Another nightmare at PHX
 

Just received call from Mrs. EX. She was leaving PHX this morning with her mother. Mother is 89 years old, has terminal cancer, weighs 67 pounds, has a colostomy bag and English paperwork from Japanese Government stating so. She speaks no English. They herded everyone through the new machine. Then they select Mother as well as Mrs. EX for extra pat down. Why? No one knows. They get separated, Mother understands nothing. Mrs. EX is not allowed to translate or assist. They call for a Chinese speaking screener, which of course is totally unhelpful. They touch this 89 year old Great Grandmother everywhere. Imagine, how that feels for a Japanese citizen! The same with my wife. My goodness, these two little Japanese ladies are going home to Japan, for crying out loud. Incidentally, now they have no view of their belongings in the tray. After ten minutes of touching, groping and needless questioning, they are on their own to look for their belongings. Mrs. EX had two trays, one had her Rolex wristwatch inside. Now there is only one tray and the watch is missing! No help, no assistance, nothing. On top of it, now they have to rush to board. The two ladies are completely upset, crying. Mrs. EX called after arriving at LAX and from the lounge and she still is completely besides herself.
First the unpleasant experience as described in another thread in SFO, now this. It is embarrassing to have foreign guests visiting the U.S. It really is unbelievable what fliers have to go through just to catch a flight. And the return stateside is no picnic either. TSA and CBP is just the same, give these people an uniform and they sense power. When I got in this time and presented my U.S. passport to the officer, he asks me what nationality I am. How do they expect me to deal with such a stupid question???
Can someone give me some advice where to go to file a report for the missing watch?
Sorry for the rant, but these things just get to me.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/consume...-63693772.html

You might actually get results, as opposed to contacting any of the complete idiots working for the TSA at PHX.

It's not the first Rolex stolen by TSA

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/05/woma...kpoint-norfolk

Phoenix PD

[email protected]

FSD at PHX - his name is Paul Ames.

[email protected]

include both DHSOIG and Ames in your e-mail so that Ames can see you have contacted the OIG. Demand that the tape be pulled immediately for review.

In addition, I would call the FSD at PHX, demand the tape be pulled, and let him know you have sent him and the OIG an e-mail to that effect.

Good luck and keep us informed.

~~

Do it NOW!

THIS!

You are going to get all sorts of suggestions, but this one - please, please, please call and email right now and make your request for the video.

I am so, so sorry for what TSA/DHS has inflicted on your family, and a theft to top it all off. I sincerely hope you can obtain the tapes.

Keep in mind that PHX is the same location that "lost" thirty minutes of surveillance video of Stacey Armato's ordeal.

Also, Phoenix PD would be the ones who advised Stacey Armato to just go along with the "horse and pony show" because the TSA had a grudge.

I wouldn't expect much from either Ames or the Phoenix PD. DHSOIG? Maybe.

Perhaps if the screener yells loud enough in Chinese, your mother would understand what they're saying. :rolleyes:



I tried looking up the name of the Federal Security Director at PHX, but it appears that job has been posted as available on several websites, although I would start with the police to file a report:

Police - Airport Bureau
Commander Eric P. Hailey
Phone # (602) 273-3301
2908 Sky Harbor Blvd.
Phoenix, Arizona 85034

I suggested in another thread recently that we need to build a contact list of as many FSD and other senior staff at the airports.

I have DFW and FLL.

^ Great suggestion.
That should be a sticky.
Perhaps broken out by title, airport, or region to make it easier to access and manage.

The nightmares & theft by TSA never ends. Reading this makes me sick.

It makes me wonder if TSA provides any positive benefit at all. I'm disgusted that Exleftseat's wife and mother-in-law were robbed while being abused at the check-point. How is that related to "security"? Absolutely disgusted. :td::td::mad::mad:

I showed this to Hubbest. Like me, he was sickened by the treatment the OP's MIL received. He said, "I wish there were something I can do about it."

"There is," I replied. "Post a link on every board you frequent. Help awareness reach critical mass."

I just finished sending e-mail. Thanks for all your help. I appreciate it and Mrs. EX and Mother do as well, I know for sure.
We came for a very brief visit to shop because of all the food problems we currently experience in Japan. It turned out not to be such a nice trip. I am sad about this country, not at all what I envisioned when I was planning to emigrate way back in the sixties.

You might want to report the experience to:

Consulate General of Japan
350 South Grand Avenue, Suite 1700,
Los Angeles, California 90071, U.S.A.
Tel: (213) 617-6700
Fax: (213) 617-6727

Which covers both California and Arizona.

