I have always been a lurker in these forums, but after reading this and what the original poster witnessed in ATL, it prompted me to come out of my "exile".

This is yet another example of the stupidity that seems to exist at all levels of this organization. With DISrespect to the TSO's, where do they get these creatures from?

I just returned from a trip, went into our director and told him I was finished traveling if it involves flying.

I have had it with being groped, molested, and treated as if I have done something wrong just because I need to fly someplace, all by screeners who lack even the most basic level of common sense, and then have to repeat the same treatment on ocassion when I get to the gate.

It is the increase in gate screenings so that TSA can justify the screeners existence, that finally pushed me to this point.

I wish I could figure out a way to LEGALLY make screeners lives as miserable as inhumanly possible^ , although the higher ups that allow trash like this to be hired in the first place to enforce the window dressing, useless, hassle filled procedures should be made as miserable as possible themselves.

If any of the airline employee lurkers should read this, you can send a thank you note to TSA for losing another of your frequent flyers.

If you have a legitimate complaint about a screener and his/her actions, make sure you write the Federal Security Director at the airport, plus copy airport management.

TSAers have this thing called a "PASS score." PASS scores are a sum of scores based on (summarizing) competency, courtesy, interaction with others (among others). If it's low, they're less likely to get a raise and/or promotion. That, to me, is the best way to "give back" to the TSAers who deserve it.

But only do it if there's something legitimate to complain about, saying you didn't like this person won't cut it.


Send a note to the airlines yourself. Tell them why you're not flying anymore. It's one thing to say "TSA sucks" to the airline, but when you stop giving the airlines money because of the TSA, that will get their attention.

What qualifies as "legitimate"?

Is it legitimate to say a screener is EXTREMELY rude, or that a screener while molesting, er, patting you down touches you in a way that only my girlfriend has?.

I believe the closest I have ever came to being arrested was in CLE last week. Got to the gate and seen that 3 of the TSA snakes were waiting for their victims, sure enough I got nabbed, and when one of them opened my wallet the first thing they go for is to take out the money, I instantly grabbed it from his hands and told him in a LOUD and clear manner "keep your hands off of my money!". I grabbed my carryon, and without bothering to see or listen to anything he said I walked away, went down to the Presidents club, changed my itinerary to the next flight (1hr 49mins later) and made a promise to myself that I will not submit to any more of this s*it

I was so p*ssed off at that point I made up my mind if the TSA twits were at the gate for my next flight I would find another way home, even though it would be a LONG drive from CLE to IAH.

I wish that I could run into some of these TSA idiots outside of the airport, I wonder how they would act towards people when they are not wearing their tin badges?, I would guess they would be like the school yard bully, they act tuff and mean on their own turf, stand up to them away from their domain and most of them would probably cringe and cower and act a lot differently.


I did not file a complaint form, I honestly believe that it really does not do any good to file a complaint with TSA about another TSA employee. I have sent letters and emails to my Senator and Congressman maybe if enough people would complain to anyone other than TSA itself it might do some good, I really dont know:confused:

I intend to send an email to my hometown airline about this, like you said if enough of their most frequent travelers would stop flying and complain about TSA maybe it would do some good. Considering the airlines need to keep their most frequent flyers in these trying economic times, one might think they would be more vocal than they have about this.

That's terrible. I've not been nabbed by the gate snakes yet. How did he get his paws on your wallet? Did he say, "I need to inspect your wallet, hand it over?"

Sorry for your bad experience. I hope you do write the airline.

I hope your hearing loss is in English so you can understand the order you don't hear. ;)

"Excuse me, is this a Bank holdup or a Bull**** holdup?" :p

Did you miss Gillmore Versus Gonzales???

http://www.papersplease.org/gilmore/legal.html

You forgot the wannabes and the others with a vastly inflated opinion of their own importance.

I would have ignored the "order" and if challenged say that I didn't hear and the brave warrior should shout louder next time.

This "exercise" was as smart as the photo shooting of the Airforce 747 above New York was.

Next time TSA will do some exercise with some unidentified white powder at the check-point to see who remembers the Anthrax scare.

This person has to be reported! I think there are somewhere some rules about drills and emergency exercise.

Unfortunately, RoadVeteran, not very many of us coddled Americans (and others) are willing to give up getting from one place to another VERY FAST while risking our dignity and being treated like trash.

At any rate, hope you can stick by your guns, as I have for four years.

I'll be damned if TSA or the airports will get any more public humiliation out of me until things change.

The rest will just keep lining up and complaining about being made public examples.

*****

While writing letters go to whitehouse.gov, click "contact us" and let the Presidents staff know why you will not fly any longer. Be clear and concise.

Lets get some of the "Change you can believe in".

While it's a good thing to contact The G about this, I don't think The White House is the route to go. Start with Congresscritters and the Senate. I don't think the president or his staff, regardless of who is in The Oval Office, is going to be able to effectively handle this.

Besides, I don't think The President's Staff will care about you giving or not giving money to the airlines. Write the individual airlines about that. In a way, contacting them might get you further than anyone in The G. When it comes to the almighty dollar, if the airlines feel it in their bottom line, they will have their lobbyists do their work for you.

I understand your point but I say contact everyone who might take interest.

The White House will respond if the noise level gets high enough. It might be nothing more than a staffer picking up the phone as asking what the heck TSA is up to but that might be enough to start some change.

So far the congresscritters seem to care less what TSA is doing so I have little expectation that they will act in any meaningful manner.

I do agree that the airlines need as much pressure placed on them as possible. In my opinion it should be the airlines that secure their airplanes not Washington. When seats go empty because people are tired of the BS that is TSA then perhaps some eyes will start to open.

I say a full court press is needed and now is a good time to make the move.

After I cleared security, I placed my wallet and keys in a pouch in my carryon like I always do. I do not like to carry them in my jacket or pants pocket while in the airport.

I got to the gate and seen the 3 TSA goons standing there and when I got nabbed and had to place my carryon on their cart. The youngest of them, a kid in his early 20's it appeared, started looking thru the carryon. When he came to the pouch where my wallet was, he took the wallet out.

Let me add that up to this point I had not said a word to them. but when the TSA punk took the cash out of my wallet, thats when I snapped and did what I mentioned in my earlier post.

I don't remember who it was in another thread that mentioned when he is getting molested by one of TSA's morons that he never says a word to them, not one single word or sound, and thats what I have always done, I don't say anything to them, I comply with their orders, but the entire time I look directly at them and try to bring to the facial expression I give, all the contempt, hatred and disgust that I have for them.

I say it again, I wonder how the screeners and supervisors at the checkpoint would act when they are not wearing their tin badges while at the airport. It sure would be fun to see one of these chumps come into the pub I frequent and see how welcome they would be there:D.

This "pubs" clientele for the most part consists of people like myself who have traveled a lot and been victims of TSA's finest. It would be intresting indeed;)

Well, I know you did the right thing, RV, when you snatched your property back from them, turned around and went back to the lounge to arrange a different flight.

Not having been there, I have to ask. What do you suppose this little thug and his two co-conspirators would have done if you'd snatched back your wallet, put it in your pocket, and waited silently for them to finish their business with your carry on, then headed down the jetway and boarded your flight? Would they have recognized they had no business pawing through your wallet and snatching your money, and sheepishly let you go on your way, or would it have been DY...T?