the policies dictated the use of name-calling?

I'll stay away from the language issue here, but I also went through YYZ via UA today. What a disaster! Remind me not to whine about the TSA (very much) anymore. The worst US experience was far better than the joke that YYZ is.

Let's see... after the half mile walk from the rental car return to the UA counter, I show my passport, get my BP and trudge over to the Immigration line, showing my BP and passport to the guy at the door (who was forgetful about making sure pax picked up the Customs Declarations). The line (at 4pm) was almost to the door, with no special handling of US citizens unless you were late for a flight.

The line took about 45 to 60 minutes to transit. (Can somebody explain the "no talking on cellphones" rule that requires one agent to wander around telling people that cell phones aren't allowed? Perhaps if they added that agent to the booths the line might move faster and people wouldn't feel compelled to kill time yapping on their phones.) Customs guy takes all the paperwork, asks a couple questions and stamps me on my way. Then you get to screening. Laptops out. Shoes on. WTMD set less sensitively than US. Laptop gets wiped and my backpack gets a cursory search (first time for both of those in over 30 segments of travel this year). The backpack "search" was a joke. Lots of unzipping and glancing (my bag was full of stuff and was a bag of computer wire spaghetti), but hardly worth the time for the person checking.

Ok, so now I'm four passport checks into the airport and the only way out of the area is back through Canadian Immigration.

Off to Gate "L". So now can somebody explain to me how it is that cleared pax cross the sterile corridor for inbound pax on the way to Gate "L" and higher? That makes no sense that you'd want people mixing there.

So now at Gate L, I again present my passport (as if I could be there without one) and then get selected for the gate check (serves me right for not letting a guy at the counter step in front of me). Again, waste of their time and effort. Wanding with a back touch (and not to TSA thoroughness), then shoes off for a feel (but no wanding of the socks), then another VERY cursory search of the backpack. This "search" was even less intensive than at screening. So what was the point of all that?

I agree. A search would yield the precise threads on which most agreed to stop using "gate rape" to describe the ridiculous procedure.

I prefer to use the term "gate groping" to describe the foolishness, since plenty of groping typically occurs. It connotes an offensive side to the process while not using the highly charged term of "rape" which is probably inappropriate in this context.

Funny you should mention that. Yet the highly charged term "Nazi", which is inappropriate in the context it was given, is okay in your book and Bruce should not have apologized.

The hypocrisy train keeps on chugging.....

Get Bent.

Will get right on that......

I've gotten it at YVR and SEA being the first person on the plane. I'll have to remember to go on second

:rolleyes:

When a Board Member of FlyerTalk is the one coining these phrases and complains are made and nothing happens then it doesn't matter.

OK I guess I'm lost. I dont see where BusterCT1K is a board member. I personally just go to airport, do whatever has to be done and get on the plane. I am a firm believer in "Dont Sweat the Small Stuff and its all Small Stuff" so most of these things dont seem to happen to me . Must be that catch more flies with honey than vinegar thingie :)/. The only reason this thread caught my eye was that it was originally posted in the UA forum and used the word rape

Since I am obviously out of my depth on the politics of this particular forum I guess I will go back to ny UA and Hilton hole. :D

Wasn't talking about BusterCT1K. Persons reading this area and doing a little homework should be able to figure it out.

No research is necessary to know that rape is a horrific crime, with women almost always the victim. It is juvenile to say that because someone has used this term on FlyerTalk, we all can use this term. We desensitize ourselves to the seriousness of this crime when we use it to describe an airport security check, no matter how extensive that check might be.

I thought so also until about two weeks ago in LGA when the TSA set up a table at the gate where we were boarding a Song flight to FLL and pulled pax over randomly for the gate shakedown. Why this happened at that time I do not know except for the rumor that a flight FLL-LGA was the subject of some kind of security alert and the bigdomes at TSA figured they would find makework for some of their staff at 1130PM on a Thursday night for a flight on the same route, albeit in the other direction.

I posted on the forum recently (somewhere, don't remember exactly where) that random gate screening is back, not as bad as it use to be. This is part of an inter-agency security program which started about two weeks ago. It is for certain areas under stricter security measures.


Don't kill the messenger.

Whilst I agree with you I still agree with the response that you received on the Qantas forum! :rolleyes: