FT...where everyone is above average, all members are equal except newbies are more equal than others and every question is "unique," no matter how many times it is asked.

To quote Journey, "Don't Stop Believin'."

Facts are best, but absent them, diversity and differences of opinion make FT better.

It is interesting the treatment that Newbies receive. It is always either very very nice or very very rude. Never anything in the middle.

I think that re-asking questions [esp by newbies] actually serves a good purpose from time to time. A lot of the old timers sometimes forget what is common knowledge and what is not...and what is important today versus yesterday.

As far as 'complaining' I think the whole Security forum is meant to get us to think of what we do or do not want our government to do. It is the most frequently quoted forum in correspondence to my friends that blindly accept 'security' as it stands today. Long term I think this forum has the most amount of value to all travelers of all airlines.

p.s. I did do a search on 'complaining' before I posted :)

While I don't really consider any of these situations unique, a family that travels millions of BIS miles per year together is certainly unique. Since millions is plural, they must travel at least 2 million miles per year as a family. If they take weekends off, that means they travel a maximum of 250 days per year. To do 2 million BIS miles in 250 days means that they average 8000 miles per day. At 500 MPH, 8000 miles is 16 hours per day, not counting checkin, TSA screenings, boarding, connections, waiting for luggage, etc. Another way of looking at it is it is spending 80 hours per week aloft. And all this is just for the minimum, for all we know the OP and his family travel 4 million BIS miles per year, which means that they would never land, and would spend 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, aloft. I'd be a little cranky with the TSA, too.

if i had the resources, i'd set up an auto dial bank in a heart beat. you think sanjaya got "banked calls"..... wheeeeeee ;)

Thanks for your math...I will have to actually total up the miles, without bonuses, etc. for last year. My statement was accurate, but misses the point. I wanted to illustrate that with the raw number of times going through security in a 5 person group we do run into situations that a business person or a couple probably do not encounter.

Between all of us we have earned a little less than 20 million miles. Obviously not all last year, obviously not all flying (even though the actual flying number IS in the millions), obviously not all with AA (as I mentioned I had flown ourselves for the first segment on this flight). Nevertheless, I think that 2 round-the-world trips in 12 months (+ 100 further segments) (+ 2 RTW scheduled for the next 12 months) for a SIX year old is unique, but perhaps I do not know FT demographics as well as I thought.

I do feel that we are uniquely qualified to give input in the security process both here and abroad when in reference to going through it with children.

I was about to call to register a complaint, but backed down.

I really feel uncomfortable giving my name, address, etc. to the government [yes, I know they have it anyways].

I don't think I would have felt like this a few years back...I just don't want to get into a 'bad list' or any list for that matter.

In some ways I think it will not help and can only hurt me. Is this the right way to feel in the USA?

Put away your fears. I have complained many, many times and I still have no problems with online check-in and I have not had to shoot anyone who has shown up at my door without a warrant. ;)

I don't think it matters either. And furthermore, customer service and concern over complaints seems to be completely a thing of the past. Sad but true.

Remind me to never deliver a pizza to Spiff's house.

:D

I was kidding - the pizza guy/gal is always welcome and receives a decent tip too.

A possible "warm" reception is reserved for those who break and enter w/o a warrant, regardless of who they work for. :)

It's confirmed Spiff is in my short list of people I would like to go though security with.

I just re-read FliesWay2Much's quote

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. (Jefferson)

I think there might be tyranny...

A very good reason to complain, as others have pointed out, is that the TSA frequently brags about its complaint levels in PR. "Most people are happy, complaints are down, etc.!" they shout.

While I have much doubt that any individual complaint gets read (and I can say from experience they frequently are not read, at least not by human beings), much less will effect any change, receiving many complaints cannot make the agency look good under the broader eye of government and media scrutiny.

Folks,

I've had to remove a number of posts, or parts thereof, in the last 24 hours for either remarks aimed at the character of another poster or arguments developed b/c of them. Please please please refrain from taking the bait, even if you're the target. Use the Report Bad Post function to call attention to harassing and argumentative behavior.

Thank you.

essxjay
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TS/S moderator