TSA Airport Security

[heatherdress]

I am sure there is plenty we don't know about how the TSA really works.
Oh sure you have rules and guide lines employees are supposed to follow but we all know not all employees follow the rules no matter where they work.
To post a blanket statement like "they are just doing their job" and "would never not follow the rules" seems a bit daft.
There is the human element in there too and some jerk agent might hate trans people and just want to make a big scene trying to embarrass a trans person.
They can't all be lilly white perfect employees.
The one neighbor I have that seems to have a problem with me lives up the street happens to be a TSA agent and he is a racist white supremacist skinhead.

Tracii - Just because you seem to have a problem with your neighbor, you should not demonstrate personal bias against an entire department and judge 47,000 people based on your experience with one. Last year, the TSA inspected over 721 million passengers and airline employees. Only a fraction of a percent made complaints. Most people are treated respectfully and recognize the need for security in a world vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Most rudeness, condescending attitudes and inconsiderate behavior in our airports are demonstrated by passengers who are non-cooperative, hostile or intoxicated, not TSA agents, federal marshals or law enforcement officers.

TSA has successfully deterred or prevented any hijacking in our 450 US airports since 4 aircraft were easily hijacked on September 11, 2001. Last year, at airport screening alone, they intercepted over 2,600 firearms (almost 7 a day) as well as countless knives, explosive devices and hazardous materials. This in spite of well-publicized screening procedures and warnings.

The TSA does, in fact, have detailed policies and procedures, most of which are transparent and well-publicized. They do not yet have published transgender policies, as Paula points out. The people I know who have travelled en femme have had no problems going through security, but most people do not feel comfortable going through intense screening in heels and a dress. If pat downs are required, however, all passengers can request a search by a gender-specific agent as well as a search not in public view - always with additional agents, typically with supervisors present.

TSA does dismiss employees for performance. If your neighbor, or any other TSA personnel, treat passengers poorly for any reason, they should be disciplined and are subject to dismissal.

[Tracii G]

Well my neighbor (8 houses up) has been an a hole to everybody since he moved in 7 years ago and only last year did I find out he was a TSA agent.
I hate flying so there is not much chance I will have to deal with them.
I would rather see terrorists dealt with on their own soil than have them allowed to sneak in our country and cause problems.
How is it people are on a no fly list and still enter? TSA is dropping the ball on that one.

[heatherdress]

Good question Traci. If someone is on the No Fly List, they are not able to be issued a boarding pass. System works but is not infallible. One problem is false IDs. There are others.

Sounds like your neighbor is a jerk. Sorry about that.

[Sarah Beth]

It was about 10 years ago I was flying on Southwest out of Albuquerque when the guy in line said this. I guess since you weren't there you don't know what the conversation was. Although I guess you are world's leading authority on what goes on between TSA an airlines so from now on everyone should just ask you when they have a question

[Eryn]

How did we ever get to a state where a nameless and faceless bureaucrat can prohibit an American citizen from traveling with no real oversight or due process? Some people are fine with this until they find out that they are in the list as well. Only then do they realize that secret procedures and secret courts are not consistent with a free society.

The fact that there have been no successful hijackings is no indication of effectiveness. No matter how much they would like you to believe it, every nail file and bottle of shampoo confiscated at the airport does not represent a hijack attempt. At 8:47AM on 9-11 the first airplane hit the World Trade Center. It took only 20 minutes for news that the rules had changed to reach Flight 93 and for passengers to mount an attempt to retake the plane. That hijacking was not successful and no hijacking attempt since has been. Every attempt since has ended with the would-be hijacker subdued by passengers. That knowledge is what has discouraged hijacking.

The question now is whether the bureaucracy that is supposed to make us more secure is actually using fear in order to increase its status and power as well as silence those who would question it?

[Genifer Teal]

I just had a successful flying experience and it was my first tsa experience too. Yes it's been that long since I flew anywhere. This was a domestic flight in the US.
Going they had to check for two anomalies in the chest and groin area. I was scanned a second time then patted down. It took her more time to explain how she would do it than actually doing it. At one point I just said just do it, I don't need the explanation. She was still concerned and asked her boss if it should be escalated. I think she was new and going by the book. He said something like, we could do that but what do you think is reasonably going here. At that point she let me go. Going home I did not even get a pat down. For any concerns I may have had, it was basically a non event. Everything was fine. I will say I am confident when out and I was not nervous in the least except for that flammable pressurized canister of glue. Hollister's. It's sized right and there is an exemption specifically for mastectomy prosthetics. I asked a tsa guy before I got on line. He told me not to even mention it. It wasn't a problem. I supposed if I was nervous I might have triggered more concerns.