TSA agents at airports where do they find them??
 

Just got back from a great trip to Key West for a week. Man I love that place!!
Anyway, I am the last person to complain about airport security. We need it big time. But after getting pulled out of the line at the gate in Miami,because my watch set the metal detector off. It was my fault, I forgot to take it off. I walk through again with no problem. The agent,(who can barely speak English) then proceeds to pass the wand over me, which is cool. As he gets near the pocket of my jeans, it gives a small beep. The rivet on my jeans set the wand off. He goes to the other side, same thing. They do this back and forth about 5 times. One agent says it's the rivets, thats common. They then proceed to pat me down, which I still don't have a problem with.
The agents then tell me that I might have to go into a room for a more thorough examination. Now I'm getting pissed.. I tell them ill drop my pants right here if they want. They didn't think that was funny. After 2 other agents came over and checked me out, they decided I wasn't a threat and sent me on my way
Well, when I got home this morning and unpacked my bags. I emptied one. unlocked and opened the other suitcase to find a TSA card sitting on top. Stating that the checked bag had been searched. Thats cool. Ive had that done before.
Now, when I had packed it back in Key West, I had put in stuff that I had bought, gifts, some fragile items. That I had very carefully wrapped and packed to protect them. I noticed all my clothes where no longer neatly folded, they where crumpled and shoved back in and every single thing I bought was damaged and crushed. They had also broken my $200 sunglasses.
What a bunch of incompetent *********s.:mad: Like I said, I'm the last to complain about increased security, but that was uncalled for.

End of my rant....

It's the old "treat the paying passenger like **** because he has those irritating rivets in his jeans".

I very rarely get asked to take my watch off as most systems seems to take it into account with the scanner settings or whatever. I don't want my watch to disappear.

Sounds to me like the TSA idiots just wanted to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are the stupid *********s we all know they are.These people are not in the position they are in because they scored 700 on their SAT's.

The TSA completely trashed my suitcase last year when I flew to Phoenix and back. It was an Eddie Bauer softsider and they literally cut it open to check the contents...

They cross DMV employees with rent-a-cop rejects.

That sucks man. I too have been pulled out of line more then once to be searched. I don't really mind. They are doing their job. I would be pissed if they broke my stuff though. All of my baggage got searched the last time I went to Maui but it was all packed back with "almost" as much care as I had packed it in the first place. You probably just got one of the TSA people that had had a really bad day. Bottom line, I hope you reported the damage to the airline or whom ever might listen.
On another note; If you decide that you want to try and catch an earlier flight then the one that you are booked on, you are automatically flagged for a more thorough search. Ask me how I know.... :rolleyes:

The system is broken, I fly almost every week and I'm never searched, stopped, or have my luggage gone through. The only reason why is because I'm premier elite. I go though a shorter more trusting line, which in reality is there for people that spend a lot of money to fly.

Dude...let me tell you some stories-!

Listen. I have an airline ID. That amounts to a "badge" at the checkpoint.

A "Badge" you ask? That means a local, county, state or federal law enforcement official. The TSA responds to only one person: dubya Bush. They should- this whole huge government boondoggle set up by REPUBICANS is now busting your balls, combing through your bag.

Heh! A few years ago, right after the TSA was set up, one of the crewmen [age 62, he was a former Air Force "chief", and didn't have a pilots licence] at the airline I worked for decided one day that the TSA should not be able to just toss shoes and other wares on top of his laptop. This happened in Los Angeles one day- they sent us out there, and we all wound up with the same ticket to New York. Well, the TSA THREW and I mean THREW his shoes on top of his laptop. DAMMIT! I was right there looking at the whole thing! We both threw fits, and get this- the all-mighty TSA-as court-ordered to not give you any crap. Maybe if you sit next to the vents on the roof, but you get the idea:"
there are a few rats in our adict.

They didn't understand that it was stupid to THROW shoes on top of a $1200 laptop~

"Oh...I'm sorry. Is there an issue here? "

::feral scream!::

"HELL F*CKING YES THERE IS AN ISSUE HERE! Get me your supervisor!"

Another TSA walks up, and assumes a dominant posture. "Can I help you?

Sure you can, elohssa!

Sorry to hear this. The "Traveller Sodomization Agency" and airline lack of customer service has ruined air travel, to the point where I refuse to fly on personal travel. We just returned from Florida, and we chose to drive 14 hours each way rather than fly and let those ***holes ruin our vacation.

Don't do what a guy at Express One International did in 2001;

He went to a local sex shop and bought a double-ended dildo about 18 inches long, and about 2 inches wide. He laid it on top of his clothes, waited to see what the TSA would do...

THAT'S really bad! I don't want to fly with this elohssa in my cockpit, or in my forward baggage compartment! In my opinion, this is a safety issue.

