I agree with UAL,

We're not in a position of authority because of the lack of training to do so. And as screeners, we can't personally not let someone through the checkpoint.

But we're different from a Mcdonald's employee, because we do inforce rules but if a passenger gets out of hand, we're required to call a person in authority (LEO..) to handle the situation.

Yes that is true, and yes we can keep someone from boarding a plane. Most of our policies do require us to call an LEO. We may not be an exact authority figure because of non training. Personally, at our airport, 90% of our screening personell are prior military or prior law enforcement. So actually most of us have had the training and background, but our current status does not give us the right to detain anyone, unless however an attack is made upon a TSA individual as I have posted in a seperate topic. Honestly I don't care if someone calls me by my first name or last. I care that when a passenger comes through the checkpoint and I personally haven't done anything to them and they are already upset. That's when 2 people should have mutual respect for each other.

Yeah, I wish PAX would have a little more respect for the screeners as people. I understand we're the figure head of the organziation and some abuse is expected.

But I think every screener has a tale about a PAX threating him/her while screening. I can understand that the prodceures are wrong in some cases and it adds to the stress of travel, but a threat against another human being for doing there job is wrong.

I beg to differ.

TSA...

Sharp-pointy thing...we'll take it away and maybe not let you on a flight just because we can.

McDonalds...

No shoes, no shirt, no service, just because we can.

Guess that McDonald's dude is in a position of authority and I'll have to start addressing them by ma'am/sir to get my super size!

Never thought of that mwp2paris, thanks for pointing it out.

But I personally do call the person taking my order Ma'am/Sir. Ive come to relieze if you treat the person with respect at the counter, your order pretty much is done quick and always with everything you ordered.

Addressing someone as Ma'am/Sir, doesnt imply that there in a position of authority, Ive grown up with the understanding that its a sign of respect.

And I wasnt saying we we're in a position of authority in the first place. What I was stating was I would rather not be called by my first name but rather Sir/Ma'am.

Actually, I agree with you...I find it very condescending for the ID checkers..sometimes they are TSA and sometimes not...to look at my ticket, stare down my DL then say "thank you, M****"...like we are big buds now...you see my last name, so use it or a simple "sir" and let's cut this false sense of familiarity.

And just for the record, I don't see this whole scrutiny thing as a social encounter, anyway. I choose not to speak to anyone unless there is a specific question asked of me. Greating the ID checker or thanking someone for wanding my nether-regions or palming through my skivies just doesn't register on my social skills radar. "Get it over with so I can get on with it" is my basic attitude for the 10 feet of scrutinizing and I have had no problems.

I agree with you MWP2Paris.

The only time I talk to people is if they start the conversation. I don't find this rude in anyway either. Feel Im there to do a job, not socialize.

But I will tell someone have a good flight sir/ma'am, pretty much everytime I do a wanding, bag check, or Im on entry.

When flying, I see a mix of airline employee nametags that are first names and Ms./Mrs./Mr. LastName. I think it should be an employee choice on which way to have it, and given that choice, pax should feel comfortable addressing the name on the tag (much more polite than "hey you!" ).

It would seem from these posts that all TSA are issued a nametag with first name and ID # and have no choice in the matter. That's a shame. I support the need for the ID number, but you should have a choice as to what you're called.

I'm uncomfortable calling a stranger by their first name if there's not an implied consent that they want it that way.

( Correspondingly, my name is "Mr. Studentff," though I can handle sir, but it's not some weird-just-made-up-abbreviation of my first name, or "sweetie," or "honey," etc. I actually had a TSA id-checker call me "sweetie" one morning. I was dressed for business; I do not look 12 (or even 20, unfortunately ); and I most certainly do not give off an aura of being someone who never flys or needs condescending reassurance at 0700. Hmph. )

[This message has been edited by studentff (edited 10-13-2003).]

Much as I don't like the TSA, It's sir/ma'am to any of the screeners. If they show me "respect" I'll give them the same thing. No hard feelings.

Until they piss me off or act high and mighty. Then I just won't talk to 'em.

What is it that you folks consider "High and Mighty", I thought I had a grasp of the idea until some guy accused me of being so.

He was a forigen gentlement and I guess I might have come off that way for some reason. But I spoke to him I speak to any passenger and most passengers usually leave, shaking my hand or saying thanks for being quick.

What is "High and Mighty"?

The million dollar question!

It seems that some individuals bring into their interactions with others a sense of insecurity or ignorance, and they respond to any words/actions that remind them of this lack by accusing the other of being High and Mighty towards them.

You may be able to anticipate this by watching for a combination of tenseness and that defensive/anxious look in the eye before addressing the person, but no guarantee it will work.

Sometimes a smile and a gentler/less business-like tone can defuse them, but not always.

Didn't know you were in the Psych 101 business did you?

I might indeed call a TSA worker by their first name if we were talking casually or I was thanking them, but I would likely have already offered my first name with a smile


BTW
I have been accused of the above, 'acting superior', 'talking down' to people, etc, etc, etc...

Invariably, upon insisting on finding the true source of the problem it has been the usage of either vocabulary or terminology that the complaining individual did not recognize-
they then reacted negatively and defensively vs ASKING for clarification or waiting until later to ask what I meant if they didn't want to ask in front of others.
<sigh>

I have ALWAYS responded very positively to anyone wanting clarification, and enthusiastically to anyone asking what a word meant- I usually even apologize for using a 'wierd' word and self-blame for 'reading too much' with a smile to remove any stigma that they may feel.

So, am I High and Mighty?

Unlikely indeed

In fact I am more guilty of acting like an equal to the 'trench workers' I make contact with than acting 'superior' to them!

This can confuse some employees when they know you are paying some serious bucks out, but I have never felt that being able to afford something expensive was grounds to look down on those who can't.
(that's from my childhood of welfare/medi-cal and a mother that refused to allow us to judge anyone or be judged by anything but character and actions)

S

You American screeners need to stop using the word 'divest'. 'Please empty your pockets' works just as well. They tried to get us using that term last fall but it didn't take. It definately confused some passengers during its limited period of usage.

I've been accused of being high and mighty a couple times too, but everytime it's been while I've been on wand during a very heavy rush. I don't have anytime at all to smalltalk at that point and some people get offended when I basically ignore what they're saying in the interest of efficiency.

[This message has been edited by CATSA Screener (edited 10-15-2003).]

I am shocked by some of what I am reading here. As someone that makes it a point to say "Thank You Bob" (or whatever name is on your tag), this is crazy. I do this as a humane sincere gesture.

Would you rather people just IGNORE you? Calling you by name is a friendly gesture and acknowledgement vs. what goes on most of the day. Watch what most people do as they go through checkout lines, TSA crap lines, etc. They do not even see the person.

So, when someone takes a moment and calls them by name, just say Thank You.

Yikes.

Yes, Mr. Smith would be proper and maybe I do not have the "right" to call you by name, but please understand what is really going on here.

Isn't it sad that so many people do not know what divest means? Or egress?

FWIW People can call me by my first name if they can pronounce it correctly...



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Don't take life too seriously, afterall, you won't get out alive.

As for me, I've grown up in a military family as well as 10 years in martial arts. I say sir/ma'am as a sign of respect. Now when I call a passenger by their name it's usually when I'm having to screen a selectee and I have the boarding pass in my hand and the passenger comes through and I pronounce their last name(sometimes the first, depending if I can pronounce the last name) to Identify the person.