SFO is one of the better TSA operations. The employees of the TSA presence aren't directly employees of DHS; they are employed by a contractor of the TSA. I've found them to be professional and efficient (granted that I have Global Entry). In fact, one of the guards let me keep my Chinese papaya soup with liquid (the papaya cavity was filled with a Chinese birds nest soup). She simply told me that technically she should confiscate my papaya, but that she was going to look the other way, and I left the checkpoint with decent airplane food.
Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security
341–350 of 512 posts
Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security
#342Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
It may be an unpopular opinion to express, but these "horror stories of TSA incompetence" are somewhat entertaining to those who cannot afford to fly. It's like that "Cops" TV show, on location in the airports of America, with the men and women of law enforcement - the TSA in this case. Your having LEOs violate your rights and go thru your belongings - for someone thinking your box is a bomb - is no different than a…
The harassment quota on TSA security checks is 100%. Meanwhile, I've never been stopped driving once.
(Also, of course, there is a semblance of due process with traffic stops)
Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security
#343Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
It may be an unpopular opinion to express, but these "horror stories of TSA incompetence" are somewhat entertaining to those who cannot afford to fly. It's like that "Cops" TV show, on location in the airports of America, with the men and women of law enforcement - the TSA in this case. Your having LEOs violate your rights and go thru your belongings - for someone thinking your box is a bomb - is no different than a…
I don't think that's an unpopular opinion at all - even for those who fly regularly. So much so, there are already several different COPS style 'reality' shows depicting controversial airport security encounters, at least one in the USA.
Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security
#344At sea-tac the other day, I watched them completely close a screening line so that they could perform a shift change. Really? You have to shut down the ENTIRE LINE in order to change out a few people? These people need lessons in efficiency.
If time were money to them, this crap wouldn't happen.
Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security
#345Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's worse than just membership fees. To join a precheck program, you need to submit personal information that they constitutionally can't force American citizens to provide, even at international borders: fingerprints and retina scans. So basically they hold huge amounts of your time hostage in order to force you to provide what ought to be protected info. It's similar to incentives for long-term contraception. The…
I don't think I'm really paranoid about my personal information. I remember a time when everyone's name, phone number, and address were published in a large white book and distributed to every home in the metro area. I think a lot of the hyperventilation about that stuff is a little over the top. However, I draw the line at biological data. That is permanent, irrevocable, unchangeable personal information that no one…
I actually don't care about any of that info. I'm just annoyed about the principle that the these sorts of end-arounds are allowed.
Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security
#346Earlier quoted context omitted.
What will funding them "fully" accomplish? Do you believe that their inability to catch terrorists is a matter of lack of funding?
This is like the time I asked someone on Reddit what they meant by funding education "fully." They said, "double." So... we'd be a world leader in primary and secondary education again if we just spent twice what we currently do? Well, I guess it was an answer. There are 2 kinds of people: those who think that more money will somehow fix everything (them), and those that think more money will only exacerbate the prob…
Which is the one that thinks increasing funding helps? Conservatives?
Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security
#347Earlier quoted context omitted.
I used to take my CRKT M16-14 knife on the nerd bird SJC SEA round trip twice a week. Nobody cared. This was mid-90s until just before 9/11. I didn't try to hide it - just tossed it in the bin with my keys etc. https://www.copsplus.com/prodnum4396.php
Well, before 9/11 you didn't have to check your firearms. You could carry them on as long as they were in a case. Things were more reasonable back then.
A lot of people wouldn't consider it reasonable to allow people to carry guns around, least of all on a plane.
Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security
#348Here'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…
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Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security
#349Here'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…
Few years ago, went to South America on a mission trip. Got a new Passport for the trip as I'd never been anywhere that required one. Every TSA checkpoint on the way home I was stopped, frisked and searched. I almost missed every single flight. I ran miles and miles that day trying to catch planes.
Edit: Ok, maybe not miles, but seriously, had to run to every plane.
Re: Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security
#350It would be more efficient if everyone got a little cart as soon as they got in line where they can put their shoes, belts, laptops, etc. Then when you get to the x-ray, the whole cart is inserted. The slow down is always at the point where people are taking out all their stuff. And maybe add some courtesy, unstaffed metal detectors along the route to the checkpoint so you get a heads up metal stuff is in your pockets.
However, I think locked cockpit doors and air marshals have solved most of the airline problems (versus security screening). Also, pre-9/11 most people assumed those hi-jacking planes had some demands and then everyone would be let go without harm. No one thinks that anymore, so passengers will fight.