CATSA as bad as TSA?
 

Woman, 82, 'humiliated' by airport security

:mad:They're learning from TSA, obviously!:mad:

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/201...plaint-110113/

In some ways they are better, in some they are worse.

Better:

CATSA (usually through contractor Garda) know they are not the police.

Pat downs are far less invasive and they let people know immediately that they can opt out of the scanner.

Scanners are all MMW, as opposed to BackCancer.

Worse:

Took my prescription toothpaste and lied to police that I had called over (currently under investigation).

Insist on "medical notes" and then pretend they have any say over whether a note (or a prescription) is valid.

SLOW. Slowest security I have ever seen, and for no apparent reason.

And here is the difference. I suspect that the TSA response would be 'the scenario sounds completely false'.

As I noted - CATSA is currently investigating an incident where my legitimate prescription toothpaste, for which I showed a prescription, was seized by their agent (Garda) at YYZ. The gentleman I spoke to was courteous and genuinely apologetic. I actually feel like something will get done, unlike with the TSA.

I think part of the reason CATSA is more responsive is that their screeners are all contracted and they can blame someone else. I think TSA would be more responsive if we had Team SFO's all across the country.

Welcome to a brave cowardly new world. :(
Yes, but how much better to hear someone say: ...the scenario "is completely unacceptable."

And he's suggesting that it's up to travellers to fix the system by identifying problems, instead of just training and managing staff properly in the first place.

True, but I have experienced CATSA screening about as often as TSA screening and there is a world of difference between the two.

+1

I find the biggest difference is that CATSA doesn't bark, they're more polite and they don't try to be "cute" (I've never had a CATSA agent call me "honey" or ask me to smile before they let me past document checking).

CATSA domestic screening, where they don't have to follow TSA rules, is usually a breeze compared to CATSA US departures or TSA.

It's an interesting experience to fly out of the same airport and have such a different screening experience, depending on where I'm going. Apparently I'm a terrorist flying YYZ - ORD, but I'm not when I'm flying YYZ-YVR.

When you say different, do you mean just in the rules or the way that you are informed of the rules?

When you're departing Canada to the US at a pre-clearance airport, the passenger screening for the pre-clearance area is done by CATSA but to the TSA's "standard". When you are flying domestically you go through different passenger screening which is governed by the CATSA rules. The biggest difference that my American colleagues comment on is that there is no requirement to remove your shoes for domestic travel in Canada.

By far the biggest difference between CATSA (regardless of screening area) and TSA is the lack of pseudo-authoritative yelling at the checkpoints. My experience is that every CATSA rep that you have to interact with (from the person directing the lineup to the screeners themselves) will greet you with "Hello, Bonjour....ect...." While perhaps more mechanical, the consistency seems remarkably high.

Another big difference is the explanation of your options if you've been selected for additional screening. Again, it seems more mechanical, but you will definitely be made to listen to a spiel amounting to "You have been selected for additional screening. We will ask you to enter the machine and stand in a certain position while the screening takes place. You have the option to receive a pat down if you don't wish to use the machine." I've never once had my right to opt out not be explained to me.

Don't let all of this fool you. There still are bad apples out there. I've bumped into a few. In 2010 I transited domestic security approximately 80 times and I only ran into 1 or 2.

Overall I find the experience of standing in line at security in Canada to be a far less stressful experience. Perhaps its the known consistency. Maybe its the (almost) guaranteed polite interaction. Maybe there's just less negative energy in the air. Regardless I don't find my heart racing like it usually does in the US.

I am well aware of the differences in procedures. My question was more along the lines of how the passenger is treated. You may not like the procedure, but at least the screener doesn't need to be an ... about it.

Screens are, in general, courteous. I can't remember the last time I heard yelling from any of them at any airport (domestic or pre-clearance area). Generally you can expect a thank-you from them when you hand over your boarding pass and when you're done your wanding or pat down. If they are looking to address me I'm regularly called Sir (i.e. "Sir please come through now").

People in TS/S regularly talk about the lower educational standards of the TSA. I'm guessing that the standard at CATSA isn't much better, but I've only once thought about it when going through the screening process.

I also rarely find that the screening areas are understaffed. Usually there are enough lanes open to process the passengers in under 10 minutes. I've never thought about it until now, but the lowered pressure might have something to do with the more agreeable nature of the screeners.

There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that you are unaware off. I can not get into it on a public forum though. I will say this though, I get royally POed when a screener is unprofessional. Being professional is not hard. In many cases it is as simply as keeping your mouth shut.

My only complaint about the CATSA is they not accepting the checkpoint approved bags / sleeves. It's not that I need that ten seconds it takes to repack the laptop, but the added padding makes me less nervous. While there is no data on the laptop that's not replacable (and it's got two SSDs anyways, you can't mess up those like the HDDs can), breaking the laptop would mean I can't work properly until I get a new one. Still, it's a ThinkPad T so I have confidence (and the experience) it survives the rigors of screening just fine. :) but still I like more when it's in the sleeve.

My experience has been that the demeanor of the agents is the same, it's the process that differs (you also don't get asked for ID 5 times for non-US departures). I haven't run across being treated rudely - they may not smile warmly or be effusively friendly, but they are certainly polite. The only unprofessionalism (if you want to call it that) that I experienced last year, was during a slow time at a CP and the CATSA agents were too busy yapping amongst themselves to attend to the 2 or 3 of us waiting in line. It took a few minutes to catch their attention.

Also a pet peeve of mine.