Where have the Barkers gone??
Apr 29, 2007, 9:19 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 503
Where have the Barkers gone??
This is truly a first for me. Both my TSA experiences this weekend were actually pleasant. There was no one barking about liquids, laptops, etc. Both at PBI and JFK I was even given a smile and told to "enjoy my flight". Now I know stuff like this would just be mediocre "customer service" at best for any other agency, but for the TSA I'm amazed to get anything close to this!
Maybe if this organization got some experience leadership (you know, administrators who actually HAVE prior experience in the security field instead of Komrade Kip) and started to focus on legitimate threats instead of the liquid and shoe carnivals, there might actually be some hope...
Maybe if this organization got some experience leadership (you know, administrators who actually HAVE prior experience in the security field instead of Komrade Kip) and started to focus on legitimate threats instead of the liquid and shoe carnivals, there might actually be some hope...
Last edited by DL4EVR; Apr 29, 2007 at 9:20 pm Reason: spelling
Apr 29, 2007, 9:34 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,788
That would be a good thing. ^
However, my experience has been that the barkers are not everywhere, all the time.
Still, I hope you are right and the TSA has finally acquired some degree of management that can stand up to Kip and Congress.
However, my experience has been that the barkers are not everywhere, all the time.
Still, I hope you are right and the TSA has finally acquired some degree of management that can stand up to Kip and Congress.
Apr 29, 2007, 9:47 pm
#3
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Timely thread. They were out in force at MIA today.
I went to a Starbucks where the person behind the counter was polite and called me "Sir." Unnecessary but nice. And then I went into a line was I was yelled at for ten minutes by a young woman who sounded like she was berating elementary school children.
I want to get rid of the shoe carnival, the liquid ban and the rest of it, but some days I think I could put up with it all if they were just nice and didn't act like human trash held together by a uniform.
I went to a Starbucks where the person behind the counter was polite and called me "Sir." Unnecessary but nice. And then I went into a line was I was yelled at for ten minutes by a young woman who sounded like she was berating elementary school children.
I want to get rid of the shoe carnival, the liquid ban and the rest of it, but some days I think I could put up with it all if they were just nice and didn't act like human trash held together by a uniform.
Apr 29, 2007, 10:28 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: BAEC Silver, WN CP, Marriott Gold
Posts: 424
Denver - Plasma TV's instead?
DEN seem to have this right, no barkers that I've ever seen there, rather they have large plasma screens on stands all over the security areas displaying messages and information about 311 and other rules.
Also was very impressed to see their setup with the two security checkpoints. For those who are not familiar, they have two security areas - the "US flag" and "Colorado flag" sides, both feeding down escalators to the same train platform. From the drop-off on the top level, you can see the lines in the maze, but on the side that you are about to descend to only. Just before the escalator, they've set up yet another big-screen display with a live video feed of the other checkpoint, and prominant signs with arrows directing you to the other side, in case you decide that the line is shorter.
Gotta say that this is the smartest I've seen any airport run... don't know if this is TSA or Denver Airport authorities, but someone's got their head on straight out here. Now I generally walk right through (thanks Frontier, only 15k miles for Ascent status and bypass security), but even when I've been flying pre-status, the lines were never more than a couple minutes.
Also was very impressed to see their setup with the two security checkpoints. For those who are not familiar, they have two security areas - the "US flag" and "Colorado flag" sides, both feeding down escalators to the same train platform. From the drop-off on the top level, you can see the lines in the maze, but on the side that you are about to descend to only. Just before the escalator, they've set up yet another big-screen display with a live video feed of the other checkpoint, and prominant signs with arrows directing you to the other side, in case you decide that the line is shorter.
Gotta say that this is the smartest I've seen any airport run... don't know if this is TSA or Denver Airport authorities, but someone's got their head on straight out here. Now I generally walk right through (thanks Frontier, only 15k miles for Ascent status and bypass security), but even when I've been flying pre-status, the lines were never more than a couple minutes.
Beagles?
Apr 29, 2007, 11:31 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Somewhere west of the Atlantic Ocean and east of the Pacific Ocean...
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Posts: 1,232
DEN seem to have this right, no barkers that I've ever seen there, rather they have large plasma screens on stands all over the security areas displaying messages and information about 311 and other rules.
Also was very impressed to see their setup with the two security checkpoints. For those who are not familiar, they have two security areas - the "US flag" and "Colorado flag" sides, both feeding down escalators to the same train platform. From the drop-off on the top level, you can see the lines in the maze, but on the side that you are about to descend to only. Just before the escalator, they've set up yet another big-screen display with a live video feed of the other checkpoint, and prominant signs with arrows directing you to the other side, in case you decide that the line is shorter.
Gotta say that this is the smartest I've seen any airport run... don't know if this is TSA or Denver Airport authorities, but someone's got their head on straight out here. Now I generally walk right through (thanks Frontier, only 15k miles for Ascent status and bypass security), but even when I've been flying pre-status, the lines were never more than a couple minutes.
