Been noticing lately that the TSA baggage handlers are sporting new threads.

Instead of the short-sleeved burgundy polo ....., they're now blue (slightly lighter blue than the color at the checkpoints), and with a sewn-on "badge."

Wonder how many new x-ray machines that could have bought.

Wirelessly posted (Nokia N97 / Palm TX: Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.4; Series60/5.0 NokiaN97-3/10.2.012; Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1; en-us) AppleWebKit/525 (KHTML, like Gecko) WicKed/7.1.12344)

I thought the TSA was saving to buy those new super high tech scanners that check liquids...?

The company I work for reckons a full issue for a staff uniform costs them c. $300 on average.
(that's a set of 6 shirts, a couple of pairs of pants, shoes/boots (some staff get regular, some staff get safety /shoesboots), waterproof coats for about half the staff, a cheap jacket for the rest. the whole lot logoed/stamped etc - all logos are sewn except on waterproof jackets (transfer) and shoes/boots (stamped, or little cloth tags sewn in during manufacture))
Of course that is a bulk purchase rate - they have about 100K uniformed staff.
When a new uniform style is introduced, it is now phased in to replace the previous issue, so for a while composite styles of uniform may be seen, and old stock is issued for a while after the changeover (what style you get depends on the popularity of that size!).
It used to be a complete re-issue in one go, but the company changed that policy about 7 or 8 years ago to save cash.

In the case of a phased re-issue, the extra cost is pretty much zero (over the existing uniform budget).

I guess the TSA costs would be somewhere in that ball park.

The number of "lost" scanners depends if there is a phase-in period or not.

No.

The polos were always around. They just changed the color to a brighter shade blue to match the new uniform. You probably rarely see TSOs with them because they are only worn by baggage screeners.

You mean no tin badge like the smurfs at the checkpoint?!

This has the real chance of ruining morale at TSA^

Edit: just remembered the shirts were originally burgundy.

I'd be surprised if the TSA is going away from the metal badges they started wearing last year. It was suspected it was to give them more perceived authority.

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And it gives them a sound reason to not have to walk through the metal detector like the proletariat (also recognizable as those who pay for the circus).

You mean these?

Fido PaxPoint

We got those too. Too bad it breaks down every month or so.

So the baggage screeners have different uniforms? I'm surprised I never noticed. But I try to think as little as possible about the process of air travel while 'enjoying it'.

For TSO guys and gals here, do officers work between both locations? Would you have to change uniform mid day?

Some TSOs are checkpoint-only.
Some TSOs are baggage-only.
Some TSOs, like myself, are dual-function. I'm trained and do both.

The polo shirts are designed specifically to be worn in checked baggage, yes, but also specifically to be worn outside of the view of the public. If the airport has a pre-check-in location, with the screening equipment in front of the counter, they'd have to wear the normal uniform. Only when the screening is done "behind the wall" can the FSD authorize the TSOs to wear the polo shirts.

Incidental views of the public, like when moving from checked baggage screening location to a break room, and stopping in at a gift shop to pick up a 20oz on the way there, is okay.

But you're not supposed to be seeing people in polo shirts operating the security checkpoint :P Here in HSV, if you wear your polo shirt because you know you're in checked baggage, and they need you upstairs to help with a rush, you have to swing by the break room first, change uniforms, and then report to the checkpoint.

Well that explains why I only seem to remember the normal uniform as BDL still has the scanners infront of the counters.

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