Every time I have spoken with a supervisor, and reading the threads here, I see it differently -- that the supervisor always backs up the screener.

GoGoGirl:

By all means, try sending them the check! It, too, will be confiscated (with the dignity and respect TSA pledges to you!) and they may even request another!

Are you KIDDING???

I had this exact same thing happen in LAS when I wanted a complaint form. They demanded my ID. I said absolutely not for the same reasons you stated. I asked for the highest supervisor they had and explained the situation - he said that they wanted an ID to keep track of the complaints so they could respond to them if questioned about them later. I told him I was not surrendering my ID again and he went away.

I have found this to be the case only about 110 percent of the time...and several have even stated that they would not have pulled me over for my shoes.

At SOU, only a small airport admittedly, they had prepaid envelopes for people who had confiscated items. My brother got a Swiss Army knife back First Class Mail ^

For larger items I'd wave bye bye....

I am talking about the exception to the rule. Thought I pointed that out.

There is a line between customer service and gutless acquiescence. A good supervisor shouldn't take sides. Instead, the supervisor should strive to be objective as he or she assesses the facts of the situation before taking a course of action. Most supervisors try to do this. This one in particular does not. Your comment may be couched in sarcasm or it may not. However, I doubt you seriously believe that any supervisor who simply refuses to back up an employee under any circumstances could be regarded as a good customer-service oriented boss. I'm not advocating that a supervisor should be confrontational against passengers or get into a battle of wills; however, there is a way to tactfully handle a situation without caving in by making the screener, in this case, feel totally worthless or out of line.

This is the easy part. For other supervisors, the frustration is even greater. This is your stereotypical office back-stabber. This one is a bad apple.