grouse

A question for those of you that live near Shoe Carnival airports: who have you written about your concerns? We have been told repeatedly by TSAers here that it is not SOP to require everyone to remove their shoes (or to send everyone to secondary who does not remove their shoes as is allegedly done at some airports). Moreso, we have been told that TSA headquarters keeps sending out memos reemphasizing this fact. Still the Shoe Carnival practice continues.

I seem to vaguely recall that certain FSDs have not responded positively (or at all) to people pointing this out. In those cases, have you followed up with the TSA Contact Center, or a TSA Area Director? Any response?

I have been lucky enough not to repeatedly fly out of any airport that consistently practices shoe carnival activities but I know that it is different for other members of this forum. But I have flown out of airports where I had to go through this (just not enough times for me to say I have personally observed a pattern).

19103_aa

In my most recent incident at SEA (in the shoe thread), I sent a written letter to Messrs. Kelley and Rice, who are the FSD and Assistant FSD at SeaTac with a CC to Admiral Stone in Virginia.

If I don't receive a reply, my next letter will go to Ridge with a cc to my senators and congressment.

coachrowsey

That's all these people know how to do is inspect shoes. Get rid of that & they have no jobs!

TSAMGR

Said over and over and even over again; please don't trash the front line people for the sins of the administrators. Many TSA people feel the same way about the administration as those here. The front line people are just trying to make a living.

gnaget

What about IAD where the "shoe carnival" is random and appears to be tied to particular front line people. It appears that it depends on the person on the front line. There is one particular nasty individual that I have noted -- when she is there then the carnival is in effect.

Or are you telling me that it depends on whether a back office manager woke up on the wrong side of the bed and decides to take out his frustration on the masses that day?

grouse

Why do I even bother?

TSAMGR

Ah, yet another person who come strolling through and jumps on trashing screeners.

As stated numerous times here (actually stating things have been stated numerous time has been stated numerous times) the policy and SOP are not to require every person to take their shoes off. You stated there is one nasty individual at IAD, then complain. Complain to the supervisor and ask for a complaint form. Complaint to the FSD, Area Director, the Contact Center ([email protected]) and complain to Stone and Ridge.

There are bad screeners (statistically there has to be) and should not be working with the TSA. Generalizing that all screeners are bad just isn't correct. There may be screening managers which enforce the "shoe carnival" and this isn't right but the AFSD and FSD allow it.

jk5598224

I disagree. The 'frontline' TSA folks get VERY EXCITED and COP LIKE about shoe carnvial and just about every little potential wrong think a pax 'might' be doing. While FSD may have a impact the frontline folks are way too excited and cop like.

robodeer

are you saying that what the screener was doing was not from what their leadership told them to do?

entirely possible... but different connotations from them just doing the job.

law dawg

Why is being "coplike" a problem?

AArlington

FWIW I flew out of Kansas City yesterday. Private security screeners in separate uniforms. They "stonrgly" advised pax to take their shoes off. I walked through with my dress shoes on no problems and the screener wished me a pleasant trip.

That is my kind of screening. Never a problem at DCA either. Now, don't get me started on PHX, IAD, DEN, DFW, etc.

TSAMGR

Again, a generalization.

screenerx

So your telling me that you base this expert opinion on your many travels through all 421 airports. You've met every single TSA "frontline" employee and been able to come to this conclusion.

Let me tell you, your an idiot. I'm a frontline employee and don't do this ****. I enforce the policy now because I'm told to, not because I like to see high you'll jump when I say it. And before you say personal insult, you threw the first punch with that stupid ... comment such as that. Just because your a possible FF doesn't mean you have the experience to make that comment about every employee, which is exaclty what you did.


You people want to change the policy?

Go to Washington or talk directly to your congress men and women that you people put in office. Stop posting here about it like this will make some kind of difference. Don't write, stage a protest or ask to speak directly to them, they seem to have plently of time.

AArlington

I have to agree with screenerx to an extent. I've encountered a few screeners who are 'cop like' but it is a big stretch to imply that all or even most of them are.

We should stage a protest to make our elected officials aware of the chaos; the shoe carnival does not happen at DCA.

Perhaps we should show up barefoot in their offices in the capital; and the women can burn their steel-supported bras (reference from another thread). Maybe that would attract their attention to the absurdity of things.

Bart

If you're going to insult, then please use some imagination. Your comment lacks originality. I'm going to have deduct a full point.