Also was very impressed to see their setup with the two security checkpoints. For those who are not familiar, they have two security areas - the "US flag" and "Colorado flag" sides, both feeding down escalators to the same train platform. From the drop-off on the top level, you can see the lines in the maze, but on the side that you are about to descend to only. Just before the escalator, they've set up yet another big-screen display with a live video feed of the other checkpoint, and prominant signs with arrows directing you to the other side, in case you decide that the line is shorter.
Gotta say that this is the smartest I've seen any airport run... don't know if this is TSA or Denver Airport authorities, but someone's got their head on straight out here. Now I generally walk right through (thanks Frontier, only 15k miles for Ascent status and bypass security), but even when I've been flying pre-status, the lines were never more than a couple minutes.
Apr 30, 2007, 12:24 am
#7
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Someone at LCY was barking out instructions lately. The first time I've seen that at any UK airport. Usually they just walk up and down the line checking to see if anyone needs a bag to put their liquids in and to check no one is over the one bag limit.
Still apart from that, security is quick and there was no shoe carnival (sometimes they seem to ask people at random, other times they ask everyone, other times they don't bother - not sure if it depends who's on duty).
Still apart from that, security is quick and there was no shoe carnival (sometimes they seem to ask people at random, other times they ask everyone, other times they don't bother - not sure if it depends who's on duty).
Apr 30, 2007, 9:22 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Colorado
Programs: TSA
Posts: 2,745
DEN is getting lean and mean. TSA has cut the staff roster to the point that there are no "barkers." It is left up to the TSO that is at the metal detector to advise the pax to divest. However, there is a table in the queue line that is manned and there are TSO's in front of the metal detectors (only when there is enough staff) and they are supposed to advise you to divest your liquids etc. Since there are no "barkers" we have more laptops come through in bags that have to be dealt with. There are still alot of people that dont take their freedom baggie out of their carry on and incidents of pets being run through the x-ray are rising.
As far as the monitors are concerned, those that are in the queue line are TSA property and the ones at the top of the escalator are DEN OPS. The bridge to A concourse has only six lanes and Frontier has a lot of flights out of there and Luftansa, Mexicana and British Air use that concourse so depending on the time of day, it might not be a good idea to try it. Evenings between 4 and 7 pm are a bad idea.
As far as the monitors are concerned, those that are in the queue line are TSA property and the ones at the top of the escalator are DEN OPS. The bridge to A concourse has only six lanes and Frontier has a lot of flights out of there and Luftansa, Mexicana and British Air use that concourse so depending on the time of day, it might not be a good idea to try it. Evenings between 4 and 7 pm are a bad idea.
Apr 30, 2007, 10:05 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2006
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There was a little bit of barking last week at the TSA security checkpoint in ATL coming in from Customs / Immigration in Term. E. But, all in all, the experience wasn't too bad.
Apr 30, 2007, 10:19 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,037
DEN is getting lean and mean. TSA has cut the staff roster to the point that there are no "barkers." It is left up to the TSO that is at the metal detector to advise the pax to divest. However, there is a table in the queue line that is manned and there are TSO's in front of the metal detectors (only when there is enough staff) and they are supposed to advise you to divest your liquids etc. Since there are no "barkers" we have more laptops come through in bags that have to be dealt with. There are still alot of people that dont take their freedom baggie out of their carry on and incidents of pets being run through the x-ray are rising.
As far as the monitors are concerned, those that are in the queue line are TSA property and the ones at the top of the escalator are DEN OPS. The bridge to A concourse has only six lanes and Frontier has a lot of flights out of there and Luftansa, Mexicana and British Air use that concourse so depending on the time of day, it might not be a good idea to try it. Evenings between 4 and 7 pm are a bad idea.
As far as the monitors are concerned, those that are in the queue line are TSA property and the ones at the top of the escalator are DEN OPS. The bridge to A concourse has only six lanes and Frontier has a lot of flights out of there and Luftansa, Mexicana and British Air use that concourse so depending on the time of day, it might not be a good idea to try it. Evenings between 4 and 7 pm are a bad idea.
DEN is one of the few places where I have rarely seen/heard barkers.
I can understand people forgetting to take out the computers or the freedom baggies (credit to eyecue for the humor in saying that)....but PETS?!
Apr 30, 2007, 12:10 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Now that I'm flying to RDU, I've discovered that they still have the Liquids Table Person. She gets flustered if you walk right by her. Does Raleigh have a larger number of clueless pax who still don't know about the War On Toothpaste? Or is it where they send the "B-Ship" TSA-ers to work liquids?
At least she doesn't actually bark. But she is persistent in her whining.
I hate to say it, but I agree that DEN is getting better. They were infamous as a shoe carnival when shoes were optional. But now that there isn't a whole lot of discretion, they seem to do their security theatre performance efficiently.
At least she doesn't actually bark. But she is persistent in her whining.
I hate to say it, but I agree that DEN is getting better. They were infamous as a shoe carnival when shoes were optional. But now that there isn't a whole lot of discretion, they seem to do their security theatre performance efficiently.
May 1, 2007, 8:40 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2005
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http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=686693
May 1, 2007, 8:43 am
#13
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 728
You don't seriously call it a "freedom baggie" do you? Please tell me you're just joking.
May 1, 2007, 9:03 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2006
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