I fly probably twice per month and generally breeze right thru security. I have very official government security complete with a really nifty metal badge is a super-cool black folding wallet. The security background check I underwent to qualify for this security clearance was ridiculously detailed... If I recall, it was something like a 32 page background questionarre that took weeks for them to verify, phone calls you name it...

I'm required to carry this security ID for my job. I cannot put it into checked luggage, I need to CARRY it... It is so difficult to replace, that if I lose it, as in the airline looses it in my checked luggage - I'm fired. No kidding. Further, it will set off all metal detectors so I hand carry it thru security and have gotten in the habit of using it for my ID. This has worked just fine for the past 3 years.

Until just a few months ago at Dulles. Some dipstick gave this ID the hairy eyeball. In broken english, he then demanded that I provide ID. A bit taken aback, I pointed out that this was very very good ID... He refused to accept it as there was no expiration date on it! Yo - dipstick - it expires WHEN I EXPIRE!!! Flat refused to take it. I had to dig thru my carry on luggage to find my stupid Oregon driver's license which are given with little or no documentation to anybody including illegal aliens. Now that was FINE. He accepted that. I was completely flabbergasted. This guy is supposed to be helping the airways be safe? Try removing cranium from rectum!

Stupid *******. My security clearance way way outranks his... :mad:

Of course, this was Dulles. Wasn't that where the guy managed to get a live monkey thru security a few months ago and then it got loose on the plane?

angela

Not trying to start an argument, but...I think he did the right thing. Badges can be counterfeited. I have a very real looking badge w/matching ID (well...it IS a real badge, just not mine). I would never carry it outside of my home, but someone with nothing to lose might try to use it for harm or gain.

So, the bigger question is...how is the TSA supposed to instantly recognize/verify every badge/ID presented to them? There must be thousands of official badges/ID's issued inside the US. :confused:

Couldn't agree more, it's very specific what they are to accept, passport or valid photo ID (state drivers license). I tried using my pistol permit ID. I don't know who got more pissed at me, the TSA guy or my wife. Big mistake, my wife was so pissed she didn't talk to me for two days on our vacation. So much for that fun and games. I just wanted to see how they would react to some other photo ID, not good.:D The only list I'm on though is her (my wife's) **** list.

Vinnie,

File a claim with them. Photograph everything showing where the glasses were smashed and send it in. I have done that several times and been paid everytime.

Joe

I fly all the time & come on people, it’s not rocket science to get through security unscathed. Dress properly & don’t argue with them. Just resign yourself to the indignation. The people that slow the line down are the clueless (the majority) & the argumentative. Pack your bags with the assumption that a band of monkeys will inspect it when it is out of your sight.

Wear slip on shoes. And put them on the conveyor SEPARATELY – not in a bin.
Don’t carry a laptop if you can possibly avoid it - my Blackberry is my road machine now.
Get a passport & use it - only the US accepts anything other than a passport anyway.
Wear a belt that has a small buckle & 98% of the time you won’t have to take it off.
And do you really have to drink some stupid water while you’re in a security line up for 20 minutes? Are you that friggin’ thirsty?
I don't even have to bag toiletries. I brush my teeth dry (no toothpaste) & use hard stick BO juice.

I never have to endure a secondary check.

Ian

Or you could travel wtih a gun... just enough of one for the ATF. A nice old single shot shotgun reciever. Get a small locking case for it, toss it in your luggage, follow your airline and TSA requirements (declare at check in, visually inspect, mark bag for no more inspection), and you get a quick trip thru security, as well as the ultimate trump when your luggage gets lost/rerouted - "Are you gonna call BATFE or am I?"


Personally I think 95% of the "new" security in place since '01 is a waste and BS....

LOL. So true. Can't believe how many idiots have to dump their $4 Starbucks or $2 bottled water in the trash. Didn't they get the memo?

Umm...you ain't carrying a gun or gun parts in the cabin. Any guns must be sent through checked-baggage. That is turned in before you get to the security check-point, so not sure how it affects you as an individual come time to walk thru the checkpoint. :confused:

My copilot had his flight bag go missing between Montreal and Amsterdam last week. KLM then sent it around the world, far away from where we were. They finally said that they could not find it.

I discussed the situation with him during dinner two nights ago. Told him a little trick. He then called KLM baggage and asked them if they wanted to call the TSA and aviation authorities or should he? They asked why and he told them that there was a pilots uniform in the bag, complete with everything someone needed to look like a commercial pilot. When something like this goes missing the authorities need to be notified.

Surprise, surprise... KLM now found his bag within a couple of hours and it was delivered to him last night.

Regarding your comment about the "new security" system. Its a "knee jerk" reaction by the Govt and Politicians meant to sooth the public into thinking everything is ok. Yes it has corrected some issues, but someone who works in the industry knows where the holes are in the system and how to bypass many of them.

