Annalisa12

so you'd be happy to have no security so knives etc can get on board with lunatics

kb9522

Isn't that already the case? Testing has shown that the TSA is an abysmal failure at catching such things.

But hey, at least they consistently stop passengers from traveling with a nice bottle of wine or scotch...

tentseller

This

This is Australian security at SYD.
IMHO much better customer relations than TSA.

Redhead

beachmouse

Yeah. Yesterday, I got seated next to the twitchy probable meth head. While they were still boarding Zone 2, he started to jab his elbow into my rib cage. The next time he makes a big twitch, I use my own arm and elbow to stand my ground (err, sit my seat) and while keeping myself entire within my seat space block him from doing it again. Which offends him to no end and he goes off on a 'Ma'am, you've got to work with me here." and I try for firm but less confrontational "It's a small plane (CRJ-700); no room over here either" Because I was a swimmer and shot putter in college and still have The Shoulders, and I'm a traffic hazard if I ooze further into the aisle.

I'm usually not great about picking up on danger signals, but this guy was weirding me out, and I would have given up the exit row and asked to be reseated if it hadn't been a 100% full flight, and I figure it's only about 40 minutes from wheels up to wheels down for ATL-VPS soI put the earbuds in and try to ignore the twitching, groin scratching, wandering about the cabin when the seatbelt sign is still on, and the attempts to elbow me again. And then, since the car is parked way out in the woods overflow parking lo where the black bears sometimes roam, I make sure to have keys in hand before leaving the terminal and am constantly looking over my shoulder as I walk out and locate my car via the keychain fob 'marco polo' method.

ajGoes

Some people have uncontrollable tic disorders. You may well have been sitting next to one. However, he should have offered a simple and clear explanation, like "I'm sorry. I have Tourette's syndrome/a neurological condition. I know the tics can be upsetting, but I'm doing my best to minimize them. Thanks for understanding."

Many people with these conditions carry little cards they can offer people. I used to carry them myself.

beachmouse

Like a lot of people here, I'm more than glad to help another passenger if they ask proactively but go straight to a cranky 'No' if assumptions are made about what I'l just do. Would have offered him the aisle to see if it helped him if he hadn't gone straight to the manspreading.

greggarious

Let them. If someone wants to escalate a verbal interaction to physical, that will end poorly for them.

DCP2016

In line I would object as well as I want to get forward quickly and with as little pain as possible, but if he wasn't in line holding people up I would shake his hand and thank him for looking out for our rights instead of bowing down to any sort of authority.

DCP2016

No, there is a difference between actual security to stop threats and the current security theater system we have in the US today. Many other 1st world country airports have perfected a system that eliminates threats while also providing a customer service aspect to it.

BadgerBoi

As pointed out earlier, this happened here in Australia in 2001. Nobody was being barked at by an American in a uniform - I suspect Sydney is one of the first-world airports you might be thinking of that includes a customer service aspect.