Does Japan have an equivalent to the State Department's Travel Advisory?
"Travel Warnings are issued when long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous" applies to the TSOs in your wife's situation. Maybe they can warn potential Japanese tourists of their reception in the US.

As noted above, file a police report for theft and demand (n.b. demand) to see a copy of the surveillance tape*.


*Assuming a) the recording system was working that day, b) the tape in question is able to be located, c) the tape in question is not "damaged" and d) the tape in question was not recorded over :rolleyes:

Sometimes I feel that the whole world should be alerted to the inacceptable, disrespectful behavior in this country. It begins upon arrival with the CBP and their guns, the long, long lines, the mostly unfriendly and silly questioning by the officers ( what nationality are you? ), the pushing and herding around, the warnings not to take pictures , not to use the phone, not to make jokes and more. Then, upon leaving we experience the TSA nightmare. We rather take trips to any other place in the world, even third world countries than visiting the kids in the U.S. A total nightmare and I am afraid, it's not getting any better, even worse.

I did! Let's see what happens.

I guess treating everyone like despicable scum is necessary for our security....:rolleyes:

I certainly feel for the OP, wife and MIL.
What happened is not their fault and will be repeated time and time again.
This is how TSA feels they are keeping us safe. In Pissy words, "Don't like it, don't fly", so that tells everyone that no amount of "complaining" is going to change their attitude to the public.
Just as much as we hate them, they have just as much contempt to us. They feel empowered to treat "fares" as objects to steal from, feel up, disrespect, and intimidate. It starts from the very top, and I do mean the very top.

If they ever catch the person who stole the watch (which I doubt they will invest the resources to find out), nothing will happen. This is probably not the first time they stole, and will not be the last. We have no idea just how much stealing goes on, as where can anyone report it that gets public exposure?
Also, other TSA goons probably know exactly who is doing the stealing, but most of them are low life cowards and will say nothing, or could even be involved themselves.

As for sending the Chinese speaking screener to translate for a Japanese National, only shows the stupidity of the entire organization. I would bet that not one of them can point to Japan on a map.

If TSA cared anything about security, they would revamp the entire process in favor of the public. It can't be too difficult to design a process that is efficient. But that is not what TSA was created for.

Sad to say that the US government employs thieves and has a process that allows them to operate almost without impunity on 2 million people a day.

That may be more of an administrative task to maintain than is really necessary, considering the total number of airports and turnover in that position. If someone needed to contact an FSD, they can type in the airport code here, then make a few calls and ask for the contact info of the current FSD. For PHX, the FAA lists these folks (apologies for not posting this in my first reply :o):

MANAGER: DANNY MURPHY
AIRSIDE OPERATIONS SUPERINTENDENT: JOHN SAWYER 602-273-2072
AIRSIDE MANAGER: SCOTT MAXWELL 602-273-3490

3400 SKY HARBOR BLVD, SUITE 3300
PHOENIX, AZ 85034
UNITED STATES

COMMUNICATION CENTER Phone: 602-273-3300.


As an aside, isn't it interesting how easy the FAA makes it easy to contact various people in charge, versus the TSA that does nothing more than pump out back-patting press releases when a new FSD is appointed. :rolleyes:

Unfortunately I just received the following message :

"Your message was not delivered to the following recipients:

[email protected]: User unknown"

There goes that:mad:

Good heavens, he didn't last too long in the position now, did he?

I am assuming you are in Japan so it's probably difficult for you to call. Let's all see if we can find e-mail addresses for the individuals mentioned in N965VJ's post.

[email protected]

e-mail him and ask for name of FSD or acting FSD at PHX.

Done, awaiting his response. Thanks.

OP, I was shocked when I opened this thread! These thugs at TSA have no business "security" American from attacks. I really hope that you get somewhere with your emails!

Assuming that the tapes have not been erased, I really hope they will get you the copy, and not claim that it is "SSI" :rolleyes: I guess the procedures for TSA Clerks to steal watches are considered SSI :td:

I would also make sure you contact the local media outlets! This is something that should be broadcast on every news network, as well as get space in the paper :mad:

Now we wait to see Bullcrap Bob's response on PV :td:

What makes you think Bloghdad Bob will take any time away from his pro-irradiation puppy posts to note anything at all about how the TSA is mistreating people on a regular basis?

