Originally Posted by tanja (Post 18646912)

But how far can they TSA push if they person have no clue what they are saying?

Originally Posted by Caradoc (Post 18646955)

I'm an American citizen, and English is my primary language - and I still can't understand half of them because they're either shouting, or they don't speak anything I'd call "English" in the first place.

Originally Posted by ScatterX (Post 18646962)

The process is easy as long as you act like a sheep and follow the herd blindly. Assuming you want to preserve some dignity, you may have some issues. I suggest that you carry a card that states:

"I do not understand English. Please provide instructions in ____."

Show them the card, act really dumb, move towards the WTMD, and just stay in the way (pointing at the card). They may let you through rather than expend any of their few remaining brain cells to do something else.

In the end, there is no way to avoid being molested by the TSA if that is what they feel like doing that day.

Welcome to AmeriKa.

Originally Posted by ScatterX (Post 18646962)

In the end, there is no way to avoid being molested by the TSA if that is what they feel like doing that day.

Originally Posted by exbayern (Post 18647890)

Perhaps this thread would help.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/check...-language.html

I suppose that I am a 'foreigner'. (I really dislike that word) I am not an American citizen, nor do I live in the US, nor is English my first language. But I deal with the checkpoint just as I do at any checkpoint around the world. Just today I interacted with someone at an airport security checkpoint, including questions about if I had any liquids, if I had anything on my person, etc even though my knowledge of the language was extremely poor.

OP, you've asked this question many times here. Many of us have responded. I'm not quite certain what other information you are seeking.

But just as I don't expect airport security around the world to speak German/French/English, I would think that most reasonable visitors to the US would not expect TSA to speak Swedish, or any other language other than American (often regional) English.

The negative behaviours reported here over the years by TSA are not unique to non-English speakers.

Originally Posted by tanja (Post 18649309)

I am asking this every few months since there are new rules .
And to see if somebody new has had a negative experince with TSA just because they are a foreigner and maybe with limited english.

I dont think that anybody expects TSA to speak swedish or most other languages.
But it does seem like TSA expects everybody to speak english!

And a lot of people dont know about this website so they cant know what is going on here.

And From what I have been told and read in Sweden is that most people dont believe that TSA is bad. And the stories they hear from me and others cant be true at all.

Foreigner can also be a tourist. A visitor who comes here.

And yes this really bugs me about TSA.
You say you just deal with what ever at the check point. You are an adult, used to travel and speaking english.

What about my swedish minor grandson who cant walk ,deaf and doesnt speak at all. He is afraid of strangers touching him.
His family will not travel with him out of fear what TSA could do to him. That means no visits for me.
My mom has alzheimers and very verbal. She will not come here either cause of everything going on at the airports.


So yes I want to hear about non US living people's experience with TSA.

Originally Posted by tanja (Post 18649309)

I am asking this every few months since there are new rules .

Originally Posted by exbayern (Post 18649597)

What rule has changed with TSA in regards to non-English speakers since January 2012?

Most of the posters here who travel in the US but are not US-based speak English with enough proficiency to post coherently on FT. I doubt that you will hear much from them about their experiences as a non-English speaker as a result. A few of us have posted anecdotal observations, and I recall one person posting about their mother-in-law, but the reality is that asking the same question of the same audience every few months won't really result in a significant response to the question.


I actually know of many, many people who have read FT TS&S over the years, and who are turned off by the hyperbole of some posters. Many have said to me that the general tone here reinforced their belief that the anti-TSA movement is fuelled by a few tinfoil hat-wearing whingers. I no longer refer people to FT TS&S because I believe that this forum no longer helps to support the movement in a rational tone. We are doing ourselves no favours by embellishing or using hyperbole or name-calling.

The reality is that non-English speakers travelling in the US will encounter airport security similar to what they have experienced at their departure airport, with the differences being shoe removal and the name game (limited to some airports only). Most people are perceptive enough to follow the crowd and remove shoes, and on the times when we don't, we deal with it. Yes, there are times when the TSA acts inappropriately and shouts or belittles us, but since the Japanese tourists at LAS didn't understand 'remove your shoes', they also didn't understand the comments which followed. I DID, and I DID file a complaint.

In some cases, TSA is in fact more lax. Witness the thread about MUC, where liquids must be out, and contact lens fluid over 100ml must be checked. That is more strict that what TSA tends to follow.

There are responses on your other thread along those lines.

I'm also curious as to when you last flew, and how often, as you do seem to make statements about what TSA does and does not do. Have you actually experienced those things for yourself?

Originally Posted by DanishFlyer (Post 18649572)

Depending on where they fly from, they could get their first grope right at the departure airport in Europe. At CPH if the WTMD alarms (or randomly "alarms" you get a grope which in my experience is like a "standard" (non-retaliatory) TSA grope.

I think it is right that if one knows of situations along the travel that are likely to cause immense stress (at best), then one should carefully consider if it is worth it to go. Your family have done that and decided against it. I know you want to share with them, and feel sorry for you that you cannot. Instead, fly a European airline to go home every once in a while and don't spend your vacation money in the US either.

Most people in the US would not believe what we read on here either. "Surely it is not that bad".

DanishFlyer

Originally Posted by AerOklahoma (Post 18649853)

...yes true story: IAD

Originally Posted by AerOklahoma (Post 18649853)

In my experience the TSO's will just speak slower and louder to the point of one word per 2 seconds at a shouting volume. This is done because everyone knows that everybody in the world understands English if it's spoken loud and slow.

...then if all else fails they'll just get an LEO and then point at the "suspect" with a frown while the LEO asks, "What do you want me to do about it? Call airport administration, they have translators."

...yes true story: IAD