Bone Dry at DIA
 

While traveling through Denver Int'l Airport to Los Angeles last Wednesday afternoon, the oddest and most unpleasant thing happened to me. I was unaware that I could not take my Aquafina water bottle with me beyond the security screening area. The TSA officer took it from me but I quickly asked if I could have a tiny sip before he threw it out - my mouth was very dry. He refused and began an argument with me noting that I was trying to commit a crime and/or a distraction by asking to sip my just-purchased water, which he was now holding.

He created a scene and then called over additional support, essentially 14 or more TSA officers and three cops. When the head guy came over, he asked "What seems to be the problem?" I was pretty upset at this point, I admit, but hadn't (according to my travel companions and other travellers being screened) raised my voice or anything.

The original guy lied to his supervisor by saying, "She's insisting on taking her water to the gate area." Of course, I had done no such thing. But, the supervisor became even ruder. I said that "I was merely trying to find out if I could have a sip, and if not - why not." Ultimately, I said to the original officer, "Do what you have to do" not once, but three times! Though I shared this with the supervisor, it had no impact on him.

When I tried to get their names off their badges, the supervisor curtly said he needed to see "my" ID and boarding pass. He detained me for a good 15 minutes writing down my information, which I willingly gave to him. I did have second thoughts about doing so, as I felt he was about to put me on a watchlist of some kind. I was told that even though every officer wears a badge with their name and ID number, I wasn't "allowed" to copy it down or even look at it! Can you imagine? Don't they wear them for the convenience of travellers and others.

In the end, I took my disabled body, my walking cane, my Service Dog, and the purse they searched, and proceeded to the gate - crying all the way.

I was treated so poorly. It was the first time I'd ever had such a demeaning event happen to me while traveling.

In the time frame and with the effort they'd taken to harass me about a sip of water, any number of legitimate terror threats could have pass through the security area, completely unencumbered by TSA and its ridiculus and random procedures.

Has anyone ever encountered harassment like this or been made to feel like a criminal just for asking a question as politely as possible?

I blame this type of treatment not on the individual officers, but on the TSA security system as a whole. This type of inane process was made possible by the Bush administration's delusional policies and procedures for "Homeland Security." If we weren't living in a "soon-to-be" police state, whereby, the worker is at best forced to be inconsistent with their screenings and at worst where travellers are subjected to any number of random, insulting inconveniences and charges (at their unfortunate expense), I would have filed a complaint against the whole group.

Something has got to be done about this.

Well, well, well.... the whole TSA 'system' is a joke, but we may be surprised when it stays the same or worse regardless of who's administration we are subjected to; I am afraid that party lines are not going to fix this, ever.

Sorry, really am about your ordeal, that is truly shameless on TSA's part, but then, for what I observe and hear, that is what they do (sometimes): some/many (who knows) of these 'agents' are so bloated with a 'deputized' level of 'authority' that makes situations such as yours not all that unusual.

There are some vocal 'agents' that will defend their position and actions such as they were answering to a higher calling. In fact, most of the vocal ones are LEO's wannabes that clearly would never have made it, so they put unsuspecting travelers through a virtual hell just to show that they are important.

As a 'disclaimer' for those that will be tempted to blast me: I have encountered incredibly professional TSA staff also, with CS skills that could actually be easily transferred to a more rewarding line of work.

:mad: :mad: :mad: Please hold, spooling rage. Now paging Spiff.

Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Why are we still surprised when it happens?

Every so often I get the urge to ask one of them what exactly their definition of "public servant" is.

...
 

Service dog?

Are you visually impaired?

If so, the signs would not have been helpful to you, and they should have treated you with at least some courtesy.

If you know the date, approximate time, and the gate you left by (that might help them narrow down which checkpoint you were at), write them anyway. Write them even if you don't have anything but the day. Or go to a media outlet.

That is just ridiculous.

....
 

Write your senator, too.

The TSA is a government-owned agency, and part of a senator's job is to advocate for their constituents when dealing with government agencies. I've actually had to write mine once over an issue with the federal government, and it was amazing how quickly it got resolved after she got involved.

This incident personifies the disgrace that is the TSA to a T.

The fact that it happened at Patrick Ahlstrom's (aka Patrick the _______) little fief is not surprising in the least.

DEN is one of the very worst TSA operations and I hope Ahlstrom is one day paid back in spades for the slimepit he is responsible for.

Frankly, some of the story sounds a little embellished.

That said, I would write...

