And I happen to know them and they are not. Therefore your opinion is just that, an opinion.

You are just an opinionated cheap shot artist. Want some cheese with that whine?

Ad Hominem. You could have addressed the point rather than the person.

Some of us opinionated cheap shot artist whiners actually care about the process, and we aren't simply focused on the result. Compare that to some ex-cop, unemployed tech sector folks are who couldn't find anything better than the TSA so now they fight the war on terror at the airport.

I'd rather some bad guys go free rather than have every American treated like a criminal. It surprises me not at all that you feel differently.

He/She has NO idea.

Is a Human Head a prohibited item? If not, then it should not be reported. You people are SCREENERS, not LEO's.

The sooner you admit that to yourself, the sooner your inferiority complex will stop hurting.

I never said it was not an opinion. However, it is an opinion base din the facts of this case. The facts of this case state that the screener are morons.

Oh come on! Would you rather have another 9-11 than subject everyone to the most thorough search possible?

Look - I accept that many of you feel the TSA process is far from perfect, but I would like to add my perspective.

I am not a US citizen, but travel to the States frequently (around 12 times a year - plus numerous internal US flights). I actually prefer the level of 'security' (read 'reassurance') that I'm given by the TSA. When I get on board a flight in the US I actually feel safe. I can't say that about flights from some other airports in other countries (including, at times, the UK).

If you're a smart, highly organised and intelligent terrorist, intent on bringing a plane down, there a plenty of ways of doing that and you're going to find a way.

But what about the one-offs, the weirdos and whackos? Many of them are a biscuit short of the pack and enhanced security might just weed them out. I'm all for that. Some people really are stupid enough to take things with them which will get picked up by the TSA.

Being British, I would certainly question why someone was walking around with >10,000 cash. We just don't see that as normal. I would want someone to question that. In the UK, this kind of money would often come from illegal transactions (selling illegally imported cigarettes or pirated CDs or from vice etc).

Carrying a lot of cash isn't illegal. But it's fairly stupid. Stupidity like that should raise suspicion. Suspicious activity should be investigated.

Some of the 'rules' being implemented are reactionary. But what would you differently? I watched a programme recently recreating the final few minutes of the AA flight on 9-11. Just watching as the cabin dividers were closed made me cringe (knowing the problems this would cause a few minutes later). If I was a government employee, going in to work the next day and tasked with stopping this ever happening again, I would have mandated the removal of curtains plus a raft of other stuff at checkpoints etc. And yes, the rules keep changing, but that is a combination of lessons continually being learned and new situations arising.

Back to the TSA and their duties and what they should be allowed to report.

If a mom or dad was walking through a TSA checkpoint with a child, and the child looked under duress, I would want the TSA to report that to someone. What happens if that child was being taken away from its other parent? If it was a kidnapping (removal of child against a court order), I would be the first person to ask 'how could they have got through all the airport checkpoint without someone asking the child if something was wrong?

On earlier comments in this thread... the judgment in the legal case above seems to be fairly clear... as long as the reason for the search was for security (rather than to make $250) then whatever is found is subject to normal procedures.

Back to my personal experiences. I don't really mind having to take off my shoes - it takes a minute more of my time. I have been 'SSSSd' three out of the last 16 flights. It delayed me a few extra minutes. The TSA was always polite. In one case, it saved me 10 minutes because the SSSS queue was empty, compared to a huge regular line.

I don't mind my boarding pass being checked every few minutes. I was in Budapest recently and my identity was not checked a single time post immigration. No check before boarding the aircraft. I felt pretty uncomfortable that in reality - anybody could have been on that aircraft which would be flying over central London. The more check the better.

Just my two cents in support of the TSA, and probably a little off topic! (but I thought they needed some support )

Regards WG

So if you report me for having $10,001 on me and it turns out I'm not breaking the law I can charge you with a crime?

I never said I was going to tell them your watch was stolen. I was going to tell them your watch might be stolen (it might be, how the hell do I know?), just like you'd tell the cops I might be doing something wrong by carrying around money.

Oh man...

You sir, just sparked WW3.

This is close to what I was thinking of doing. With a reasonably small amount of money, I could make enough bricks to appear as if I am carryone well over 10K. If I am detained by a screener for carrying this, I would be well within my rights to press charges against them for falsely accusing me of a crime.

Well you may feel better - i.e. be reassured - but that's not the same thing as actually having security. I'd prefer that stop wasting time and money on window dressing that doesn't improve airport security.
And there are plenty of legal reasons someone might have that much money on them. But it's not really your business to question it. I might wonder why you're carrying around an outdated cell phone, but that's not my business either. Carrying cash isn't in and of itself suspicious at all.
Carrying around an outdated cell phone is stupid. It's big and heavy. Next time I see someone with one I'm going to turn them in. They could be a danger to themselves
The TSA's job is not to make sure that kids aren't kidnapped. I'd call the cops if it looked like something were wrong, sure, but that's something that would be publicly obvious without me having to search through people's bags/person.
You're welcome to take them off if you want to. That doesn't mean the rest of us should be forced to.
Why? It does nothing to improve security and probably distracts from the real mission of keeping us safe.
Huh?

How does checking your ID improve security? Does your ID identify whether you're a terrorist or not?

This is the kind of pointless window dressing I despise. It does nothing to improve security. It might make you feel better, but it doesn't make us any safer so it's a waste of time and money.

Doppy - I understand your points and see where you're coming from - there are many sides to this issue.

The ID checking thing - if nobody ever checks it - it is an easy way to get somebody aboard an aircraft so long as they have a boarding pass (at BUD it could have been anybody). At least if there are checks, or random checks, it might deter one of the weirdos... that's all I'm saying.

I know security screening isn't perfect, but I'd rather have the TSA (even with the SSSSing) than security at a lot of other airports.

Regards

WG

The TSA is NO better than any other countries security. In fact it is a LOT worse than european security.

As for the idiotic ID checking, that has ZERO effect on security. Anyone with the intelligence of a 12 year old can obtain fake ID.

ID checking is a joke. Fake ID's are a dime a dozen. Go to any large university in the states and a large percentage of the 18-20 year old students will have fake ID's. ID checks do nothing to improve security. The only real benefit is revenue protection for the air carriers to stop the selling of un-used tickets.

The SSSS (selectee) system is a joke likewise and a waste of time and resources. The time, money, and manpower spent on multiple ID/BP checks and screening selectees who have already passed primary screening could be spent on something useful such as screening cargo or closing some of the other backdoors.

The only time someone should be subject to additional screening is if they fail primary screening. A passenger on a one-way ticket, a codeshare, or heaven forbid a passenger re-routed because of a flight cancellation does not make them a security risk.

The TSA, primarily at the top levels, is a disgusting, incompetent, unamerican, money hungry buearcracy driven by fear & politics.

Papers, Please?

SDF_Traveler