Someone realized there's a bucket load of money to be made by providing private security to replace TSA. The real money will be at the big airports, of course, and those airports are the best places to get everyone's attention.

Coincidentally, TSA claims to be aggressively marketing the Pre solution while keeping Pre lanes shut down and staging a general work slowdown. Even at the airports most impacted, there continue to be reports of pax standing around while TSOs indulge in personal conversations or check their cellphones - zero sense of urgency on the part of workers or management. This attitude and the outright contempt displayed at AskTSA reinforce the public's negative perception of TSA.

Why would the top folks at TSA be so unconcerned about the further decline in the agency's reputation and the threats of privatization? Perhaps they have a personal stake in privatization.

It wouldn't be the first time an out-going head of TSA was setting up his post-retirement income stream.

When I was flying out of a small regional airport yesterday the ID checker was intentionally slowing down the line, every time he checked an ID he would pause, grab his phone and do something on it. After a few a minute or two he would motion the next person to come forward and do the same song and dance.

When it came time for the screening the TSO said please wait while the machine warms up. What used to take 5 minutes at most took 45 minutes at my home airport. Supposedly this is happening everywhere and the rumors going around is that orders came from the top to slow down and make people wait.

TSA's reputation is already at zero so no decline is possible. Jeh Johnson and Neffenger are so busy placing blame outside of TSA that I doubt the true source of this current problem will ever be fully known. I personally believe what we are seeing is a directed action.

http://www.infowars.com/passenger-ts...le-long-lines/

Quote:

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TSA agents stood around and cracked jokes while passengers waited over four hours

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TSA employees displaying typical TSA professionalism.

Several inquiries on AskTSA today about getting PreScam for kids. Does TSA fingerprint and background check kids 13 and older? If so, what parent in their right mind would allow the government to take their kid's fingerprints?

Lots of parents don't think it through; they're convinced that having their kids' fingerprints taken is some kind of a hedge against abduction. The faulty reasoning is, "if someone steals my child, the fingerprints will prove it's mine and I'll get it back!" The fault in that, of course, is that if you need fingerprints to identify a child, it's either because the child is too young to identify their own parents, is non-verbal due to a condition such as autism, or because the child is dead. But parents simply don't think that way. They just think, fingerprints = safety.

Well, that's not the case at all. It was clear almost a year ago that this would happen.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/0...y-holes-120117

What was signaled was a slowdown caused by TSA procedures. Nothing about more passengers, fewer screeners, or anything else. Has anyone seen a HHMD wand anywhere in the states?


What has happened is that TSA put all of its eggs in the Pre Check basket and failed to plan for normal business.

Neffenger should be fired yesterday!

I would potentially agree if I saw any evidence of additional harassment. Frankly, I haven't seen a thing that's different or more intrusive on a large scale across most airports.

Chicago Tribune:

It's politico.com - they get the gist of stories, but their attention to detail is as good as TSA's :)

Anyway, the point is - the slowdown wasn't unexpected. It didn't just "appear." It was planned long in advance, and anticipated.

Infowars isn't a credible source.

Neither are some of the mainstream news sources. Each individual should evaluate a story for themselves.

Also, the fingerprinting craze began in the 80s--a lot of people who are parents now were probably fingerprinted themselves as children, so don't really think it through because it seems "normal."

Moderator's Note:
 

Please stay on topic (FT Rule 5), that is: Long TSA Lines.

If you wish to discuss the merits of enrolling kids in PreCheck or the wisdom of fingerprinting them, please start a new thread.

Thank you,

TWA884
Co-moderator, Travel Safety/Security