Here's Why the TSA Is So Terrible

Jaymon · Post by **Jaymon** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 10:59 am

The airport security leaving Srinagar was pretty tight. We got out of the car at the far edge of the airport, they searched the car, while we went through bag check and metal detector.
At the entrance of the airport, we went through another bag check and metal detector.
Between the entrance and the gate area, we had another bag check (this was the place they pulled my international electric plug adaptor out and asked me what it was). After that bag check, they zip tie your carry-on shut, and put a security ticket on it.
At the boarding gate, they check the ziptie and the security tag before letting you on the plane.

I didn't bother counting the number of sniff dogs. The food and drink you purchase in the security zone cannot be brought into the plane with you.
The folks actually doing the checking and scanning were not armed, but every station had a squad of armed guards who were there to actually guard.

But I never felt like the line was long, or that the wait was unbearable. I also felt reasonably assured that nothing dangerous was getting on that airplane.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Mon Dec 19, 2016 11:03 am

Florida breast cancer patient outraged by TSA treatment

Denise Albert [daughter of Marv Albert] posted a video of herself Monday sitting on a bench at Los Angeles International Airport, trying not to allow her bare feet to touch the floor.

Albert, co-founder of the media company The Moms, has breast cancer. She wears a wig, has a port in her chest and cannot walk without her feet covered, due to sores from her treatment.

The Facebook video, and its caption, detail Albert's experience Sunday night at LAX with Transportation Security Administration agents, whom she claims were rough with her.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Dec 19, 2016 12:30 pm

Moliere wrote:Florida breast cancer patient outraged by TSA treatment

My wife has had both of her breasts removed, and I completely understand where this woman is coming from. Reading that article made me want to punch the entire TSA in the face. With no statistical evidence that they've made anything safer, and nothing but massive overhead to keep woefully inept people employed, why do we put up with it? How can we get rid of it?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Dec 19, 2016 1:20 pm

I have a feeling that the people there aren't to blame. Once the woman was selected, they likely didn't have the least bit of choice in what they did, short of losing their jobs and possibly facing prosecution.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 8:09 pm

http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-worl ... -invasive/

TSA officials didn’t immediately address whether the new universal pat-down protocol will mandate touching of passenger genitals.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:19 pm

hitbyambulance wrote:http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-worl ... -invasive/

TSA officials didn’t immediately address whether the new universal pat-down protocol will mandate touching of passenger genitals.

Grab 'em by the pussy!

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:25 pm

Time to get my roll of socks ready again.

KDH · Post by **KDH** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 1:37 am

remember after 9/11 when they said: "We will not let this change our way of life"

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 4:22 am

Last week, I think I accidentally had too much toothpaste in my carry-on, and nobody said anything.

Punisher · Post by **Punisher** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 5:13 pm

em2nought wrote:Last week, I think I accidentally had too much toothpaste in my carry-on, and nobody said anything.

and now that you've admitted it, expect to be on the no fly list..

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Sat Jun 24, 2017 1:59 pm

New TSA Policy May Lead to Increased Scrutiny of Reading Material

The TSA is testing new requirements that passengers remove books and other paper goods from their carry-on baggage when going through airline security. Given the sensitivity of our reading choices, this raises privacy concerns.

Tests of the policy are underway in some small airports around the country, and DHS Secretary John Kelly recently said that “we might, and likely will” apply the policy nationwide. “What we’re doing now is working out the tactics, techniques, and procedures, if you will, in a few airports, to find out exactly how to do that with the least amount of inconvenience to the traveler,” he told Fox News. The policy may also apply to food items.
...
That said, books raise very special privacy issues. As my colleague Nicole Ozer has discussed, there is a long history of special legal protection for the privacy of one’s reading habits in the United States, not only through numerous Supreme Court and other court decisions, but also through state laws that criminalize the violation of public library reading privacy or require a warrant to obtain book sales, rental, or lending records.

And we know that in the airline screening environment in particular, there have been multiple cases where passengers have been singled out because of their First Amendment-protected expressions. For example, in 2010 the ACLU sued on behalf of a man who was abusively interrogated, handcuffed, and detained for nearly five hours because he was carrying a set of Arabic-language flash cards and a book critical of U.S. foreign policy. We also know that the DHS database known as the “Automated Targeting System,” which tracks information on international travelers, has included notations in travelers’ permanent files about controversial books in their possession.

A person who is reading a book entitled “Overcoming Sexual Abuse” or “Overcoming Sexual Dysfunction” is not likely to want to plop that volume down on the conveyor belt for all to see. Even someone reading a bestseller like “50 Shades of Grey” or a mild self-help book with a title such as “What Should I Do With My Life?” might be shy about exposing his or her reading habits. And of course someone reading Arab or Muslim literature in today’s environment has all too much cause to worry about discrimination. To at least one woman who experienced the new policy, “The scrutiny of my books, magazines and food feels even more invasive” than the body scanners, swabs, and pat-downs.