I flew a huge amount (almost daily) between 2000 and 2003 and its definitely a different world now. The above statment says it all. There are some really stupid passengers out there, many of them that drive the TSA crazy. I don't agree with everything they do, but they pick up on other stuff like your attitude. I would also never pack expensive gifts in any of my bags. Just FedEx or UPS your expensive stuff home, you can insure those things also.

I travel a lot.

You just need to follow the routine and you are fine.

I usually carry a lot of computer gear.

Everything goes in a bin, laptop by itself, 2 phones and 4 portable hard drives in a another, shoes, watch and change in a 3rd bin. If I'm wearing a hat take it off before I am asked to. When 1st presenting boarding pass and ID to security remove my sunglasses before so they don't have to ask. Be polite. Don't give them a reason to do an extra bag check especially when you can easily take steps to avoid it.

Most of the TSA that I encounter are very nice and polite. Some are jerks, a little power mad. So why poke em with a stick. You won't get anywhere but frustrated. Not worth the hassle.

My wife was stupid enough to put a $200 digital camera in her checked bag. Needless to say, it was gone when she got home, along with all the pics she took on vacation. The airline said, file a complaint and if it is turned in they will notify us. They pretty much let her know she was out of luck. It was sort of her fault for putting anything of value in a checked bag that you can fit in your pocket.

Airport security is a good idea. But.....TSA was created, staffed and is administered by folks who hate both gubmit and Labor. Dubya's "administration" dictates labor policy (these kinds of people, and many of you, think the employer-employee relationship is a master/slave relationship). Wages and working conditions are oppressive. Any organizational behavior or labor relations professional can tell you what to expect as a consequence. Theft is high on the list. And common, in airport security.

Yeah, I was planning on doing that Joe. I was pissed about the sunglasses, because I had cushioned them and stuffed them in a shoe to protect them. They where taken out an just tossed back in. But Im more aggravated about the other stuff that got damaged. Was'nt expensive things, but it was a few small things I had picked up to give to my grandson, that I could only get down there.

Well, recall that 20/20 or Dateline investigation from a few years ago? They hid cameras inside the cargo holds of planes and at the entrances/exits for the employees. Baggage handlers were routinely videotaped rifling through luggage. They showed pics of guys leaving work with full trashbags of stuff...clearly not what they looked like walking in through the door at the start of the shift.

Out of curiosity, anyone know what those TSA guys (and gals) make for hourly wages?

The pay is typically pretty good. When it first started we lost some decent folks to go work for them. You need to be careful using TSA as an umbrella for all airport security. You'll notice at a lot of airports, that the folks actually checking the ID's aren't TSA, but a contract security company, and in most cases what I would consider a shady one. There is a huge amount of risk involved with doing this work.

With that being said, I fly about 100K miles a year, all within the US, so I have had to go through security a lot. Like it has been said, follow the rules, which are pretty simple, and you will be fine. One way tickets, changing your flight times, etc., are all pretty much going to get you the SSSS on your ticket, which involves extra screening.

Bill

If I know I'm going to have to check a bag, I put 1/2 my shoes, shirts, socks, etc. in one bag and 1/2 in the carry on. Never pack anything in a checked bag that you wouldn't want to lose forever.

Heh heh. When I first read your post, I had an image in my mind of you putting one shoe in your checked bag, and the other shoe in your carry-on, and so forth with the rest of your paired stuff.

Exactly, what's your point?:p

In Seattle, the salary range for the currently posted inspector positions is:

"From 23,836.00 to 35,754.00 USD per" This is from the TSA website.

That means those folks start at around $11.46 per hour and they top out at around $17. And so, at the high end of that scale, these lucky professionals will take home a two-week paycheck somewhere around $1,100. Parking sucks near airports.

There is also a hilarious description on the website of the protections you will enjoy. Dubya's cronies have offered these workers an "Ombudsman Service." So.......you can go to TSA to complain about TSA. Labor unions have been outlawed in this agency since the day it was created. Some of you guys will cheer about that. As your valuable are being stolen from your luggage.

Supe, lack of accountability is lack of accountability.

Adding another layer of unaccountability does not make people more accountable, it's not like multiplying negative numbers.

Government employees stealing from the public?!?! Perish the thought! I thought that's what 90% of them did by simply collecting a paycheck!

When I fly I am usually carrying my camera equipment and a laptop. I rarely have issues anymore just because of a few simple changes in my process.
1) Wear slip on shoes. quick and easy.
2) Before I get in line, my watch, ring, keys change and phone all go in my camera bag. That way I only have the two bags and my shoes to keep an eye on. Once I get to the terminal, I can dig it all back out.

I cant remember the last time I got pulled out of line or set off the detector.