And Bart says that TSO's are not intimidating. :confused: Here we have an airport employee that even believes otherwise.

Your reasoning to be able to cut in line was extremely weak. Your mind-boggling reasoning to cut in line was because of rude customers and people at ATM machines.

That's what you said.

Maybe next time if someone inadvertently steps on your foot, the TSA screener will give you a hug.

The fact of the matter is, better arguments for your point were made by others earlier in this thread. And while I don't agree with those, I respected them.

I laughed at yours.

I was having coffee this afternoon with a friend who is a supervisor with a major overseas airline. I was discussing this thread with him. For those of us in the industry (travel is the largest peace time industry in the world), too often it seems we come across passengers who have the attitude that because they have bought a ticket (probably their company at that), that everyone from flight crews to vendors to TSA should grovel to them. I think this is what is being handed back in some of these posts. Even for people who say they travel all the time..there is always a subliminal stress, that makes these very bright, attractive, and interesting people seem like little ones going through their terrible two's.

Wow!

My compliments!

Bingo!

^^^^^

I'm a person who thinks that because I have bought a ticket, everyone from flight crews to vendors to the TSA should treat me with courtesy and respect.

Actually, that's the same thing you think, except you think about it differently.

Hear hear! ^ The way I understand it, none of those jobs would exist without us, the CUSTOMERS. I expect the same level of courtesy in respect that I expect from any other business I patronize.

To quote a flight attendant who commented in this forum:

There are first class passengers and then there are passengers in first class.

You are entitled to being treated with courtesy and respect. However, you are not entitled to treat flight crews, venders and TSOs without courtesy and without respect. It works both ways.

In my classes, I tell my students that theirs is the easiest job: remain courteous and professional at all times. A supervisor (I joke) gets paid an additional 25 cents an hour than the rest of us. And for that extra quarter, TSA pays them to handle all irate, disruptive, rude, unpleasant and angry passengers. My conclusion to them is that there is absolutely no reason to be rude or unpleasant towards any passenger, flight crew, airport employee or anyone for that matter.

(FWIW, I believe supervisors are woefully underpaid for all they have to contend with. The headache-per-dollar ratio is not worth it for the job they have to do.)

^:)

For what it's worth, the way I handle line jumping is to walk up the employee/first class entrance, flash my badge to the ID checker, and then wait in line behind whoever is loading their items onto the X-Ray belt. I do agree that it is rude to stick your stuff right in front of a passenger who is in the process of loading his belongings onto the belt.

I know that everyone at the airport is in a hurry (including me), I just don't think it is polite to simply elbow in front of the passengers at the belt. I do think it is reasonable that employees should move to the front of the line for all of the reasons outlined throughout the thread.

Angry Dan

Actually, I don't think "AngryMe" was saying that TSA was intimidating. I think she was saying that nobody wants to get into it with them. Its kind of the same way with a police officer when you get stopped speeding. Most prudent people are going to get through the encounter as fast as possible and hope for minmum damage. There are some very nice TSOs and some very bright ones at that. I think so many people project their anger and frustration of dealing with the security walk on to the TSOs. But what "AngryMe" was just letting you know that airport employees are often the recipient of the bad feelings generated by the whole airport experience. At the least, many have a chip on their shoulder.

Just to clarify my position about cutting lines. Most employees I know would rather push a piece of glass with their nose from MD to CA on their knees, than to go through security lines. I may go through once every 10 days to 2 weeks. And then I am not putting anything on the belt to be scanned..I am simply passing through the metal detector very quickly.

I agree with the posts on the first page. MSP really has a good thing going with the "CREW ONLY" line in the middle of the concourse. Fortunatly they have the space and man/women TSA power for it. It may be a challenge at other locals.

I am a pilot for a major airline would like to add my two cents to this discussion.

When I have to go through security at an airport that does not have an employee line I don't necessarily like cutting in front of passengers. I try to find a natural break and fall into the line. I will cut to the very front only if time is an issue. The funny thing is that most of the time, passengers are all too happy to let me get in front of them.

I would like to point out some reasons why crews are given front of the line access:

1. If I am transferring from an International flight to a domestic one, I have to reclear security. If I am not allowed front of the line access it delays my arrival to my next flight.

2. If I am on reduced rest and not given front of the line access, my flight the next day may be delayed.

3. A pilot on call may be given 2 hours notice for a flight assignment. If he gets to the airport and has to wait 30 minutes in a security lane, his flight may be delayed.

4. If I am going to be on duty for 13 hours I certainly don't want to stand in line for an excess period of time before going to work.

There are many other scenarios I can list. Due to the unpredictable nature of security lines, front of the line access is necessary to try to insure on time departures. The TSA does not give much in the way of special treatment to flight crews. For them to allow and even encourage this practice shows that even they see the necessity in it.

I am sorry for those who feel slighted by this, but when there is no dediciated employee line, we don't have much other choice.