Problems getting a manual search @ LAS
 

So I'm in line to leave LAS for EWR. When I get to the x-ray machine, I point to a cardboard box and say "I'd like this to be searched by hand, I do not want it to go through the x-ray machine".

I repeat myself 2 or 3 times for the person who wrangles at the x-ray machine. I add that they are video tapes and I don't want to chance it.

So he calls over a supervisor. Supervisor tells me the x-ray machine is safe for video tape. I say I don't want to take the chance. Supervisor repeats that the x-ray machine is safe, and I repeat that I don't want to take the chance.

Supervisor takes me through security to his boss, who I play the same game with - I want a hand search, he tells me the x-ray is safe. Finally, he gets on the phone with somebody, and that person tells him (as far as I can tell), "Do the damn hand search, moron".

So he then does the hand search - opens the box, swabs each tape and does the explosives test. I go on my merry way.

Is there a reason the TSA is making this so difficult? All the speed bumps seem to do is make their lives more difficult and delay me even further.

I believe your post provides the answer to your question:

A couple of possibilities:

1) They were preparing you for the lunacy that is EWR.
2) They weren't able to retaliate to you with a secondary, so they were lost.

I kind of got a chuckle reading of the experience, especially after reading the TSAer comments here about shoe folks hold things up.

I hear you! I've had trouble getting the TSA to hand inspect my rolls of camera film, even though the TSA website admits the x-ray machines are not good for film. I keep my film (removed from the plastic containers) in two clear plastic baggies - one for exposed film, one for unexposed. The last time I went through ATL, you'd have thought I was asking the agent to hand inspect baggies of fecal material rather than obvious rolls of film. A supervisor had to come over, open the baggies and inspect the film rolls himself, with this followed by a thorough search of my carryon camera bag. Sheesh. Looks like I'm going to have to make the transition to all digital afterall.

Comrade Daschle says
 

"You don't professionalize until you federalize." :rolleyes:

Videotapes HAVE to be xrayed. Period. The supervisor was an idiot for not consulting the SOP and whoever told him to do a hand check is the moron for also not knowing the SOP.

Oh, stop it, already! Isn't a hand search, with swabbing for explosives, even better than x-raying? What's your problem? :rolleyes:

Bruce

Not my problem. I didn't write the SOP. ::shrug::

So someone at the TSA didn't follow SOP. Like that never happens.

The only difference is that this came out in the passenger's favor, and likely damaged the ego of some TSA staff. That seems to be the 'outrage' here.

God forbid the travelers become accustomed to exceptions in their favor and common sense... :rolleyes:

Prove it.

Hey, you asked why and I gave the answer. If you don't believe me then that's your hangup, not mine.

That's the problem. So many TSA screeners in so many airports around the country are willing to lie about what's required by the policy (e.g. "all shoes must come off or you don't fly today") that it's hard to believe a screener when he/she may actually be backed by the policy.

I've been on this forum for a while now and I have never lied; I have no reason to lie. My goal here is to learn from you guys, not to clarify policy. However, I did respond - truthfully - to a question asked here.

I'm not calling you a liar; in fact, I believe you about existence of the videotape x-ray rule.

What I'm saying is that people question and disbelieve TSA screeners when the meet them at the checkpoints because so many of the screeners lie about policy. Unfortunately, the management of the TSA is not concerned with their own credibility or the credibility of their employees. If they cared, they wouldn't allow screeners to shout "all shoes must come off (or you don't fly today)" at so many airports.