Patrick Ahlstrom
Federal Security Director
Transportation Security Administration
Denver International Airport
8500 Pena Boulevard
Denver, CO 80249

Additionally, to ensure a response, I would copy the following people:
Turner West
Manager, Department of Aviation

Lori Beckman
Deputy Manager
Public Safety & Securrty


Also, I would find out from the airline you traveled on to find out the name of the Ground Security Coordinator of your airline. Copy that person as well, and make sure you put ALL of the names on the letter, at the very least as a CC.

This way, Ahlstrom will not only have to answer to you, but to everyone listed on the letter.

Give as much information as possible, such as...
Date and time
Lane number
Which checkpoint (north, south or Concourse A)
Physical descriptions of the people involved

Let us know what happens.

Good luck.

... and above all else, submit a FOIA request for any video recording the episode.

Unfortunately, in our society, nothing gets attention unless there's video.

sounds somewhat similar to the royal f/c A$$HOLE i had at jfk (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=656616). keep very good documentation just in case and it might be worth logging a complaint as i did with the tsa hotline and in the complaint "politely request" ;) that a tsa representative call you back within 48 hours. if you don't get a call back, call the hotline again and at that point insist that the tsa call you back. it worked for me ont he 3rd call.

Well, we don't know that yet, do we, as TSA is Bush and his party's invention. I don't believe, for one minute, that all the abuses of TSA are merely the result of poor management. They are part and parcel of the attack on the Constitution perpetrated by this administration.

I am no longer a fan of the Bush administration because of its acquiescence to profligate spending and botching the war in Iraq. However, TSA is the due to the efforts of a few Democrat senators, especially Tom Daschle. The pity is that Republicans did not prevent this monstrosity of a bureaucracy from being established, and that Bush did not veto the legislation establishing this un-American bureaucracy.

I think it would be best if we didn't let this thread degenerate into a political discussion. Move it over to OMNI.


On topic: I'm sorry you had that experience. Please do write it up and send it in to the addresses suggested above. Furthermore, I wouldn't attempt to approach any TSA screening location with any bottles of water again.

Certainly a violation of the ADA.

Seriously

Call your attorney!

PLEASE!

Onewomanink, WELCOME TO FT!!

I wish I could say that your post is in any way surprising but quite frankly, it's not even raising an eyebrow here. The TSA is an out of control, totally unaccountable, 6 billion dollar a year workfare program that has absolutely nothing to do with security. We have some TSA iniders lurking here and they see the problem the same as we do but are largely powerless to stop it. I have been questioned as to why I am carrying a piece of test equipment, I have seen a Roman Catholic nun in full regalia body searched, I have seen grown adults reduced to tears by abusive screeners. I have seen people carrying prohibited knives through and reported it only to be told "Oh, it's probably a test"--and that also was at DEN. I have seen children's stuffed animals molested causing young children to become very upset, I have had TSA employees speak to me in urban vernacular that is almost unintelliglble to speakers of the English language ("I not dem. Dey nah me.") I have been barked at through a bullhorn, threatened with not flying today, and despite my best efforts, I cannot seem to get a female screener to administer the complimentary grope and rubdown. They are all guys who look like, well, quite frankly, like ME.

I wish I could tell you that writing elected officials will help, but it won't. For whatever reason, the congress weasels are silent on this matter.

I wish I could tell you that contacting the media will help, but it won't. They will trot out the suburban soccer moms in their minivans who will appear on camera with a very concerned look in their faces and say "Oh, ANYTHING for security."

I wish I could tell you that writing the TSA will help. I personally am waiting for a PROMISED call back from a TSA supervisor at the national "customer service" number that I called back three times trying to get in AUGUST of 2006.

The TSA is a national joke, a national shame and a national cancer. The party in power that put them there isn't going to do anything. The party that won control of congress is clearly not interested in changing anyhing, because their leadership doesn't fly commercial, they fly in private military jets. I personally think that if congressweasels had to endure the TSA humiliation that things would change, so it makes sese that they exempt themselves from such abuse.

While we complain about it here, the only thing we can really to is sibject ourselves to it or drive. Eventualy, I beleive, the TSA will shut down forums like these are being violations of the patriot act that "interfere with their mission" and dissenters sent off to Guantanamo Bay as "enemy combatants".

After, of course, we take our shoes off.

If you get too belligerent you will be hauled off to jail. If you challenge them they will detain you and record your personal data. Push much more and you will find yourself on a no-fly list. No one there is accountable to anyone anywhere. The TSA operates above the law and cites the patriot act as their authorization to do so.

Welcome to America.

--PP