I am new to this forum although I have been reading for some time.

Something that I have to get off of my chest . One of the scariest things about TSA is the statement, "To ensure travelers' security, Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) may determine that an item not on the Prohibited Items List is prohibited."

I'm a big believer in rule of law. This allows them to make up the rules as they go along and if you disagree say you are interfering and creating a commotion. They can essentially do anything they want.

I do have one incident that I want to mention in regard to this. I collect military chronometers and other watches and clocks. They stopped me one time with a Hamilton M21 that I bought and send me in for a hand search which is fine. Then they have a discussion if I am allowed on the plane with it! I say it is a clock made 70 years ago and how can it be prohibited! They have an xray of it for heaven's sake. Am I going to take a tiny gear and cut someones pinky with it? They let me on but I still don't know what I was suppose to do if they said no. Throw it out?

bolding mine: And there you have it. The consistent inconsistency from one airport to another and where not all TSO's are created equal. The TSA needs to adopt the McDonald's� approach so all is uniform from one station to the next and all (n.b. all) TSO's are properly (n.b. properly) trained.

The biggest inconsistency of all is that anyone who can do the job perfectly is probably overqualified, or is doing something far more palatable.

I had my eyelash curler confiscated once. I'm not sure what they thought I might do with it...run up to the pilot and threaten to make him beautiful?

More likely the smurf just needed a new eyelash curler, and decided that yours would be nice to have.

Y'know, he did have lovely eyes...

It was actually quite comical at the time - this was several years ago, before things started getting so insane. They pulled my carry-on over for a hand search, and the smurf found my eyelash curler in my make-up bag and started playing with it. It was clear he'd never seen one before, and I tried to explain to him what it is. I actually remember wanting to say to him, "What do you think I plan on doing with that thing? Running up to the pilot and threatening to make him beautiful?" But I was worried that I could get in trouble for "joking" like that at a TSA check point. The guy just couldn't seem to comprehend what it was used for, even as I tried to explain. I even offered to demonstrate it for him, but he wouldn't let me. He just pocketed it, and wouldn't give it back.

I had to go find a drug store at my destination and buy a new one, which ticked me off.

So, he just stole it?

According to Bloghdad Bob and the Smurfs, the TSA does not "confiscate." They accept "voluntarily surrendered" items.

If it happens again, call a cop. A real cop, not one of the wannabe LEO poseurs in blue shirts.

Voluntarily Surrender = Accidentally falling into the clerks pocket

Yes, he actually just took it. Again, this was several years ago so I don't recall exactly what he said, but he made it clear I was not going to fly with it. Given that it wasn't a very expensive item, I just left it with him and boarded my plane. This also happened to me another time, with a small (and I mean SMALL - like miniature) Swiss Army knife that someone had given me as a gift and I had on my keychain, and had forgotten about. But there I was, baggage already checked and ready to board. The knife on that thing was so tiny, it probably couldn't even penetrate the first layer of skin - but it was a "knife" so the smurf demanded that I remove it from my keychain. Which I did.

I might behave differently now that I have a greater awareness of what TSA is, but I didn't see that I had a choice at the time.

Did the clerk in question look like this?



My worse experience was the smurf at LIH, whom many at FT and other forums have complained about, who tried to confiscate my contact lens solution. According to her, the TSA website is wrong about medical liquids and she was the last word. Argument eventually led to a 3 striper intervening. My friend and I were then subject to a retaliatory ID check at the gate which led to 30 other very confused passengers. Of course my complaint to the TSA was ignored and going by the ongoing complaints about her, this clerk is still employed there.

What else do you expect? With corrupt employees, and an out of control workforce, I doubt your complaint would have gone anywhere.