Attempted retaliatory screening rebuffed!
 

We all know that LGA is a pretty good TSA operation. I go through there often and usually have compliments for the supervisors. But not always.

On Friday, July 14, at 3:00, I went through the C-gates checkpoint (United). I had my usual rollaboard and soft canvas book-type bag (my "personal item"). The soft bag has no solid structure at all and could easily be crushed between more solid bags on the belt, so I always put it in a plastic bin. On Friday, screener "James" (a sort of dull-looking young guy wearing a jacket) removed my bag from the bin. I asked what he was doing. He replied that I don't need a bin for that bag. I objected and took back the bin, pointing out that my bag has no solid frame of any kind and contains articles that could be damaged. I did this nicely, believe it or not. James again removed my bag from the bin, told me that bins cannot be used for bags with zippers (which mine has), and carried the bin away. I went and got another bin for my bag.

At this point, James (obviously furious) allowed the bin containing my bag to enter the x-ray machine, but he practically screamed to anybody listening, "Continuous! Continuous!" Obviously, he was trying to get me a retaliatory screening for my disobedience. Interestingly, the other screeners had seen us interacting and simply ignored him. It was kind of amazing. He again screamed "continuous" while I walked through the metal detector wearing my non-profile shoes. I took my bags from the belt, looked around to be sure that other screeners had noticed me, and kept on walking. Nobody stopped me or asked to do additional screening, even though they could not possibly have failed to hear James screaming. They just ignored him. He looked very disgusted and walked away.

I went to speak with the supervisor (the extremely competent "Alex"), who was pretty unhappy, as were two other screeners who heard my story. Alex agreed that (1) I could use a bin for my bag and (2) a retaliatory screening for such action was totally inappropriate. Alex promised to speak with James about his behavior, which I am sure will happen. I also completed a complaint form.

Bruce

Well, Bruce. I do have to say "thanks" for keeping your cool and for speaking with the supervisor concerning his behavior. James' actions were completely uncalled for and should be dealt with immediately. But rather than have a stand-off with James, you took the high road and talked to the supervisor. I am curious of what the outcome was.

Again, my thanks for your actions.

when a bag is closed and nothing can fall out then that bag does not need a bin.
somethings when its busy we dont have enough bins upfront and some paxs uses bins for everything using many bins for bags that are way too big and dont need bins. however when I approach a bag in a bin and I see that all the bins are stacking up on the rollers, screeners are busy with passengers and there is nobody to return them to me (im out of bins)..I polite say to the passenger" miss/sir you dont need a bin for this closed bag....ussually the pax doesnt mind me taking away the bin..but when they say that they do need it for some reason then I just let it go in the x-ray w/out arguing...
I definelty agree w/ both of you that screener was way out of line .maybe thats why the other screeners just ignored him..cuz they already know his attitude.

This was a reassuring story and nice to hear.

Thank you Bruce, for pointing out that the problem was a cuckoo screener, not a passenger.

I hope that many more supervisors follow Alex's lead.

Sometimes, I find it easier to just let the passengers load them how they see fit. As long as we can see it on x-ray, who cares?

Just another example of the "My house, my rules, challenge me and I will exercise my new found authority" mentality.

People exhibiting this sort of behavior should be terminated on the spot at its first showing. That's what the 1 year probationary period is for (assuming that TSAs serve a one year probationary period like other Fed employees).

If these guys were removed at the first hint of a desire to exercise authority improperly we could probably close down this Forum.

Generally, yes, but what if the bag has fragile things in it that could get crushed by other bags? What if it has frilly things/tags that could easily get caught in the conveyor belt?

Plastic bins are cheap, if you run out at the checkpoint the TSA should buy more for you.

Which, forutnately, is about 98% of the time. I have some items I do not like to roll on the rollers, opting to place them directly onto the belt.

About three years ago, I got a TSAer at MSP who....A) gave me a lesson on how rollers don't damage anything, etc and B) probably got beat up in school a lot for his lunch money.

I asked him the same question, whether it shows up on the x-ray differently or not. Didn't get answer to that for some reason.

Back to the OP: seems to me that the TSA should encourage using bins in the OP's case, if it did provide protection for the item. But then again, when has common sense ever been employed in the TSA?

A mutual friend of ours who has been banned from FlyerTalk notified me that the FSD, AFSD and Stakeholder Manager have been notified of this situation and it will be handled accordingly.

LaGuardia? "Friend of Ours??" You guys are in the Mob? I didn't think they had a branch in Texas!

Excellent result! ^

I have to agree with you; If I want to place my fragile bag inside a bus tub, then by God, it's gonna ride thru the x-ray machine in a bus tub.

Glad to hear that James will be re-educated. :D

Gotta wonder how he pulls his T-shirt on in the morning over that massive head?

if it really looks fragile or it looks like something that needs a bin then we leave it in however I always ask the pax if its ok with out a bin if not then it goes in.
then before we try to take it out


yea they should but in the meantime we try to use bins for bags n things that really need them....
and when less bins are used the x-ray runs better because most people just get thier things and leave the bins on the rollers instead of getting them off and stacking them and when all screeners are busy working

it does not make any differnce in the x-ray machine..
however in my case when we load at SFO we load on the passenger side,which means that I cant run back and retrieve the bins to use again...
so when I see overside bags or closed bags that dont look fragile or that nothing wont fall out, and I see that I only have a certain number of bins and a long line I opt to let the passenger know that I will be taking the bag out...ofcourse if they say no then the bin is used,
laptops, loose items,bags opened and fragile things should be some of the items for the bins..

At LGA I have always been treated like a customer, which is quite refreshing. I do hope that this one bad apple is removed, I don't want that to spread.

Since stuff reguarly get's crushed coming out of the x-ray, I reguarly put all soft-sided articles into a bin. I will continue to do this until such time as stuff stops getting crushed upon egress from the machine.