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Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

nytimes.com

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Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

#201

Post by Diederich »

nfriedly wrote: post #67
tehwebguy wrote: post #25

Here's an awesome TSA story for you: Late last year while trying to fly out of LAX a TSA employee thought I was carrying a throwing star. They called the police, who correctly identified as a toy in seconds. I thought the whole ordeal was over until I got a "notice of violation" in the mail from TSA 45 days later. Now I'm banned from pre-check for three years, even though I have global entry and even though the fine…

They're just as bad at identifying actual "weapons": I flew to South America with a layover in Miami a few years back. Got past TSA without any trouble on the domestic leg, then I had to go through again for the international leg. The second time through security, they said they saw a blade on the x-ray.. turns out they were right. I forgot I had left a multi-tool in my bag. Thankfully, they just trashed it and let m…

I have passed through TSA on four different flights (across two trips) with my multitool in my backpack. This was, of course, completely accidental on my part.

These events caused me to put together a pre-TSA personal checklist, since I can't count on getting lucky again, and I really like that multitool. (:

Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

#202

Post by [deleted] »

vinay427 wrote: post #188
nfriedly wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're just as bad at identifying actual "weapons": I flew to South America with a layover in Miami a few years back. Got past TSA without any trouble on the domestic leg, then I had to go through again for the international leg. The second time through security, they said they saw a blade on the x-ray.. turns out they were right. I forgot I had left a multi-tool in my bag. Thankfully, they just trashed it and let m…

Slightly off-topic, but just to clarify Miami requires everyone to go through security again for an international connection, or was this a special case?

[deleted]

Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

#203

Post by stevesearer »

nfriedly wrote: post #67
tehwebguy wrote: post #25

Here's an awesome TSA story for you: Late last year while trying to fly out of LAX a TSA employee thought I was carrying a throwing star. They called the police, who correctly identified as a toy in seconds. I thought the whole ordeal was over until I got a "notice of violation" in the mail from TSA 45 days later. Now I'm banned from pre-check for three years, even though I have global entry and even though the fine…

They're just as bad at identifying actual "weapons": I flew to South America with a layover in Miami a few years back. Got past TSA without any trouble on the domestic leg, then I had to go through again for the international leg. The second time through security, they said they saw a blade on the x-ray.. turns out they were right. I forgot I had left a multi-tool in my bag. Thankfully, they just trashed it and let m…

Similar story - a member of my group went through security at LAX with no problems, but was stopped at Heathrow because of something suspicious in her handbag. We emptied everything out of the bag, re-scanned it, and the object was still detected.

After feeling around in the bag we discovered some fabric cutting shears had apparently been accidentally been sewn into the lining by someone on the factory line (they looked something like this if I remember correctly: http://imgur.com/ZKlsjJw).

We just cut them out, handed them over and went on our way. Was a really strange experience though.

Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

#204

Post by aqme28 »

morcheeba wrote: post #117
peterwwillis wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FYI you are allowed to carry on screwdrivers, wrenches and pliers less than 7 inches long. More bulky than a multi-tool, but at least you can carry something? https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/prohibited-ite...

They can still confiscate whatever they want, regardless of the rules: https://bbs.boingboing.net/t/makers-tsa-compliant-multitool-...

They confiscated a friend's _comb_, because it opened with a switchblade-style button.

Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

#205

Post by kogepathic »

firebird84 wrote: post #135
KKKKkkkk1 wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The USCIS (the former Immigration and Naturalization Service) is a US government agency that functions without funding from the government - it gets all of its money from the fees and penalties paid by the people who require its services. Based on your story, I'm wondering if the TSA has a similar business model.

That sounds about right. I married a foreigner - costs $1500 and about 6 months to process the paperwork that lets her stay. I got sticker shock when I first learned that. I've never before seen government fees that high.

> costs $1500 and about 6 months to process the paperwork that lets her stay

Really not cool. Probably justify it by saying it takes a lot of time to process paperwork (that they created the requirement for in the first place...)

