I think your doing a fine job. I've only once experienced being pulled out of line. It was on a day trip to Tallahasee, connecting through Atlanta (yes i'm a DL junkie). I was selected in line on all four legs. Only later did I realize that my t-shirt probably threw off some red flags. I was wearing a shirt supporting the people of Cuba (not the gov't). My red eyes of fatigue probably didn't help either. At any rate, listening to people whine about something they have no direct control over makes me laugh. It's like people criticizing a rough landing...are they flying the plane and are they alive would be my two questions? They have a choice to fly or not to fly. People that place the industry surviving on they're personal expense account nauseates me.

There's nothing "holier-than-thou" about not liking the way the TSA has approached the problem of security in our airports. In fact, the next person in line has just as much right to a swift passage through security as I do, which is why I detest the proposition of a "trusted traveler" program as a solution to the nonsense. The fact is that some things, such as the no-reason wandings the one screener in BOS used to be so fond of giving me, have simply got to go.

For the record, I'm not one to blame the screeners for our TSA-related woes, either. I actually like (most of) the TSA screeners a lot better than (most of) their pre-TSA counterparts. At least the TSA folks don't yell at me in their loudest, most heavily accented, most ghetto English that I'm taking too long getting the keys out of my pocket. Keep the screeners; it's the management that needs so badly to be replaced.

I couldn't agree with you more. There certainly have been examples of screeners on power trips but I think now that they are few and far between. It is the management that needs to go. From the screening checkpoint level right up to the very top levels in Washington.

It's very unfortunate that they didn't decide to start the workforce cuts at the top level instead of the bottom.




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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin

Tazi, I am touched....and I agree.

The contempt for screeners occurs because the TSA issues asinine directives that violate my civil liberties. Instead of doing the right thing - resigning - the TSA employees merrily continue to harass travelers.



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

Factotum are you implying that people of a social class lower than yours are working TSA mgmt? I wouldn't be suprised if many in management have advanced degrees. Sorry but business-people are not going to micromanage they're way through this. You are entering a secure area. If you have a problem getting searched and or wanded then simply don't fly, it's as easy as that. The same bunch of people whining about security would be the first bunch to sue the TSA/airlines if a plane were to go down due to a security failure. My liberties are not being violated. I'm getting ready to get on a pressurized tube with 200 other people. I say do what whatever is necessary to make sure that plane arrives in once piece (absent any crew error/severe weather). I will probably make GM on DL this year and i'm not about to stop flying.

This is the real world. People with families and mortgages and bills can't just quit because of some nebulous ideal.

I'm not going to stop flying either and I'll probably log approx 5x the miles you will. I am not going to stop my fight against being harassed. The "security" procedures in place right now are largely stupid. I am not going to tolerate stupidity and I am not going to put up with being needlessly harassed. And it's not about hating securit but being willing to sue. Many of the people complaining about these asinine security procedures are willing to accept some risk in their lives. Ironically, removing many of the stupid "security" directives will not increase that risk at all. The crap that passes for security is definitely not "necessary to make sure that plane arrives in once piece."



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

It's inept management. Good management would allow for dismissal of problematic employees, consistency of enforcement of regulations, and make the experience better for the travelling public - the frequent and the infrequent.

I'm under the impression that a good majority of screeners would be fine to deal with given appropriate supervision. Those who pull powertrips (secondary searches without PC) should be reprimanded.

Nobody wants to do secondary screening. The regulations make us do it. I'm told to randomly wand a certain percentage of people who make it through the walk-through magnetometer without beeping. Thankfully my supervisor doesn't really supervise so I don't actually follow this directive. But technically I should be reprimanded for NOT performing secondary searches without PC.

[This message has been edited by CATSA Screener (edited 06-09-2003).]

Spiff:

Exactly what 'civil liberties' are being violated by TSA screening? What am I missing when I go through security?

DC Flier, welcome to FlyerTalk!

My civil liberties that are being violated are my person and my belongings being searched with no probable cause to do so. I should not have to strip off my clothes or allow someone to rummage through my belongings just because I want to get on a plane or even visit a public airport.

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

whine whine whine..that's all you folks know how to do. I'm assuming spiff that you are a business person with no direct experience in criminal/legal/security issues. Maybe business people are the problem here, not "stupid" security measures as you put it. The only ones I see/hear whining about "stupid" security are the business people, not the students, not the blue collar folks, not the 90% of people that keep the airlines affloat. I say we do what East Jersey state prison did years ago (and probably still does), you refuse to be searched when entering the premises, you turn around and go home. Frankly i'm more worried about some drunk businessman hitting a gate agent than I am about a prisoner attacking me when doing field work. Don't tell me the two don't correlate either, because they are both secure environments, risks associate with each. Let's face it spiff, you don't have to fly anywhere, you can tele-commute until your blue in the face. I'm guessing you have a laptop and a wireless connection. Do us all a favor, USE IT.

Bzzt! Wrong answer! I fly for both business and leisure. Though my background is not criminal/legal/security, I recognize stupidity when I see it. And making people take off their shoes isn't going keep "some drunk businessman (from) hitting a gate agent".

I most certainly am not going to stop flying. Tell you what: you like the prison environment so much - go ahead and stay there. If I wanted a 'prison experience', I'd go commit serious crimes instead of traveling.



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

whine whine whine...is that all your capable of doing?? I'll say again, STOP FLYING IF YOUR UNHAPPY WITH SECURITY. I know American Sign Language and French, do I need to say it in one of those languages??

You keep missing the point, security procedures are here to stay. Do you also do a whine whine "it's all about me" dance when entering a courthouse, you get screened there too. You sir, do not have an inherent right to prance through an airport however you please. It is a public place with procedures for a public good. You don't run the show, THEY do. Do you mouth off at the police officer when he/she pulls you over? Based on your whiny attitude about airport security, I bet you do. It's about d*** time Americans got a kick in the pants, it was LONG overdue.