No difference in screening procedures 11/1/10
 

I rather feel like the TSA has played another one of it's mind-screws on us. Earlier today, I arrived at the airport to fly from DFW-IAH, presented my ID and mobile phone at the checkpoint - mobile bp didn't scan - thanks a bunch Nokia! Oh, and Up Yours with that $500+ N bloody 8 with 12mp camera and naff calendar functionality. I knew I should have gone with the iphone4. But I digress. I procured a paper boarding pass and made it through the ID check - same mindless comparison of last names, same judicious use of bodily fluid detection light to determine DL patency, same use of 1940's highlighter ink technology to indicate that last name on ID and last name on the boarding pass match, and that today's date does indeed appear thereon.

I walk to the stainless steel table and place my jacket in the tray. "Laptops out" screams the rather desperate looking TSO, sporting a Dirty Sanchez style moustache and hair combed over an otherwise unremarkable chrome dome. "I know!" I say belligerently and push my stuff into the mouth of the X-ray machine. "Laptops OUT!" shouts the TSO, again. "I have an iPAD - not removing it Bucko!", I shout back in exactly the same tone of voice. He seems harmless though so I break the gormless look on his face by asking him if there's anything new about the screening procedure today. He informs me that there will be if my attitude doesn't improve. 10 out of 10 for quick comeback. 0 out of 10 for silencing me and my right to be obnoxious. Two seconds later I walk up to the WTMD and as I pass through I nod at the old girl who is pointing me toward the only logical place my belongings will emerge from the x-ray machine. As I put my jacket on I ask her what the new screening protocol entails. She gives me a quizzical look and states that she is not aware of any changes. I ask her again, using different words, and even throw in a hint about groping people. Nothing! I asked another TSO how the enhanced safety procedures ;) were coming along and he too looked confused. "You know? - the new invasive pat downs" I said politely. He said he didn't know what I meant and promptly disappeared.

I must say, based on this single data point, I am glad that there appears to be some genuine confusion among TSO's and I do hope it results in less hassles for the traveling public - of course, it won't.

[QUOTE=PhlyingRPh;15057578] He seems harmless though so I break the gormless look on his face by asking him if there's anything new about the screening procedure today. He informs me that there will be if my attitude doesn't improve.

This is what I don't understand. How is this kind of behavior by a TSO allowed? Basically he is flat out stating that they will use retaliatory methods on anyone who is not absolutely submissive or who questions is any way. I am starting to this that THIS more than anything else is becoming one of my biggest issues.

PS - Sorry for messing up the quote.

It's one of the layers of security. Tell some TSOs the new procedure, and tell some to do things as normal. Gotta keep those tewwowists on their feet.. :)

TSA excuses by the numbers, Post 31

Reference items 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6a, 6b, 7, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 30.

It's part of the "unpredictable mix of security layers" the TSA told us to expect. :rolleyes:

It's just missing it's closing format tag.

If you go back and edit the message at the end of the quote, just put in the following tag (though use the square brackets instead of the squiggley ones

{/quote}

Pretty much all the formatting tags (though not all) need one to start, and one with a slash in front of it to end them.

Pure power play. I've seen the same thing at IAD, BWI, and LAX, including a case where the screener refused to allow someone through the WTMD because of his "attitude". That just escalated things as the gentleman's stuff was emerging from the x-ray. Finally appeared to have been resolved by a supervisor.

This goes back to another question I asked earlier: Who is in charge of the supervisors? I find it very hard to believe that some "supervisor" can at whim deny a passenger access to their flight without a substantial and credible reason other than "attitude". Who does one contact if being abused by someone like this? LEO? I'm not sure they have authority in these situations either? Help?

Well dammit-to-hell! Did you refuse to fly if they wouldn't grope you???

Cali

This may be the most entertaining description of a government stooge that has ever been posted to FT. Bravo!

TSA has unilateral power. And they'll remind you that you better not forget it.

Speaking from personal observation.

Which employee? In other words, where does the buck stop?

I believe Global_Hi_Flyer was saying, in a sarcastic manner, was that, it is apparent through anecdotal observation, the buck never stops.

