The particular airport that I work in does not allow for us to be in the secure area (even though it is the food court) during lunch or break or even before a shift, because of the illusion that it gives that everyone is standing around. Our break room is a 4 minute walk from the checkpoint. Now on a fifteen minute break that can be quite a pain. We do have to go back through security to go back to work, but no we don't have to wait in line. But neither do any other aiport or airline employees. The funny thing that we find is that there is a "door" where select employees can scan their id badge and go in without going through security. These include McDonalds workers, Starbucks etc. Funny that they can bypass, but those of us with government clearances cannot. Not sure if this is the same at every airport, but it's quite frustrating here.

It does seem at times when the flight loads are low that we are overstaffed. It actually only takes 4 people to run a lane, but during the really busy time, 4 per lane is not enough. In our particular airport we have just learned to deal with less. We envy the ones that are lucky enough to have several useless bodies standing around. Most of our passengers thank us and tell us we are one of the most courteous and professional that they deal with. I'd like to have the opportunity to travel to some of the other 428 airports to see what the differences are.

Any station that is "Understaffed" should borrow from ATL!

That is the most overstaffed Checkpoint I have seen yet. I lost count at 30 "Screeners" doing NOTHING at all.

This agency is a joke.

TSACHICK, thank you for the candid reply. I was being a little toungue in cheak when I said there should be ZERO employees on break in a secure area. I really did not believe a single one of those agents where on break. You sound like a fine example of what a TSA agent should be. Honest, candid, intelligent and willing to take the time to explain something to a traveler.

Most of the time the TSA does a decent job. It bugs me that banned/not banned list does not have any common sense behind it. Just Monday I had a key chain taken away from me. This key chain had passed through the airports in 43 states and a half a dozen countries around the world. At least a 100 times through PWM's check point. When it was inspected, it was allowed to fly. This time a screener decided it was a tool and now dangerous.

I asked to speak to his supervisor. "Supervisor Dan" came over looked at it and said "NO". I brought up the common sense discussion. My second line out of my mouth and he said "I'll get my supervisor". "Supervisor XXX" arrived and stood 15 feet away. He went over to her showed her my key fob and she shook her head. Came back and said no. I requested to speak to her. "Supervisor Dan" said "You just did through me." Next action by "Supervisor Dan" was to get the local PD involoved to give me 3 choices. 1. Loose the item, 2. Don't fly, or 3. go to jail. So I really had no choice in the matter. A item of great personal value has now been destroyed.

"Supervisor Dan" did hunt me down in the terminal to give me the 877 number to call. And take my name. No doubt I will be flagged from here on in. I told him I wasn't really angered until the "You just did speak to her through me" line. He started to say "Well she...." looked up at the cameras and asked me to walk with him away from all the cameras in the check point area.

I have to give him credit, while I would never get my keychain back, he was trying to reverse my perception of what had gone down there. Unfortunately the damage had been pretty much done by that point. Being threatend with jail pretty much puts me in the angered catagory.

He told me "You are our customers". Well, that bugs me a little too because, at least acording to Loy, we are the TSA employers.

He noticed my dogtag on my key ring. Yes the one with all the keys with the sharp jagged edges, any one of which was more menacing then the harmless key fob. And said "look you know what SOP is." I said if we take a step back here and look at the situtaion with common sense we will see that a screener made a bad call, this has flown 1000's of times, 100's under the TSA inspections. He just shook his head and said "Well we caught it this time". I then asked if a screener makes a bad call, can anyone in the supervisor level reverse it. His answer "That's not SOP". I really got to believe he was wrong there. If he isn't, what is the point of a having a supervisor.

The subject of knitting needles was brought up and the far more damage they could cause. (I know every screener has probably heard that argument and gets a blood presure lift when someone uses it again). "Supervisor Dan" told me that if I didn't have the ball of yarn to go with it. I would not be allowed on the plane with those. At that point I thanked him for trying to recover the situtaion, but please go back to work.

Again another long post to a short point. I do believe the TSA has some fine people working for them. I have seen some candid answers on the board here. I do believe that the spending is way out of control in the TSA. I do believe that the figure of $250,000,000 wasteful spending is probably pretty close. (that number is based on government audits and interviews, and is being used on capitol hill) I do believe that the "SOP" is to operate only in a world where there are no greys, only black and whites. I do believe that a supervisor should be empowered to reverse a descision a newbee screener makes, not to say I can't SOP.

Thank you TSA chick, great post!

[This message has been edited by pwmflyer (edited 04-26-2003).]

[This message has been edited by pwmflyer (edited 04-26-2003).]

With pleasure

pwmflyer,

When they ask for your name, tell them it's none of their business.

You obviously came across a couple of nitwits on power-trips.

tsachick: welcome to FlyerTalk!

------------------
"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

There are nit-wits everywhere and unfortunately you ran into two at once. One day they will straighten out that prohibited item list. I don't understand what threat they think a small pair of scissors is anyway.

It's the screwdriver thing that bugs me. It's not like I'm about to take the plane apart with it! There is no way to unscrew the cockpit door.

Probably preaching to the choir with this one.

Yes you are. I agree with you it is frustrating and stupid. At least you look at it objectively and that is a sign of character. I commend you for that.

I think the thing that is so frustrating is the prohibited list...allen wrenches...now there's a scary tool. But they are a tool. Yet he got to take his skateboard...but no pool cue..We are just as frustrated with the list trust me. It's always nice when there's a good catch like a gun, then you feel worthwhile. The funny thing is that so many people come in like they have never heard of a prohibited list and don't understand why they can't take a hunting knife or a box of bullets. Not quite sure where they've been for a couple years.

And thank you for the warm welcome. There aren't too many of us on here I guess.

There are way too many non-credible items that cannot be used to hijack a plane on the list. The high number of stupid items makes your agency's staff waste their and passengers' time looking for these non-credible items. Your management blows smoke up the public's rear about how an allen wrench could disable a plane or how someone with a pool cue could hijack a plane. They are nothing more than filthy liars who couldn't secure a paper sack, let alone an airport or an airplane.

------------------
"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

Question for you TSA screeners. What do you think they did with my name and other information they took?

I saw both supervisors filling out forms after. Should I expect to see the letter "S" on my boarding passes now? Am I marked as trouble, or were they filling out an incident report in case this comes back at them?

I would guess they were just filling out an incident report. I seriously doubt you have anything to worry about. I had a "gentleman" kick one of his shoes at me tonight THROUGH the walkthrough!! LOL The other one he threw over the machine for some reason. Of course he was questioned and an incident report filled out. I doubt anything else will become of it.

I really wouldn't worry about it PF. The amount of (useless) paperwork that has been generated by this agency is "mind-boggling"
So your "incident report" will probably end up in some gargantuan warehouse. Ever see the closing shot of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" ?

[This message has been edited by TakeScissorsAway (edited 04-27-2003).]

[This message has been edited by TakeScissorsAway (edited 04-27-2003).]

Thanks, I guess I will find out on my next flight.

Funny about the Raiders reference.