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Sat Jun 24, 2017 8:27 pm

Moliere wrote:New TSA Policy May Lead to Increased Scrutiny of Reading Material

The TSA is testing new requirements that passengers remove books and other paper goods from their carry-on baggage when going through airline security.

Darn it, no more reading my copy of "The Anarchist Cookbook" on long flights.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Sat Jun 24, 2017 9:30 pm

That's sketchy as hell. Also doesn't seem to cover e-readers, so either the policy is just shitty window dressing, or inspecting electronic devices is the next step. Both options are scary.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Jun 24, 2017 10:12 pm

Im just glad I never have to fly or Id never be where Im supposed to. I wouldn't allow people to feel me up. Probably hire a bunch of perverts for the jobs.

Punisher · Post by **Punisher** » Sat Jun 24, 2017 10:28 pm

em2nought wrote:
Moliere wrote:New TSA Policy May Lead to Increased Scrutiny of Reading Material

The TSA is testing new requirements that passengers remove books and other paper goods from their carry-on baggage when going through airline security.
Darn it, no more reading my copy of "The Anarchist Cookbook" on long flights.

That's why you just get it for the Kindle!

I didn't read the article, but is there any sort of valid reason why this even needs to be a thing? Is it for profiling based on book choice or are they worried about book bombs?

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Sat Jun 24, 2017 11:47 pm

Punisher wrote:I didn't read the article, but is there any sort of valid reason why this even needs to be a thing? Is it for profiling based on book choice or are they worried about book bombs?

The excuse is that tightly packed bags that include books make the xray machines not view all your stuff very well. TSA's solution is to make you pull all your books out.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Sun Jun 25, 2017 1:00 am

Anyone want to place bets on the frequency that anyone with any reading material in Arabic gets randomly selected for bonus security fun?

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Mon Jun 26, 2017 9:34 am

What if you are reading 1984...

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Jun 26, 2017 9:39 am

Do you even bookcover?

If this becomes a thing, I'd want to make covers for any travel books and write on the front things like "101 Reasons Your TSA Job is Pointless" and "Security Theater - Boring Jobs, Boring People" ... or maybe "The Citizen's Guide to Avoid Anal Probing at the Airport"

Punisher · Post by **Punisher** » Mon Jun 26, 2017 11:36 pm

Jaymann wrote:What if you are reading 1984...

It's been over 33 years... If you haven't finished it by now, you probably never will...

and I primarily use Kindle, so I guess I won't have to worry...

disarm · Post by **disarm** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:02 am

We flew out of Logan airport in Boston two weeks ago and they were making everyone remove any electronics larger than a cellphone from carry-on luggage and place them in a separate bin for xray screening. This meant not only laptops as per the long-standing policy, but also iPads, Kindles, or any other tablet device. I asked the agent when the new policy started and she said Logan had been testing it for several weeks and they expected a nationwide rollout in the coming months.

Unfortunately, they didn't have any signs up about the new policy, so the security lines were taking forever as every other bag was pulled aside for additional screening when they spotted a tablet on xray. The checkpoint took forever

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 8:51 am

Punisher wrote:I primarily use Kindle, so I guess I won't have to worry...

... yet.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 9:02 am

Paingod wrote:
Punisher wrote:I primarily use Kindle, so I guess I won't have to worry...
... yet.

Sir, can you please turn on and unlock all your electronic devices for a routine screening? No, please leave your email and social media accounts logged in.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:46 am

Paingod wrote:
Punisher wrote:I primarily use Kindle, so I guess I won't have to worry...
... yet.

It sounds to me like there are plots afoot to get anything larger than a cell phone banished to checked bags. So you'll be fine with your Kindle phone app I suppose.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:56 am

Jeff V wrote:
Paingod wrote:
Punisher wrote:I primarily use Kindle, so I guess I won't have to worry...
... yet.
It sounds to me like there are plots afoot to get anything larger than a cell phone banished to checked bags. So you'll be fine with your Kindle phone app I suppose.

We're flying from the east coast to Hawaii with a one-year-old in September. God help us and anyone else in that plane if I can't have electronics in my carry on to entertain the child.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:02 am

Chaz wrote:
Jeff V wrote:
Paingod wrote:
Punisher wrote:I primarily use Kindle, so I guess I won't have to worry...
... yet.
It sounds to me like there are plots afoot to get anything larger than a cell phone banished to checked bags. So you'll be fine with your Kindle phone app I suppose.
We're flying from the east coast to Hawaii with a one-year-old in September. God help us and anyone else in that plane if I can't have electronics in my carry on to entertain the child.

Yeah, we're probably going to have drive to the Philippines on our next trip if this is the case.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:06 am

Jeff V wrote:Yeah, we're probably going to have drive to the Philippines on our next trip if this is the case.

msteelers · Post by **msteelers** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:08 am

Flew from Fort Lauderdale to Vegas Thursday evening, and the red eye back to Florida last night. At both airports they asked that any electronic devices bigger than a cell phone be placed in a tray. It wouldn't be a big deal, except the airlines are financially encouraging everyone to pack all of their shit into carry-ons. So everyone has multiple bags, their shoes, jackets, neck pillows, and now multiple electronic devices.

