Outrageous Behaviour by TSA
Oct 24, 2007 | 6:30 pm
#61
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 419
So he had a handwand at the mag...and then allowed you to breach?
The person at the WTMD does not carry a HHMD. The TSO next action according to the OP was allowing the OP to continue WITHOUT additional screening. That would be a breach and would get a TSO immediately fired. Yea I don't see this story as all that credible.
Last edited by CLELOSER; Oct 24, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Oct 24, 2007 | 7:28 pm
#63
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Spencer Iowa USA
Programs: Long Live NWA Silver Elite,Delta Silver Medallion
Posts: 604
It doesn't get better..
These types of things DO NOT GET BETTER if no one complains.
Please, contact a lawyer and get the tapes per the earlier post. Have the lawyer ask the tough questions and do the heavy lifting on this.
If costs is a issue, let us know.. I suspect more than one person on FT would be happy to contribute ..
These two clowns could have killed you. Is that what it's going to take to get someone to pay attention? Let me put it another way: IF you do nothing and they do it again and end up killing someone, how would you feel then?
Do us all a favor a persue this. These guys are why the Darwin Award was created in the first place.
Please, contact a lawyer and get the tapes per the earlier post. Have the lawyer ask the tough questions and do the heavy lifting on this.
If costs is a issue, let us know.. I suspect more than one person on FT would be happy to contribute ..
These two clowns could have killed you. Is that what it's going to take to get someone to pay attention? Let me put it another way: IF you do nothing and they do it again and end up killing someone, how would you feel then?
Do us all a favor a persue this. These guys are why the Darwin Award was created in the first place.
Oct 24, 2007 | 7:51 pm
#65
Join Date: Sep 2002
Programs: AA Plat, Fairmont Platinum, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 4,534
I feel that the screener did one thing right by letting him go through. I also think your judgement of this man was too hasty. The details in his story are too much to make up.
Oct 24, 2007 | 8:11 pm
#66
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This happened at ORD? Well, at ORD they have placards at some checkpoints that warn people with pacemakers to advise the TSA of their special needs. Of course those signs are often out of sight or positioned such that it's not easy to see them. It boggles the mind why have a warning that barely anyone can see.
Oct 24, 2007 | 8:28 pm
#67
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4
I was making a connection via ORD a week ago on a flight to LAX and stepped outisde the terminal to meet a friend from the area since my connection was about 3 hours. When I came back through security, I'd already taken my shoes off, belt, emptied my pockets etc and started to send them through the machine. I have a pacemaker and always have to have hand screening with no device, and I can not walk through the detector. I have an ID card for proof, but I've never been asked for it before so it was already on its way through the scanner with my wallet and other stuff. When I stepped up to the screener, I requested hand screening b/c of my pacemaker. The agent immediately acted "standoffish" as if I was lying, and stated "people your age don't have pacemakers!" (I'm a 18yo looking 25yo 
)
I was a bit taken back, and I said that would be something stupid to make up, but he acted like I was trying to hide something. I began to argue, at which point he picked up that wand thing and tried to pass it over me -- still not believing I had a pacemaker. Now, I'll admit this infuriated me to the point where I yelled for him to get that f*! thing away from me, that I wasn't lying. ( I was startled as most of those hand wands will cause a pacer to fire, shut off, or otherwise malfunction) Some other guy then came over and got in my face, I told them to just look through my wallet but they refused. B/c my flight was schedule to leave shortly and I was so upset I just pulled my shirt up and showed them where it was ! (It sticks out quite a ways) . . They then both apologised and sent me on my way.
I was later recounting this story to a FA on my flight who was horrified, and said I most certainly have a winnable law suit. My question is a) what are your thoughts? yea the guys were way out of line but really no harm was done and b)are these security screeners completely employed by the government or is there still some airline involvement (ie is it possible they may have worked for UA?)
I fly all the time and have never encountered anything close to this. Most of the time I'm screened in DSM or ORD and have almost always had an okay experience.
