FlyerTalk Forums - TSA? Am I qualified?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bart

Dealing with passengers on a daily basis. A vast majority of people you will deal with are pleasant, friendly, and some of them will even thank you for being there. A small minority of them can be irritable or unpleasant, but this is usually as the result of something else going on in their lives (going to or just leaving a funeral, rushed for time, going on a trip they're not looking forward to, etc.), and this requires you to be patient and understanding. It's a matter of the people skills and customer courtesy skills you already have (I don't believe TSA or any other agency can teach this skills, you either have them or you don't). Then there are the very small number of passengers who are downright ugly and will call you names, question your moral integrity and do what they can to make your work difficult. Be prepared for a woman to call you lesbian just because you have to clear her breast area with a limited-pat down inspection. You have to have thick skin and can't allow yourself to be insulted. There are procedures for dealing with these passengers, but that's not my point. My point is that you will encounter these sort of people and you cannot let it get to you.

Bart -

Thanks for a good post, as it brings to light some of what you have to deal with as a screener. It's ashame you have pax which will do things such as call a female screener a "lesbian", call you names, and esentially be verbally abusive.

I personally disagree with the pat-downs (now limited) of the breasts for females and pat downs of the crotch area. If I have a screener pat down my crotch area I won't be happy, but I won't call the screener a deregotory name. I may ask for a comment form or speak up & request a supervisor to say the procedure goes too far. In general, if I have a problem at the checkpoint, I'll have a civil discussion with a supervisor or screening manager.

I don't care for the TSA as an agency, nor do I care for many of the procedures, but I do view the screeners as human. I may advise a screener verbally I disagree with a procedure, request gloves be changed, request a bag check be done within my view, etc -- but I would never say something verbally abusive or degrading in nature -- and I'd like to think those of us here on FT would never say such degrading things either to a screener at a checkpoint. There is a difference between having a disagreement and voicing ones opinion than just calling the screener something abusive or degrading.

I may be outspoken when it comes to your organization, but most of the time when I clear a checkpoint, I'll thank the screeners involved and wish them a good day. IF I do have a problem at a checkpoint, after speaking with a supervisor or manager, or completing a comment card, I will thank that supervisor or manager for their time and wish them a good day.

The only thing I normally will not say is "keep up the great work" -- unless I am at a non-shoe carnival checkpoint, then they get a "Thank you, please keep up the great work". I may even ask for a comment card and write something positive on it :D

Last but not least, trixievictoria, I saw in another message you passed your pre-employment test. Congratulations! If it's something you really want to do, I hope the rest of the process works out for you. I do believe Bart has some great advice in his message which I have partially quoted.

On a closing note, it sounds like you have a good background -- and hopefully your background will help you advance in the workplace!

SDF_Traveler