chollie

Twitter has the potential to be a very useful real-time tool for TSA (just as it can be for the airlines). Some of the questions I saw asked were either TSA plants or genuinely indicative of how little many pax know about what to expect at the airport. TSA would be wise to take note - if you want to communicate effectively, it really helps to understand your audience - at Twitter and at the checkpoint.

One girl struggled to understand why she couldn't take her special hair product on because it is only sold in >3.4 ounces. She, like many others, likely supports security, but she thinks its there to catch the bad guys. She probably thinks it's obvious to anyone (even a BDO) that she's not a threat and that her hair product is the real thing - go ahead and check it out. TSOs like the one barking about 'his' checkpoint don't get where people like her are coming from.

Others really came across as snarky and condescending. Lots of bad information about the available hours of Pre lanes and even the hours of the enrollment centers - there's just no excuse for that, IMHO. If you don't know the answer and don't have time to research it, don't reply.

They may be helping some folks on an individual basis to sort out KTN issues. That just points out room for improvement in the TT program going forward.

petaluma1

Methinks many of the pro-TSA comments are plants, just as they are on the TSA Blog.

Yes, Twitter could be helpful if AskTSA responded in a timely manner, but you see many questions that are time-dependent but aren't responded to in a timely manner.

chollie

No, I can't think of a good example now, but something along the lines of 'can I bring my protein powder in my carry-on?'.

OTOH, maybe there are rumors of TSOs hassling runners and triathletes. I haven't been involved in that in a while, but people can get very partial to their particular protein and recovery products, many of which are white powder. Maybe they've been drawing unwanted attention in the stepped-up intensive bag searches.

If the questions aren't PSA-type posts by TSA proxies, then I can't help but think people are asking because they've heard through word-of-mouth about some of the things being confiscated. One guy made me think of the Buzz Lightyear Grip Toy that got confiscated, because he was asking about a standard grip exerciser in his carry-on.

TWA884

Reminder:

petaluma1

Reports growing at AskTSA of TSA refusing to "expedite screening" for PreCheck passengers.

Example of responses after AskTSA advises to inform screeners of eligibility for "expedited screening":

How many times has AskTSA told a passenger that they will "pass your comments on to our team at ....."? Complaints still coming. I imagine AskTSA doesn't even bother to "share" concerns or the "team" just ignores them.

petaluma1

Here's AskTSA's latest come-on to get people to sign up for PreCheck:

https://twitter.com/AskTSA/status/726775682861285376

(How long before mhawkins eats his words?)

chollie

The current form of Pre, unlike GE, is too tricky for many infrequent fliers.

Someone who flies once every two or three years, knows nothing about FF programs, and books flights on Expedia or Orbitz has quite likely never gone to an airline website and looked at his/her PNR, let alone updated it. Their other alternative is to pay $25 to an airline phone rep and hope that the rep understands what's going on and can help fix it.

We've seen posts here and elsewhere about the confusion - people with DOD access or people who have paid for Pre/GE and aren't even clear what their KTN is or how to 'make it work'.

If someone with GE has a problem at the airport, he gets expedited service anyway, because he has front-of-line privileges to get an agent to assist real-time.

Pre has nothing comparable.