goalie

what my esteemed colleague said ^

bdschobel

February 17, 10:01 a.m., DL2059, ATL-TPA, Gate A17 in Atlanta: I was first in line (with a first-class seat), waiting to board when at least six TSA smurfs arrived, including at least three two-stripers, carting some sort of machine. The two-striper who seemed to be in charge spoke to the gate agent, who announced, "These nice TSA officers are going to be checking all IDs, so get them out for inspection. After they check your IDs, you can give me your boarding pass to board the plane. They will also be randomly checking bags. Anyone who does not cooperate will not be allowed to board." That's pretty close to verbatim. The lead smurf nodded approvingly. Really. I also noticed a sign repeating the essence of the agent's last sentence.

The smurfs officiously kicked all passengers out of a row of seats, stating that they need them "for screening." They started fiddling with their machine. The lead smurf walked up to the passengers lined up for first-class boarding and demanded to check all IDs. Based on the gate agent's speech and my absolute need to be in Tampa for a 2:30 meeting, I reluctantly cooperated. I also considered changing my place in line, because of the risk that the first person would be "randomly" screened, but I thought that moving then would attract unwanted attention, so I stayed put.

After all the first-class and other "Breezeway" passengers had their IDs checked (or glanced at, more accurately), we were permitted to board. I was first and boarded unmolested. I did not see what happened after that, but we left roughly on time.

Interestingly, after our IDs were checked, I said to the man standing next to me, "What did that accomplish? Isn't that the stupidest thing you ever saw?" He did not respond in any way. Probably frightened or intimidated, like everyone else. If I wasn't in a big hurry that day, I would have resisted in some way. Unfortunately, I was just another sheeple that day. How embarrassing!

Bruce

Mats

Bruce,
I have to think that the TSA staff felt good. Their petty task of a pointless inspection gave them a chance to inconvenience a lot of people, while simultaneously feeling that they're protecting America.

Kicking people out of their seats, threats about cooperation... this is just a little power play.

I've started to think that laughing is the best reaction. It deflates their desperate need for a sense of authority, and calls attention to the stupidity of their actions. Laughing isn't uncooperative, so they can't argue that you're being belligerent. And laughter is contagious.

senseker

For gate screening, we do our screening at the gate, before you board, not after. Ever. This is definately odd. And unfortunate.

DevilDog438

I read it as the gate screening was performed in the gate house, not onboard the aircraft.

I believe you are keying on the phrase where Bruce mentions that the TSO co-opted a row of seats for their own purposes. To me, that was in reference to the row of seats closest to the gate reader in the gatehouse, not a row of seats on the aircraft.

uavking

I'm pretty disappointed in the actions of this particular GA who, acting as a representative of DL, actively supported this action by the TSA. It's sad that our country is at this point and that so many seem to have forgotten the importance of defending their rights.

Superguy

I hope you complain to DL.

bocastephen

This is nothing new for Delta - their management and good chunk of their staff have their noses up the TSA's behind, followed closely behind by United people.

Ask employees of other, more sensible airlines what THEY think of the TSA, and you're likely to get an earful, none of it pleasant. Trust me - I have.

DevilDog438

I can say that not all of DL's employees overly embrace TSA's poop chute. There are a couple of GA at my home airport that have made some choice comments about TSA in sidebar conversations, and clearly indicated their displeasure with the gate grope on a couple of occasions.

However, at other DL airports, particularly the hub locations, I have noticed that TSA seems to wear a lot of DL lipstick on the seat of their uniforms.

Superguy

Actually, I've heard both a lot of DL and UA people trash talk TSA when they've seen my shirts and talked to me about them.

It might be the management of these airlines that are the main kool aid drinkers, but I know there are other crew and ground staff that are too.

coachrowsey

I think I've said more than once what the employees I know think of them

GoingAway

While I strongly disagree with the gate screening and esp anything having to do with IDs - the TSA should do their job right in the first place and then leave us all the h@ll alone - but faulting the DL agent for trying to smooth the process out seems wrong. Would you have preferred if she annoucned these a-holes are going to interrupt the process, they want to see your id's but I don't think you should cooperate and by the way wave the finger on the way by? Really, all that does is confuse the masses who do the sheeple thing, those that know its BS will act accordingly but from the airline perspective, they don't have any more choice than us passengers when we're subjected to their screenings. The whole thing sux but the GA is not the place to expect change, if that agent expects to have a job the next day.

Generally speaking, flight crews have very distinct and poor opinions of the TSA which is expected; but folks that work in the airport like the GAs and store workers, while they are not thrilled, seemed to be more likely to submit quietly to the BS for some reason (but may hate it as much of the crews its just not as visible). One thing with ground personnel is they only go through the one airports screening, where the rest of us passengers and flight crews see the inconsistencies and bs across many stations on a regular basis which increases our contempt for the process.

Critic

I defy anyone to classify this as anything but 'security theater'. Passenger IDs are checked at TSA checkpoint. What does checking them at the gate accomplish? And if the checkpoint screening wasn't effective enough, why make passengers go through the 'fake' screening only to get rescreened at the gate?

Unless the IDs were being swiped, checked against databases, etc., this was a power play by TSA, pure and simple.

bdschobel

That's correct. Sorry if I was unclear earlier.

Bruce

Global_Hi_Flyer

Based on what one airline lounge employee told me at an airport not to be named, this is, in part, because the TSA at that airport has been known to engage in retaliatory screening of workers that complain (the employee's words, not mine). And if TSA engages in same and delays worker too much, then worker is subject to employer sanctions.

It certainly is plausible.

On a separate note, TSA was engaged in a full-blown gate rape at IAD for the B6 flight I was on this morning. Multiple sceeners some checking IDs, some pulling folks out of line for gate rape. In fact, there were enough screeners at the gate to run TWO checcpoint lines. Checkpoint had only 4 lines open (west side) with a 30 minute delay calculated by the clock on the wall in the checkpoint area.