It's interesting that in 2010, this same airport manager went to great lengths to assure the public that the new patdowns that were introduced (before the airport even got an NoS) would not impact passenger wait times.

BS-ing hypocrite.

Why should the taxpayer fund additional staff and a very expensive, ineffective machine instead of using the cheaper and more effective combination of WTMD and gropes? Less manpower, cheaper equipment, more accurate results.

If his TSOs don't like groping, well...unemployment is still very high, and I'm sure there are plenty of people out there willing to do some hands-on work for federal pay and benefits. Besides, no one ever said life on the frontlines of the WOT would be easy.

There is no need for the vast majority of sexual assaults that take place at our airports. WTMD + ETP/ETD + x-ray of carryons.

Get rid of all TSA employees and tell the airlines and the airports that it's once again up to them.

why do politicians on both sides feel the need to scare the public with nonsense?

fortunately(or unfortunately) the American public has been trained to respond with, well, nothing... to most folks, the government is like the boy who cried wolf... 4 hours to get through TSA checkpoints starting on Saturday? what happens if it doesn't materialize? people are not going to listen when the government has a real legitimate warning such as NASA discovering a comet heading straight for our planet... well, I take that back, if a comet is heading towards us, I'd appreciate it if the government keeps it quiet.

^

I fully support the sequestration of sexual assaults on men, women and children at U.S. airports!!!

As a bonus, fewer iPads, laptops, watches, etc, will be stolen at TSA checkpoints starting Saturday?

In short, sex (and scaremongering) sells. I'm no politician and I barely follow most of the crap that comes out of the sacred halls of DC even as I fall right under their control, but the opposing party holds control of Congress (barely, yes, but still) so I can't help but wonder how much of this is actually lead-up to The Blame Game, Federal Style.

I realize that's not an earth-shattering viewpoint.

Better yet, WHAT IF IT DOES? And my apologies to anyone here who may have the misfortune of needing to be out in the trenches this weekend, but I can't help thinking WHAT IF IT DOES? What if the airports are full of grandmas and people with antsy small children and fidgety FF types and they're all there waiting in this completely ridiculous line for no good reason...and then people say, to hell with this - and, after they get to where they need to go and do what it is they need to do, they simply don't fly after all that melodrama? And people see it on TV and go, oh, no way in hell I'm going anywhere, and they just don't buy plane tickets and either drive to their vacation or they just don't go at all (because gas is fifty bucks a tank plus)? I find this possibility fascinating and truly scary....

I 'll bet there are a lot of folks out there in the Great Ether who just don't see that this could have major economic implications outside of the obvious ones. I don't see how it couldn't. And that goes back to my Federal Blame Game Theory and how much of this is simple scaremongering. Really, it's a great chance for Congress to shoot themselves in the other foot even if they are the ones setting up the whole thing, which is what makes the whole situation surreal to me. *shrugs* Who knows? Like I said, I'm no political science guru so maybe I'm just talking out my behind...

Mostly because anyone who can is going to avoid air travel like the Plague this weekend, not because there are fewer TSA people around. The ensuing commotion may only present greater opportunity for deception.

Great....I'm flying on Sat. Wonderful....

please bring a stopwatch are report back...

you know... for some weird reason, I was reading your post but hearing it
in Jack Nicholson's voice. (Haffa or Col. Jessup, pick one)

I wonder if Detroit was "practicing" yesterday. Only one lane open when I went through security yesterday.
However, I don't think they had a lack of people. They had one screener hovering at the entrance to the regular security line to check boarding passes, and they had about 3 of them hovering around the document checker.
This also is the one airport where I have never seen them use the WTMD for the general public.

If TSA does choose to artificially create long lines (without actually having made staffing cuts) and the media chooses to interview folks waiting in line, I wonder if we'll hear someone say "I don't mind a 4-hour wait, because at least I know they're making me safe".

Meanwhile, it's unlikely that any TSA $-saving staff reductions will include cutting the hours of the trainers or Blogdad Bob.

Or the explosives experts that eagerly test my meds

I'm not going to nama names, but a top politician actually mentioned "Robocop" scenario. (but I thought that was the whole Detroit police force went on strike, leaving the town in riots or worse)

If your "security" experience exceeded 10 minutes, file a formal complaint at the TSA complaint line: 1-866-289-9673

I've filed so many complaints that I should get my own line from now on