)I was a bit taken back, and I said that would be something stupid to make up, but he acted like I was trying to hide something. I began to argue, at which point he picked up that wand thing and tried to pass it over me -- still not believing I had a pacemaker. Now, I'll admit this infuriated me to the point where I yelled for him to get that f*! thing away from me, that I wasn't lying. ( I was startled as most of those hand wands will cause a pacer to fire, shut off, or otherwise malfunction) Some other guy then came over and got in my face, I told them to just look through my wallet but they refused. B/c my flight was schedule to leave shortly and I was so upset I just pulled my shirt up and showed them where it was ! (It sticks out quite a ways) . . They then both apologised and sent me on my way.
I was later recounting this story to a FA on my flight who was horrified, and said I most certainly have a winnable law suit. My question is a) what are your thoughts? yea the guys were way out of line but really no harm was done and b)are these security screeners completely employed by the government or is there still some airline involvement (ie is it possible they may have worked for UA?)
I fly all the time and have never encountered anything close to this. Most of the time I'm screened in DSM or ORD and have almost always had an okay experience.
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Oct 25, 2007 | 10:55 am
#68
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Bansko, Bulgaria
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,260
Mens rea , if you did not know, means "guilty mind". The TSO probably did not know that his actions could cause the OP harm. He was doing his job as required by SOP and policy.
Oct 25, 2007 | 11:04 am
#69
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Bansko, Bulgaria
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,260
Have you ever been to the airport in question? If not then you do not know what their set up is. We fly through different airports 1 - 2x a week and each one is different. Some are VERY different from the norm - and many change their way of doing things periodically. The way it is supposed to be is NOT the way it is always done....
Nice also that allowing a "breach" would get them fired but assaulting a PAX gets them nothing.
Oct 25, 2007 | 11:09 am
#70
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DSM, BKK or anywhere with an airport
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Just got done meeting with an attorney who's going to get the ball rolling by trying to get the tapes. Thanks to all for your very helpful comments. I"ve never had to use a lawyer for anything before so this is all new (and frightening) territory.
That being said I probably won't comment any more publicly about it until its all over.
Again, thanks for all the help.
That being said I probably won't comment any more publicly about it until its all over.
Again, thanks for all the help.
Oct 25, 2007 | 12:27 pm
#71
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Just got done meeting with an attorney who's going to get the ball rolling by trying to get the tapes. Thanks to all for your very helpful comments. I"ve never had to use a lawyer for anything before so this is all new (and frightening) territory.
That being said I probably won't comment any more publicly about it until its all over.
Again, thanks for all the help.
That being said I probably won't comment any more publicly about it until its all over.
Again, thanks for all the help.
Oct 25, 2007 | 1:25 pm
#72
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 398
Just got done meeting with an attorney who's going to get the ball rolling by trying to get the tapes. Thanks to all for your very helpful comments. I"ve never had to use a lawyer for anything before so this is all new (and frightening) territory.
That being said I probably won't comment any more publicly about it until its all over.
Again, thanks for all the help.
That being said I probably won't comment any more publicly about it until its all over.
Again, thanks for all the help.
I wonder if the same TSA agent was involved in your confrontation as the one that had me arrested?
I hope you have better luck! And do keep us posted on your progress, to the extent your attorney feels is okay.
Oct 25, 2007 | 1:37 pm
#73
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: NW Fla. - VPS, PNS
Programs: DL, NW, HH
Posts: 333
Just got done meeting with an attorney who's going to get the ball rolling by trying to get the tapes. Thanks to all for your very helpful comments. I"ve never had to use a lawyer for anything before so this is all new (and frightening) territory.
That being said I probably won't comment any more publicly about it until its all over.
Again, thanks for all the help.
That being said I probably won't comment any more publicly about it until its all over.
Again, thanks for all the help.
Oct 25, 2007 | 1:42 pm
#74
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,704
Kind of like saying I didn't know the gun was loaded huh? Guess that would get someone off an assault charge too hmm? While I seriously doubt it IF there is a possibility that the TSO didn't know he could harm someone with a pacemaker using a wand than he obviously wasn't trained AT ALL. The least that should happen is that who ever was in charge of that mess should be fired.
Oct 25, 2007 | 1:44 pm
#75
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,704
Copy of the investigative report:
http://www.wftv.com/download/2007/1024/14414374.pdf