Selectees are here to stay. TSA has no control over who is and is not one it is the airlines computer system that picks you. TSA only controls the continuous screening.
The procedure you encountered is not at all airports yet but will be, that is the reason for the non-uniformitty throughout all airports.

I will continue to oppose any kind of selectee system. It's a total farce that adds nothing to security. I hope your management that instituted this disgraceful procedure (airline computers? right. How many selectees per day were there pre-9/11? 3? 4?) is sacked. If your agency's future leaders don't eliminate it, I hope your disgrace of an agency will then be disbanded permanently.

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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

Spiff...you know good and well that the airlines determine how many "selectees" they choose. On charter flights they pick them by hand, marking the boarding passes at random. The TSA has ZERO control over that and you should take that up with your favorite airline.

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

I was a contract screener at United and when we did gate screening, there were selectees. At the gate,the agents sent them over to be screened, if there weren't any, then we picked at random to keep screening until the gate was closed. Sorry to disappoint you. Yes, the TSA pisses some people off, but it makes a whole lot more people feel better about flying.

That is the problem with TSA... They make people feel better about flying (Mom, DAd, GrandPa..everyone who will only fly once or twice a year) but in reallaty don't do anything constructive to make it safer.

TSA is just a lot of "window dressing" that is really a pain in the a$$ and costs a fortune in tax dollars.

Then please explain why there are tons of selectees now and almost none prior to 9/11. Answer: the TSA is forcing the airlines into selecting passengers. Hardly something that can be blamed on the airlines, though I often wish they would get together and tell the TSA: NO!

Also please explain why if there aren't enough selectees to keep the wand wizards happy at the gate, the wand wizards will pick their own selectees.

It's a stupid, flawed process that does nothing for security except make the so-called "security" folks look busy without having to work in the food court. The people at the TSA who forced the airlines to participate in this disgraceful, un-American process should be shot. Or sent to a country that "randomly" checks up on its comrades, er citizens.


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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

Wow, that's just great. The TSA is the placebo of travel. No real medicinal (security) properties, but it makes people think something good is happening.

Why don't we just give these nervous nellies bong hits instead of using other means of deluding them into thinking there's real security at work here? It would be a lot cheaper and would allow us to keep our dignity instead of having to participate in the disgusting harassment that occurs now.

Welcome to FlyerTalk, jewelrygoddess.

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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

[This message has been edited by Spiff (edited Nov 18, 2003).]

Spiff, before you go off on one of your rants again, the TSA has no, zero, nada control over how many "selectees" the airlines pick. It is fully up to them. I have seen ticket agents make someone a "selectee" even though the computer did not make them so. The selectee program is the airlines baby and they set the criteria for it. I have seen airline personnel deny boarding to ticketed passengers who were not selectees and IMO did nothing to justify it. Does the TSA have ANY authority to overrule the airlines in these matters? Nope. Screeners cannot make someone a non-selectee if the airlines have so annointed them. Nor can they override the airlines in the event they deny boarding to anyone.

As for the "wand wizards" working the gates, thats up to the local FSD and is his decision. Ours wanted us to do the same thing, but we seldom had the extra people to have a gate team, so he was SOL.

Un-American? Should be shot? Deported? hmmmm Strong words coming from a "Libertarian." Is this the "party" line or just your personal feelings? I see so much vilification coming from our "Libertarian" friends that I fear that if they ever do win election that the ovens will glow red at night as they burn off those who are not of the "party." What is your party number Spiff? I think you will find it on your "papers."



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

Your third paragraph makes me wonder if you've been enjoying a few bong hits yourself.

Anyway, if the selectee program is all the airlines, how come a GA cannot deselect someone? How come the GA can not overrule a screener who has grabbed someone? I don't believe for a second that the TSA is without blame in this tragic act of the sham security circus.

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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

Unless you have the SSSSSS on your BP avoiding the "random gate screening" was/is very easy to do. Keep stepping back in line until the Goosestepping Goons are all occupied. Then board. If your traveling with anyone and you have SSSSS on your BP. Hand all your carry-on to your partner. Thus not really being screened. Where is the safety in this? It's just busy work.

The TSA's "in the name of safety" policy is a joke. As is removing your shoes, leaving your luggage unlocked, and showing id/bp more than once within 3-70 feet of security.
It's just busy work.

Barking to FF's (in the elite flyer's security line) that they must remove their laptops, asking each FF with a bag (as they approach their turn) if there is a laptop in there is insulting. It's just busy work.

Being unaccountable for anything that might happen and inspecting luggage without notifying the owner further erodes any respect this joke of an agency might deserve.

Every day that goes by one more person is wiser to the "fleecing" we get from the TSA. Hopefully soon, that next person will be an attorney with time on his hands. Or another Congressperson that doesn't like being groped by dirty gloved, goosestepping goons.

Welcome to FT J-Go......

Please leave your luggage unlocked....

The GA cannot deselect anyone because that would create a "hole" in the system. Yes, there are plenty, but if the GA could do that, then he/she could be "bought off" and deselect someone who "might" have nefarious intent. I am not saying that is the only reason, but it is one of them. The TSA has the authority to increase the number of "selectees" as it sees fit, but it cannot go below the number set by the airlines.



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

Then your proposition that the TSA has nothing to do with the selectees or the number of selectees is also, er... full of holes.

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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

Thats an airline rule Spiff. It was in place before 9-11. Sorry, but those holes have to be plugged or you might get some witty barbs up to the checkpoint and cause some poor screener some real grief.



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

The TSA would never do anything as un-american as to be bought off... especially nefariously. After all they are protecting us. Some of them even served in the armed forces.


BTW- You don't work for the TSA anymore. How are you so well informed these days
Mr. All American? Ever heard of loose lips sink ships...

Your previous employer (TSA) is a joke and should be replaced with the Private sector.

No I don't work for them anymore. However, I have over a years experience delving into their policies and procedures plus I keep in contact with the friends I made while working for them. Does one forget how to drive a car because of an expired license? What experience with them do you have besides that of a passenger? None.

You can rant all you want and mimic Spiff's "un-american" theme all you want, but that does not make it so. It is merely your opinion.

As for the "private screeners" you clamour for, if and when that ever does happen, guess whose faces you will see at the checkpoint? The SAME faces you see now, the TSA is not going anywhere anytime soon. You will have worn your fingers down through typing your daily rant before then. The TSA will still be setting policy and procedures to the "private" screeners so you will notice no real changes. Feel free to rant and rave though, it is quite amusing and brings out the true person, Spiff advocating the deportation and or shooting of screeners now. Whats next, gas chambers and ovens? Un-American indeed.....



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