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TSA staffed for 8 hours at MMH, which only has 1 flight per day.

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TSA staffed for 8 hours at MMH, which only has 1 flight per day.

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Old Jun 12, 2013, 10:37 pm
  #1  
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TSA staffed for 8 hours at MMH, which only has 1 flight per day.

Just got home from a quick trip to MMH (Mammoth Lakes / Yosemite, CA). This small airport has only 1 commercial flight per day, an Alaska Q400 from LAX, which arrives at 5:12 pm, then returns at 5:42 pm. The Alaska Air employees get to work at 2:30 for the single flight. The 2 rental car (Hertz and Enterprise) employees are only there long enough to process the few reservations, but TSA is mandated to work a full 8 hour shift. According to the other airport employees, they do a lot of sitting around doing nothing. I counted 4 TSA employees screening the "rush" of 20 passengers.

Is there some reason they need to be paid for an 8 hour shift to work a single flight ?
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Old Jun 12, 2013, 10:56 pm
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Answers include:
-2013 version of the Works Progress Administration.
-Unions Power
-Government Workers so nobody cares because it's just the taxpayers money.

Originally Posted by cynicAAl
Just got home from a quick trip to MMH (Mammoth Lakes / Yosemite, CA). This small airport has only 1 commercial flight per day, an Alaska Q400 from LAX, which arrives at 5:12 pm, then returns at 5:42 pm. The Alaska Air employees get to work at 2:30 for the single flight. The 2 rental car (Hertz and Enterprise) employees are only there long enough to process the few reservations, but TSA is mandated to work a full 8 hour shift. According to the other airport employees, they do a lot of sitting around doing nothing. I counted 4 TSA employees screening the "rush" of 20 passengers.

Is there some reason they need to be paid for an 8 hour shift to work a single flight ?
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 1:31 am
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Because that is what their employment agreement says?

Because TSA has no part time employees?

I am sure there are a great many similar situations in non-TSA areas too....

Not sure what the answer is when the "average joe" expects Government services (of all types) to be available everywhere.... no matter how uneconomic such provision may be...

EDIT.. Make that "all services"... taxpayer subsidised privately operated services as well...
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 1:46 am
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Why would a TSA agent agree to work only 1-3 hours a day paid ?
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 4:08 am
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Originally Posted by sinizter
Why would a TSA agent agree to work only 1-3 hours a day paid ?
Because that's what the job at that airport should entail. They should have been hired on that basis.
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 5:02 am
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Originally Posted by sinizter
Why would a TSA agent agree to work only 1-3 hours a day paid ?
Lots of people have part time jobs. This sounds like a good place for contract employees from a temp service.
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 5:09 am
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Elsewhere in the world security staff required for just one flight a day will come in on the incoming aircraft, get off first, screen the departing passengers, and then return on the aircraft.

If there were 20 passengers just one would be sufficient. Not only can they do further work before/after the flight, but it saves the overhead of having an establishment for rest day/vacation cover, etc, at the small outstation.
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 5:22 am
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Originally Posted by WHBM
Elsewhere in the world security staff required for just one flight a day will come in on the incoming aircraft, get off first, screen the departing passengers, and then return on the aircraft.

If there were 20 passengers just one would be sufficient. Not only can they do further work before/after the flight, but it saves the overhead of having an establishment for rest day/vacation cover, etc, at the small outstation.
Well, it would take three. A male, a female, and supervisor to call when they don't do something right like letting you watch your stuff or not taking the Nexus.
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 7:15 am
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TSA has part time workers.
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 7:21 am
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Originally Posted by InkUnderNails
Well, it would take three. A male, a female, and supervisor to call when they don't do something right like letting you watch your stuff or not taking the Nexus.
Why couldn't the female or male be a supervisor? Collateral duties is not an unknown occurrence.
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 7:22 am
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Originally Posted by FlyingHoustonian
TSA has part time workers.
Based on observation of Thousands Standing Around they are all part time workers.

Problem is most are paid for full time work.
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 7:35 am
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Originally Posted by Boggie Dog
Why couldn't the female or male be a supervisor? Collateral duties is not an unknown occurrence.
If the male is both the male and the supervisor, to whom do I complain if the male does something wrong?

I once entered Canada at a very small airport. I went to immigration and they said I needed a work permit. Sent me to the pay booth to pay for it. I waited a few seconds and the same person, new cap, said "How may I help you?" OK, I can play this game. I explained that immigration sent me to pay for work permit. She looked it up, took my payment and sent me back to immigration. Same person, immigration cap. I handed the receipt and paperwork, got all of my stamps and was told to check with customs. Went to the customs booth and same person, customs cap. Did the customs paperwork and all was good.

I think there may have been a Newhart episode based on this.
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 9:28 am
  #13  
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Originally Posted by InkUnderNails
If the male is both the male and the supervisor, to whom do I complain if the male does something wrong?

I once entered Canada at a very small airport. I went to immigration and they said I needed a work permit. Sent me to the pay booth to pay for it. I waited a few seconds and the same person, new cap, said "How may I help you?" OK, I can play this game. I explained that immigration sent me to pay for work permit. She looked it up, took my payment and sent me back to immigration. Same person, immigration cap. I handed the receipt and paperwork, got all of my stamps and was told to check with customs. Went to the customs booth and same person, customs cap. Did the customs paperwork and all was good.

I think there may have been a Newhart episode based on this.
You would have limited choices but would it really matter? I have never had a complaint filed with TSA investigated properly even after involving the FSD.
TSA believes they are above reproach.
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 9:29 am
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Originally Posted by Boggie Dog
Based on observation of Thousands Standing Around they are all part time workers.

Problem is most are paid for full time work.
Oh, I agree 120%

I know a few people at TSA and most are actually part-time. In fact I think they all had to start as part-time (but none are at the scanning lanes, they are in luggage or cargo or other ops).

An airport like this is one of those that needs contractors who can just handle it part-time or some TSA common sense (yeah I know never going to happen)
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Old Jun 13, 2013, 12:37 pm
  #15  
 
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Originally Posted by cynicAAl
This small airport has only 1 commercial flight per day, an Alaska Q400 from LAX, which arrives at 5:12 pm, then returns at 5:42 pm.
That's MMH's only daily year-round flight, but frequencies swell in the winter for ski season (including another QX to SJC and OO to SFO, SAN, and SNA). So, the TSOs are not quite as unproductive during those months.

Gotta ask, does MMH have NoS?
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