Absurd Baggie Experience
Jan 12, 2007 | 9:05 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: STL
Programs: WN, DL, AA; Hyatt or Wyndham
Posts: 1,105
Absurd Baggie Experience
Leaving STL with wife, wife hasn't travelled since the whole liquids thing in 2006. Her backpack has a couple of small pharmaceutical items in them that qualify as "liquid."
After a bag search, the TSA agent says "these are supposed to be carried in clear plastic bags. But here, we have some extra baggies you can use to put them in." Whereupon he places the items in the TSA plastic bag and returns them to my wife's backpack.
If the whole point of placing the liquids in clear plastic bags is to speed up the screening process and allow the screener to see the items without the necessity of a bag search.... what is the point of putting the items in a plastic bag after a full bag search, then letting us go on our way?
After a bag search, the TSA agent says "these are supposed to be carried in clear plastic bags. But here, we have some extra baggies you can use to put them in." Whereupon he places the items in the TSA plastic bag and returns them to my wife's backpack.
If the whole point of placing the liquids in clear plastic bags is to speed up the screening process and allow the screener to see the items without the necessity of a bag search.... what is the point of putting the items in a plastic bag after a full bag search, then letting us go on our way?
Jan 12, 2007 | 9:27 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Salish Sea
Programs: DL,AC,HH,PC
Posts: 8,972
Jan 12, 2007 | 9:37 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: An NPR mind living in a Fox News world
Posts: 14,343
Leaving STL with wife, wife hasn't travelled since the whole liquids thing in 2006. Her backpack has a couple of small pharmaceutical items in them that qualify as "liquid."
After a bag search, the TSA agent says "these are supposed to be carried in clear plastic bags. But here, we have some extra baggies you can use to put them in." Whereupon he places the items in the TSA plastic bag and returns them to my wife's backpack.
If the whole point of placing the liquids in clear plastic bags is to speed up the screening process and allow the screener to see the items without the necessity of a bag search.... what is the point of putting the items in a plastic bag after a full bag search, then letting us go on our way?
After a bag search, the TSA agent says "these are supposed to be carried in clear plastic bags. But here, we have some extra baggies you can use to put them in." Whereupon he places the items in the TSA plastic bag and returns them to my wife's backpack.
If the whole point of placing the liquids in clear plastic bags is to speed up the screening process and allow the screener to see the items without the necessity of a bag search.... what is the point of putting the items in a plastic bag after a full bag search, then letting us go on our way?
Jan 12, 2007 | 10:08 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,034
I'm not sure I see the absurd nature of this experience.
Sure, the liquid nonsense is just that....nonsense.
But the TSAer could have made a huge deal of this, such as re-screening the items in the baggie, the entire backpack, and/or given the woman a secondary.
Yet he just gave the woman a baggie, advised her of the guideline for future travels, returned the items into the backpack and set her on her way.
Am I missing something?
Sure, the liquid nonsense is just that....nonsense.
But the TSAer could have made a huge deal of this, such as re-screening the items in the baggie, the entire backpack, and/or given the woman a secondary.
Yet he just gave the woman a baggie, advised her of the guideline for future travels, returned the items into the backpack and set her on her way.
Am I missing something?
Jan 12, 2007 | 10:13 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 728
Do you believe The Party would make you do something if it wasn't in your best interest? If so, then why do you question The Party?
Jan 12, 2007 | 10:16 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 728
His question is simply what the point of even making her put it in the baggie at that point is. (He could have just told her to bring a baggie next time if he wanted to simply inform her of the rule for future knowledge.)
Basically, he's trying to make sense of the intentionally absurd policies of the TSA.
Basically, he's trying to make sense of the intentionally absurd policies of the TSA.
Jan 12, 2007 | 10:30 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,034
Don't get me wrong, I think the TSA is a huge waste of everything.
But the guy gave her a bag and told her what to do to avoid the hassle the next time.
That TSAer could have just as easily done what I have seen other TSAers do...cop an attitude, and yell at the passenger and tell her to move on.
Jan 12, 2007 | 10:33 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 728
Maybe it was for you. It was also largely untrue, of course.
TSA hasnt gotten to the hard line stance about the liquids yet.
This is a completely false statement. Had the lady refused the bag entirely, she'd have seen exactly how hardline the TSA's stance is about this.
TSA hasnt gotten to the hard line stance about the liquids yet.
This is a completely false statement. Had the lady refused the bag entirely, she'd have seen exactly how hardline the TSA's stance is about this.
Jan 12, 2007 | 10:37 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,034
Maybe it was for you. It was also largely untrue, of course.
TSA hasnt gotten to the hard line stance about the liquids yet.
This is a completely false statement. Had the lady refused the bag entirely, she'd have seen exactly how hardline the TSA's stance is about this.
TSA hasnt gotten to the hard line stance about the liquids yet.
This is a completely false statement. Had the lady refused the bag entirely, she'd have seen exactly how hardline the TSA's stance is about this.
Are you crazy?
Nowhere in the OP did it say the liquids we re-screened.
Sheesh, I thought it was a nice gesture from a TSAer, and you're making it into some government conspiracy.