TSA Idiocy: You Can't Clear Security Until Midnight for a 12:30 AM Flight!
#16
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MAD
Programs: DL, UA, AA, BA, Marriott
Posts: 599
My rule for living in a totalitarian society, I've lived in a few, is: never, ever do anything to stand out to a bureaucrat. The TSA counts! Do nothing, object to nothing. Find another entry if possible. They always win if they want to. One wants to believe better, but it just ain't so. Never complain, you'll end up on a list. Remember that their version of the story will be the one that rules, not yours. If you do complain do it anonymously.
Better yet -- tell them that the official government day begins at "0000 Zulu" and explain that this is Greenwich Mean Time and the Greenwich time zone in England. (For the OP's purposes, even Greenwich CT would have work!) The new official government day in Seattle actually happened 8 hours ago -- at 4:00 pm local time. The risk is that you just shafted everyone with a 4 pm flight. But, I don't give the TSA that much credit for puttint 2 + 2 together.
#18
Moderator: Coupon Connection & S.P.A.M
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Louisville, KY
Programs: Destination Unknown, TSA Disparager Diamond (LTDD)
Posts: 57,952
Next time, go to the airline counter, ask for the GSC (Ground Security Coordinator) and have them walk back to the "security" checkpoint to rip those miscreants a new one.
#19
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 4,779
#20
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Houston
Posts: 8,956
My rule for living in a totalitarian society, I've lived in a few, is: never, ever do anything to stand out to a bureaucrat. The TSA counts! Do nothing, object to nothing. Find another entry if possible. They always win if they want to. One wants to believe better, but it just ain't so. Never complain, you'll end up on a list. Remember that their version of the story will be the one that rules, not yours. If you do complain do it anonymously.
Each time you refuse to stand out when the bureaucracy is failing to follow its own rules, the bureaucracy can reach a little deeper and grasp a little firmer.
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: An NPR mind living in a Fox News world
Posts: 14,160
If you're doing operational stuff (military ops, satellite and space ops, FAA, or anything international) -- yes. Everyone uses Zulu in order to stay on the same page. In terms of normal every-day business, the day starts in your local time zone. I was just advocating a little "truth biasing" at the checkpoint.
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: The Sunshine State
Programs: Deltaworst Peon Level, TSA "Layer 21 Club", NW WP RIP
Posts: 11,370
Very dangerous advice. Tell such a clueless one stripe TSO that you are "operating on Zulu time" and their mind goes "Zulu? I heard of them in school. Some kinda ferrin African tribal terrorist cell or sumthin. I got the Big Catch™!"
#26
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: USA
Programs: UA/CO(1K-PLT), AA(PLT), QR, EK, Marriott(PLT), Hilton(DMND)
Posts: 9,538
My rule for living in a totalitarian society, I've lived in a few, is: never, ever do anything to stand out to a bureaucrat. The TSA counts! Do nothing, object to nothing. Find another entry if possible. They always win if they want to. One wants to believe better, but it just ain't so. Never complain, you'll end up on a list. Remember that their version of the story will be the one that rules, not yours. If you do complain do it anonymously.
#27
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,726
Bad idea. These TSOs sound stupid enough to scream "security breach" and dump the terminal. Experience shows that no TSA employee will ever be fired for having "an overabundance of caution".
#28
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CLE
Programs: UA,WN,AA,DL, B6
Posts: 4,167
Flew CO 1094 LAX-IAH in January, departs LAX 12:30AM. Was there pleanty early to hang out in the P Club, went through security at 9:45PM no problem getting through.
Someone was using a little common sense. Also may be there are several of these type of departures at LAX.
Someone was using a little common sense. Also may be there are several of these type of departures at LAX.
#29
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: FrostByte Falls, Mn
Programs: Holiday Inn Plat NW gold AA gold
Posts: 2,157
MSP recently had a terminal dump (dog alarming on end of luggage bag) and they said that it cost them several million dollars in lost revenue. Terminal dumps aren't cheap
#30
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: North Eastern Pennsylvania
Programs: CO Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 71
I would have done this:
1. Gone back to the airline checkin desk and ask for a supervisor, explain the situation and ask for (A) pass to enter through security (the kind they give to assist or meet people who need assistance) or (B) accompany me to checkpoint to see me through.
2. Written a letter to Airport manager saying that you've reluctantly discovered a training issue (not a God-Complex, which it probably was) and described the problem, then asked the manager to see to it that TSA management on site was made aware of the problem. Dates, times and (if possible) names would help. Copy the boarding pass.
3. If (1) failed, do as you did and use a different checkpoint.
1. Gone back to the airline checkin desk and ask for a supervisor, explain the situation and ask for (A) pass to enter through security (the kind they give to assist or meet people who need assistance) or (B) accompany me to checkpoint to see me through.
2. Written a letter to Airport manager saying that you've reluctantly discovered a training issue (not a God-Complex, which it probably was) and described the problem, then asked the manager to see to it that TSA management on site was made aware of the problem. Dates, times and (if possible) names would help. Copy the boarding pass.
3. If (1) failed, do as you did and use a different checkpoint.