That's good - in my dealings with any store, agency or the like that thinks they can take advantage of me, I firmly suscribe to the idea that the buck never stops. Anyone who says the buck stops with them is lying 99% of the time. If the buck really stops with you then you are beyond the point of ever having to say it!

But, if the buck never stops, there is no accountability...

Good point but that's another argument LOL

We have a winnah!

For those who are primarily screened by the WTMD and don't alarm, not noticing any differences is about what I would expect from the majority.

Even in terms of the "exact" "name match" related to (In)Secure Flights changes "starting" on the first of this month, not noticing any differences is about what I would expect from the majority of even those whose presented photo ID is not an "exact" match with the name as transmitted by the airlines.

That encapsulates the problem with US DHS, and more so the TSA within it.

Oddly enough, this Tuesday AM was the first time in a while that I witnessed the NoSs at ORD not being used at all (at least in the T1 premier line). Maybe the TSA employees realized the havoc the new rules would cause in terms of delay?

As always, I had no problem with a BP that did not include my middle initials (my PP card, DL, etc. have them).

However, how would the TSA employee know the secure flight data transmitted by the airline? Is that printed on the BP? I was under the impression that the two could vary.

I have no doubt that an current equipment- or staffing-related limitation creating delays due to the "changes" is not something the TSA wants to publicly acknowledge or make more obvious to more persons.

Yesterday afternoon -- during non-peak hours -- all of the functioning TSA strip search machines at ORD were being used.

Does the TSA think that terrorists have an aversion to trying to engaging in criminal activity at peak times of the day? [Didn't all of the 9/11 hijackers go through airport security at one of the busiest times of the day for the airports at which they boarded?] Terrorists clearly have no good reason to fear the strip search machines if packing explosives in their body cavities; and they don't have every reason to worry about being caught for explosives if some kind of explosives are packed in a way that seems mundane on the x-ray machines generally in use for screening luggage -- cabin or checked -- in the US.

They can and do vary.

I went through TSA checkpoints at IAH and MSY today and procedures at both locations had not changed one iota. Maybe they are just messing with me!

It happened again yesterday (Tuesday AM). This time the T1 Premier line had the NoS roped off, but they seemed to be in operation in the other lanes.

The new no-NoS policy seems like an improvement.

Can and do. For all of the dozens of reservations I've made since the SecureFlight data field (SSR DOCS) was available, I've always put the middle name(s) only there and not in the PNR name field.

I watched my first post-end of October pat down today. It was truly the nastiest and most invasive act I have ever seen at a checkpoint - any checkpoint. There is a lot of theatre and dare I say teasing involved in the circling of and caressing of the private parts but at the end of the day it really is disgusting and in a twisted sense bordered on the pscho-erotic. The way in which the TSO gets to feel around and under the breasts - simply amazing - I mean, my wife barely lets me do that!

But what really ticked me off was the audacity with which the toothless TSO crone with the overtanned skin addressed me after she had "petted down" my colleague (who is about a 8.6 - 8.8 on the hotness scale). She looked at me and said something to the effect of "did you get a good look then, you pervert?" I'm not often lost for words but today I was, and I'm still kicking myself over my lack of mounting an effective response to this past her sell-by date old bag and indeed my failure to convince my colleague to file an official complaint about the pat down.

It's tacitly "allowed" by the state WRT to all of those in authority.

If you give a customs agent lip, s/he can choose to detain you for an hour and go through all of your bags in great detail before sending you on your way.

If you give a police officer lip at a roadside stop they can spend a bunch of time asking you to do a roadside sobriety test and on and on before sending you on your way - Or give you a speeding ticket instead of a warning.

They can't act outside their legal constraints, but within them they can affect a wife range of nuisance activities.

Although I assume you meant "wide", I still got a good laugh at this.

I sent a letter to my elected representatives in government and communicated my disgust at what children well below the age of 18 end up witnessing -- or being subjected to -- at airport security checkpoints nowadays due to the TSA "security" perverts.

If middle and high school coaches behaved like the TSA and played TSA-style airport "security" with the students on the teams they coached and got caught, those coaches end up as registered sex offenders in the US.

I am writing up a complaint on behalf of my colleague for the groping and I shall be putting one in on my behalf too re/ the rude TSO at IAH yesterday. :td:

BTW, you need to clear up your PM box :)