not particularly enjoy touching the genitals of people they are not sexually attracted to. Speaking as a reformed federal flunky myself, government workers (excepting the few true zealots) try not to let their work put them out. So when you simplify it, everything makes sense: an employee who may have barely finished high school and was recruited off of a pizza box is going to take little shortcuts when they can. Occam's Razor in action.

I agree. Much bigger issues aside, the TSA work ethic we've all witnessed results in the average clerk doing as little as possible during a shift to be able to come away with a paycheck. The novelty of "protecting America's airports from terrorists" has worn off long ago. At the outset of the gropings, they were viewed as punishment for daring to refuse the Cancer Boxes. The clerks didn't want to do it in the first place, so they punished us for disrupting their day. This still happens to a certain extent, but, for the most part, they want to get through the friskings as fast as possible and don't want anyone to remind them that they are groping genitals of a person of the same sex. The "I don't like it either" or "We're both in this together" attitude is purely a defense mechanism and a way for them to look themselves in the mirror every morning.

I don't believe this has anything to do with a TSA-wide policy. The TSA can't do anything TSA-wide (except to stop doing something, like not allowing liquids for a period of time back in 2006). Even their new "improvements," such as interrogations, always begin at a few "test airports" before being deployed nationwide.

The important thing is that we can't let up. We still have to make every personal encounter with us as stressful on them as possible.

Absolutely right! And that's what I do. ^^^

Bruce

I have noticed no real change at airports I frequent. IAD is as nasty as ever, and DCA is tolerable at the A/UA pier (no strip search machines). DFW was better this trip, but I used a different checkpoint. JFK was about the same as it had been for a recent trip. LAX, no real change. Avoided a lot of hassles at MCO with a SDOO - the TSA ID checkers were being unhelpful to folks that asked questions. DTW unpleasant. ORD no real issues. SJC was nasty last time through.

I now avoid BOS whenever possible these days, likewise EWR and AUS (one of the worst experiences all the way up to suited checkpoint manager).

BWI has somewhat improved. They gave me much less crap about opt outs. I haven't had to do in a month or so as I've successfully avoided the NoS with a SDOO.

SLC T1 has gone down the tubes. It used to be "pleasant" as far as TSA goes. Last month, the 2 striper copped an attitude with me when I insisted I see my stuff. Of course, a complaint backed that screener 100%. I did a SDOO yesterday but the lines were horrible for a midday Monday flight. This one 2 striper lady would not shut up. I understand she was trying to be helpful but she waaaay overdid it. Barking about how the line I was in was WTMD only, and if there were problems (metal implants, artificial joints, etc), they should just head on over now. Ironically, there were no signs saying that one could opt out at all, but there were several signs strewn throughout the checkpoint explaining how the NoS with the new "privacy" protection.