Did you know that it also now costs $2350 for someone to renounce their US citizenship?

It also takes an undefined amount of time (typically 12+ months) and they publish your name online on a State Department shame list of ex-Americans.

A decade ago, it was free to renounce your US citizenship. Around 2009 they started charging $450, and then suddenly raised the fee to $2350 in 2014.

Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

#206

Post by lettergram »

tehwebguy wrote: post #25

Here's an awesome TSA story for you: Late last year while trying to fly out of LAX a TSA employee thought I was carrying a throwing star. They called the police, who correctly identified as a toy in seconds. I thought the whole ordeal was over until I got a "notice of violation" in the mail from TSA 45 days later. Now I'm banned from pre-check for three years, even though I have global entry and even though the fine…

I didn't get a warning, but I did have my bag opened, all my belongings thrown out on the ground, and was delayed for 30-45 minutes...

All this because I had a box of poptarts that apparently looked like a bomb.

Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

#207

Post by 6stringmerc »

Whenever in line for TSA security, there's a little trick that you can try to increase your patience level by a good margin:

Remember the large mass of people in front of you will, more than likely, resemble a bell curve of intelligence. This means some of these people are smarter than average, and shouldn't have much of any trouble with the process. This also means half the people are dumber than average, and will find new and innovative ways to mess things up because they didn't read, plan ahead, or are otherwise obvlivious to higher-level thought.

It doesn't help with the cause of the problem, but certainly helps with the symptoms.

Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

#208

Post by silencio »

vinay427 wrote: post #188
nfriedly wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're just as bad at identifying actual "weapons": I flew to South America with a layover in Miami a few years back. Got past TSA without any trouble on the domestic leg, then I had to go through again for the international leg. The second time through security, they said they saw a blade on the x-ray.. turns out they were right. I forgot I had left a multi-tool in my bag. Thankfully, they just trashed it and let m…

Slightly off-topic, but just to clarify Miami requires everyone to go through security again for an international connection, or was this a special case?

I wonder if it's a case like domestic terminal -> international terminal without any post-security options to move between the two.

I do know that flying _back_ to the US on my last few international flights, there was a second security checkpoint I had to go through. Very silly. I had filled my water bottle at a fountain at the gate and then had to empty it right out 5 minutes later.

Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

#209

Post by tehwebguy »

stevesearer wrote: post #203
nfriedly wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're just as bad at identifying actual "weapons": I flew to South America with a layover in Miami a few years back. Got past TSA without any trouble on the domestic leg, then I had to go through again for the international leg. The second time through security, they said they saw a blade on the x-ray.. turns out they were right. I forgot I had left a multi-tool in my bag. Thankfully, they just trashed it and let m…

Similar story - a member of my group went through security at LAX with no problems, but was stopped at Heathrow because of something suspicious in her handbag. We emptied everything out of the bag, re-scanned it, and the object was still detected. After feeling around in the bag we discovered some fabric cutting shears had apparently been accidentally been sewn into the lining by someone on the factory line (they loo…

TSA factors in if an item appeared to be intentionally concealed as well, I'm glad you didn't get a notice with a significant fine

Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

#210

Post by eastbayjake »

vinay427 wrote: post #188
nfriedly wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're just as bad at identifying actual "weapons": I flew to South America with a layover in Miami a few years back. Got past TSA without any trouble on the domestic leg, then I had to go through again for the international leg. The second time through security, they said they saw a blade on the x-ray.. turns out they were right. I forgot I had left a multi-tool in my bag. Thankfully, they just trashed it and let m…

Slightly off-topic, but just to clarify Miami requires everyone to go through security again for an international connection, or was this a special case?

You have to go through security again for international flights that connect to a domestic flight, but not usually (ever?) if you've passed TSA within the US and are connecting to leave the country. That's true at every airport in the US, not just Miami.
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