More screening devices would help, but most airports I've been to don't have the room to expand security to where it needs to be.

Punisher · Post by **Punisher** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:36 pm

I doubt they would ban electronic devices bigger than a cell.. For the reasons above and for business travelers.... I don't fly often, but when I do, I see multiple laptops in use for various things, some of which are business purposes I expect (Unless someone just likes "playing" with Excel)..
Plus the fact that things do go missing in checked bags... Imagine how much more that will happen when the thieves know that there will be a lot more electronic devices in them.

gilraen · Post by **gilraen** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 4:08 pm

Punisher wrote:I doubt they would ban electronic devices bigger than a cell.. For the reasons above and for business travelers.... I don't fly often, but when I do, I see multiple laptops in use for various things, some of which are business purposes I expect (Unless someone just likes "playing" with Excel)..
Plus the fact that things do go missing in checked bags... Imagine how much more that will happen when the thieves know that there will be a lot more electronic devices in them.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what they have been proposing. Never mind that a bunch of lithium batteries in the cargo hold, with no one to put out the fire should one explode, is a much more immediate danger than anything terror-related.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:23 pm

So, the world's busiest airport (Atlanta) has an 11 hour power outage yesterday. Anyone know why TSA doesn't let people walk off the stalled escalators?

wonderpug · Post by **wonderpug** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:55 pm

Moliere wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:23 pm Anyone know why TSA doesn't let people walk off the stalled escalators?

"May I please take one step, as if I were at the top of a flight of stairs?"
"SIR! Just stay where you are until we can get a technician here to sort out the issue."
"But I don't even have to go upwards at all. I'm already at the part where it flattens out. Can I just move one step toward you?"
"This is for your own safety."

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:22 pm

But it was dark. I'm sure you could have escaped the escalator before the lock down.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 3:06 pm

Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:22 pmBut it was dark. I'm sure you could have escaped the escalator before the lock down.

I kind of feel like anyone who was lazy enough to try and wait out a power outage on an escalator got what they were asking for when the TSA showed up.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 6:56 pm

Paingod wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 3:06 pm
Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:22 pmBut it was dark. I'm sure you could have escaped the escalator before the lock down.
I kind of feel like anyone who was lazy enough to try and wait out a power outage on an escalator got what they were asking for when the TSA showed up.

Really? If you're in the middle of a tall escalator and a TSA agent is yelling at everyone to stay on the escalator are you going to defy the agent and walk off?

Punisher · Post by **Punisher** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 11:52 pm

Moliere wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:23 pm So, the world's busiest airport (Atlanta) has an 11 hour power outage yesterday. Anyone know why TSA doesn't let people walk off the stalled escalators?

Couldn't find anything about being stuck on the escalators.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Tue Dec 19, 2017 12:05 am

Moliere wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 6:56 pm
Paingod wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 3:06 pm
Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:22 pmBut it was dark. I'm sure you could have escaped the escalator before the lock down.
I kind of feel like anyone who was lazy enough to try and wait out a power outage on an escalator got what they were asking for when the TSA showed up.
Really? If you're in the middle of a tall escalator and a TSA agent is yelling at everyone to stay on the escalator are you going to defy the agent and walk off?

I doubt if the TSA agents sprinted to all escalators the moment the power failed. There would definitely be an escape window of opportunity.

wonderpug · Post by **wonderpug** » Tue Dec 19, 2017 9:56 am

Punisher wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 11:52 pm
Moliere wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:23 pm So, the world's busiest airport (Atlanta) has an 11 hour power outage yesterday. Anyone know why TSA doesn't let people walk off the stalled escalators?
Couldn't find anything about being stuck on the escalators.

About halfway down:

"Dozens of passengers have tweeted reports of planes stuck at the gate, power lost throughout the airport, pilots announcing diverted flights and TSA not allowing people off of stalled escalators."

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Tue Dec 19, 2017 10:10 am

After further review every Google search shows articles quoting this guy:

Notice he says that they are stuck between escalators, not on them. Not sure what really happened since I can't find any corroborating evidence. I will wait for Isg's search results before continuing my mockery of the TSA on this incident.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Dec 19, 2017 10:33 am

Not seeing it.

AJC

Virginia Waninger has seen a lot in her nine decades, but she still can’t believe how nice people were when trapped together on the tarmac for more than five hours Sunday.

She is humbled that four men carried her in her wheelchair up a long escalator from the out-of-service Plane Train at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
...
Mark Howell, a spokesman with the Transportation Security Administration, said TSA workers lugged more than 100 people up the non-working escalators. They worked in shifts to stay fresh.

Videos circulated online of all kinds of heroism, including one by former U.S. soccer player and TV analyst Kyle Martino who tweeted a video of TSA workers flanking what appears to be a man as they help him up an escalator.
...
Another video showed a Delta worker sliding down the middle divider of an escalator to aid travelers.
..
At the escalators, which were halted without power, the couple found people in wheelchairs stuck, trying to figure out what to do. One woman tried to walk it, but made it only halfway down before she had to stop, causing a line to form behind her.