If this gets some media attention, Bob will have to come out there with video footage to say how the OP is lying, and TSA never mistreated his mother in law :(

That's assuming the video footage shows the OP is lying.

If the video footage shows that the OP is telling the truth, it'll be "lost."

There must be some grainy footage somewhere that could be substituted.

Reported this on Daily Kos
 

I reported this on Daily Kos here. That's a more general website, but it will help get some exposure to this outside the FT group.

I've posted the link to this story on Twitter, and I've seen several other Tweets with the same link.

I just saw a Tweet with a link to a Daily Kos story, as well, so it was picked up already.

I tweeted it a couple of hours ago, and just noted the Daily Kos post. Seriously, the TSA oughta know they're universally hated when their abuses are reported by such diverse communities as Kos and the tea party folks.

A saw a listing for a FSD as PHX on USAJOBS like a month ago, so I'm guessing they're are in the process of replacing him. Give another 10 or 11 months and they just might! For another few months.

I haven't read anything mentioning the terminal at PHX where this happened. If anyone has seen it, please post that. Bet this was at #4, the bane of PHX. I truly despise transiting PHX, but I avoid terminals 3 and 4 at all costs. I've had minor problems in #2, but not like #3 and 4.

I'll pay more to fly on airlines NOT leaving from those two terminals. I just paid $65 more to go out of Terminal 2 on my next flight. That's how much I hate the hassle of that airport's major terminals. If gas drops in price again, I'll just *gasp* drive the 1500 miles each way and be done with it.

My brother drove the last time, just to avoid the same hassle. Mom wonders why we don't visit more often. Here's the truth: that airport. We just can't get the extra time off to drive each time. We'll just not go, rather than put up with the PHX TSAs. If I wanted to get treated like a criminal, have my belongings searched and stolen, and get practically molested just because I need to get home, I would have moved to a Communist country. I expect to hear 'Papers, please' any day now.

It's sad that PHX just showed the rest of the world how dumb US employees can be... calling a Chinese interpreter for a Japanese national? I've seen those forms. They clearly state 'Japan.' There are Japanese translators available. There's a sizable Japanese presence in Arizona.

Do something that dumb in Seattle and I guarantee you'll never get any job in this city again, even asking 'do you want fries with that'... nobody wants to hire someone that stupid!

That was me doing the Daily Kos posting, I've done a number of them over there.
 

The site is pretty much a bunch of complete leftists, and you get your odd TSA true believer, but to my observation the general rule is that TSA is regarded as having gone way too far.

The Kossacks, as they call themselves, do differ from the Tea Party in that they generally don't believe that privatization of the security function would make any difference, and I think that unionization of TSA is generally supported.

Drive to TUS ?

And I wouldn't be too sure about SEA, there are some checkpoint thugs here too.

I've posted this before in this forum but it may be worthwhile posting again so that these transgressions don't go under-reported.

TSA relies on the lack of a singular complaint forum to document their abuses. As it stands they are the sole arbiter of these disputes and the passenger always loses. Until there is a central body compiling these reports the numbers will continue to appear artificially low.

CONTACT:

Your Congressman, by phone, email and letter. Do all three https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Both of your US senators, by phone, email and letter.
http://www.senate.gov/general/contac...m.cfm?State=PA

The Airline you traveled on, in writing and by phone

Your local newspapers & TV stations.

National publications sympathetic to TSA complaints: The Washington Post [email protected] /The Huffington Post/ NY Times/NY Post/USA Today [email protected] Check for writers email addresses and contact directly.


DHS OIG [email protected]. 1-800-323-8603
DHS Office of Inspector General/MAIL STOP 2600
Attention: Office of Investigations - Hotline
245 Murray Drive, SW, Building 410
Washington, DC 20528
Fax 202-254-4292.

USTA http://www.ustravel.org/government-a...r-travel-voice

Association for Airline Passenger Right http://www.flyfriendlyskies.com/

EPIC http://epic.org/

The Rutherford Institute http://www.rutherford.org/

ACLU https://secure.aclu.org/site/SPageNa...avel_Complaint

TSA Hotline (866) 289-9673 http://www.tsa.gov
This is probably as useless as complaining to Al Qaeda about terrorism but is a negative metric in TSA records.

I hope this is helpful.

PM me you name on Twitter and I'll follow you
...........(or see my link below \/. ;)

Link to article with similar experience
 

Just saw the following on
"http://www.airportbusiness.com/publication/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=43760"
Is this endless or what?

.....