First off - thanks to those for responding to my "checking luggage at DCA" - those answers make perfect sense. DCA's layout is a bit awakard, but at least the beautiful golden/teal/black/periwinkle design makes it totally worth it.

Now, I'm wondering... does DCA have unique security compared to other airports, due to its' proximity to the Congress, Senate, Supreme Court, White House, etc.? If so, I didn't really notice, because DCA is very open and is kind of a mini-mall (in the newer terminals, anyway, not "Dulles-esque Terminal A") and when I went through security there it was no different than any other airports. So, I wonder why security at DCA isn't tighter than it is now- like, armed men and policemen in the halls? I don't like that vision, but I'd certainly not be surprised since DCA is so near to the District...

If you see anything different about DCA's security that makes it stand out from other airports, I'd be curious to know, because I honestly don't notice anything. Is there like a secret security system there? Or is what we see, what we see?

Andrew

In my experience, the only thing you experience more of at DCA is 1) more yelling by TSA goons at the checkpoints, and 2) more FAMs walking through the exit-only lane and boarding before anyone else. Other than that, back to your usual programming.

Evertime I have been through DCA it seems normal (unless there are an abundance of undercover types)....

FLL on the other hand trips me out.... There have been many times when I land in the late evenings or early mornings there are more Broward Sheriff officers than passengers and TSA together....

Down here, the airport is a big slush account... Its like a promotion to get assigned to the airport (big overtime and no danger at all).... Most officers that work at the airport make about 150k a year (mainly loafing around)...

As a mere TSA screener I am not privy to much of the extra-checkpoint security. But from what I have picked up from watching and asking questions here it is.

The security starts before you enter the airport. You will never be aware of it (I wasn't even for the first couple years working at the airport).
There are lots of MWAA plainclothes police inside and outside the piers. Inside any of the piers, at any time, you will have lots of armed federal agents (FAM's, FBI, DEA, US Marshals, SS, ICE, U.S. Postal Inspectors, DSS, et al.), as well as other armed LEO's on official business. And as critic Joe Trento correctly points out, the TSA is top heavy with former secret service. This is triply true at DCA, and so you have former retired Secret Service agents (including Presidential detail) now working as TSA managers (from the DFSD on down) watching over the pier checkpoints (the guys in suits you'll see walking around the checkpoint). In addition to this, there is the extensive use of cameras that are controlled (direction & zoom) from several sites, including a remote command center.

Lastly, I would not dismiss the TSA BDO's or SPOT officers who are profiling out front of the checkpoint. One of the largest employers of military veterans is the TSA and some of the profilers at DCA worked security operations in Afghanistan and Iraq in the U.S. Army or Air Force.

To DCA TSO:

So you mean that anytime I go to DCA, anywhere I go, I'll most likely be facing any of those federal agents? There are always a huge amount of them there? Doesn't that seem like overkill?

I'm not surprised about the cameras - that's been at many airports for years.

What do you mean by the extra security before entering the airport?

Most of these agents are transitioning through DCA. They are not there as part of the "official" security, they just happen to be waiting for their flights like everyone else.

Exactly. But the exception would be USSS and DSS details during most of DCA's key operating hours. And of course DCA has FAM's who are assigned strictly to airport duty. And I don't know how it is at other airports, but from an incident I saw go down, don't assume the scruffy-looking AA mechanic in greasy coveralls, or the baggage handler with dreadlocks, is what he or she presents him or herself as.

What are they "transitioning" through?

Ooops, transiting. I knew that didn't look right.

A couple of years ago going through security at DCA I got screamed at by TSA for not wanting to take off my very thin soled sandals.

He refused to get a superviser, refused to give me a complaint form, and told me I would be taken away to some room-he had a name for it but I forget what it was-if I didn't cooperate.

Really? Crap, that's awful. DCA is unique due to its' nearness to the Capitol, but that still doesn't give the TSA there the right to treat you that way, especially over such a silly issue. Whenever I went through security at DCA, it was pretty normal like any other airport (but a bit more stricter), so I'm guessing this was specific to that one TSO power-tripping.

If I were you, I would have complied, taken off my sandal, went through security, and when done, go to another TSA officer and ask for a comment card and/or manager's phone number. If that still didn't work, I would have boarded my plane, then when I get home, call the TSA 1-800 number. Additionally, I would gather that guy's badge name.

IF you had a lot of time to kill, you could have miscooperated, and a LEO would come. Then, explain the situation to the LEO and tell him how you're being treated. At least a LEO is trained to be courteous in situations, dislike TSA, from what I see. Or, leave security right away and go to your airline's check-in counter and explain the situation, and have the person come and help make sure you're treated correctly - because the more witnesses, the less TSO will be likely to pick on you.

Next time, perhaps.

Probably a private screening area.

You let something like taking off sandals ruin your day?

Did you not notice everyone else doing the same thing?

They have an invention called "socks" if you don't want to walk on the floor with bare feet. You put them on, walk through, take them off. The whole time you can be mentally flipping every TSAer the bird. It really is THAT easy.

The shoe carnival wasn't mandatory then. As many TSO's have told us, shoes less than 1" thick didn't have to be removed. It was SOP NOT to have to remove nonprofile shoes, and it was a justifiable to ask for a complaint form. Hell, even TSA's website back then said shoe removal was optional. However, you often got the retaliatory grope and massage if you didn't remove them.

There were very long threads entitled "List of Shoe Carnival Airports and those that do it right" to discuss which airports actually followed the SOP.

Maybe you weren't around here then, but the shoe carnival was a VERY big pet peeve around here. It's bad enough we have to walk on filthy floors now ... socks or not. A lot of us weren't going to put up with it when we didn't have to.

Super

Different airports have different levels of security. You might be able to keep your flip-flops on at Hilton Head Airport or your Crocs on at Rutland Airport in Vermont, but at DCA, which is a "cat-x" (highest level of security) airport, you and every other passenger are required to remove your footware.

There is no excuse for a TSO to be verbally abusive toward any passenger. But you should know by now that in life you'll encounter alot of people who have attitude problems and try not to take it personally.

Hmm, interesting.

How about those with social anxiety? They'll be pertified!

DCA TSO, while we're on the topic of DCA (which I visit from time to time, fyi), I'd like to ask - when I was walking to Gravelly Point, I noticed this cool "house" that was near the runways with a plaid red-white roof. What's that for? It looks nicely decorated. Is it a controller or what?

Do you enjoy working at DCA? Would you say it's a safe airport?

I know, I know - I love asking questions.