Orlando Security=Unorganized, Unhappy and Unhelpful

[Disney Panda]

The security folks in Pittsburgh were friendly and helpful. One gentlemen helped me place our various toddler related items on the belt and put the umbrella stroller on unfolded. What a contrast in Orlando. The lines were very confusing. You're supposed to keep moving to the right till you find a quicker line. I found this very unorganized. The security woman would close the rope in front of a belt cutting off people in line with no explanation. She even cut a pregnant woman with 2 children off. They offered no assistance with placing things on the belts either. Big thumbs down to those working security in Terminal A for gate 120 on 12/9.

 

[kaytieeldr]

MCO security is usually horrible. On the other hand, while it was nice of the Agents in Pittsburgh to be so helpful, it's not required, aka it's not part of the job. With lines as horrid as they are in Orlando, can you imagine how much worse it would be if some of those Agents were loading the conveyor belts instead of observing the displays?

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> close the rope in front of a [conveyor] belt?

Meaning "hold up for a moment" or "continue on to the next belt"?

I did not think that the airport personnel were supposed to put passengers' stuff on the belts.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

It sounds as if your airport experience would be a lot better if you didn't have so much to carry-on. Not only would it help you, think how appreciative those behind you in line would be if they weren't held up by someone struggling with too much stuff.

Not once have I ever seen security personnel place traveler's items on the x-ray belt; this is not their job.

 

[safetymom]

That is nice they did that for you in Pgh. but I can tell you they don't do that at any of the airports I fly through. It helps to be organized when you go through security. You can tell who flies alot going through the line. They are the ones taking off jackets, shoes, etc. before they get up to the table and belt.

 

[Pinnie]

I agree with everyone that said you were lucky to get help in Pittsburg. The job of the TSA is NOT to be a personal assistant to anyone. The workman's comp issue would be a nightmare! I fly a lot through various airports and never ONCE in any airport have I seen a TSA agent helping anyone put stuff on the belt. I also agree that you can tell the pax that don't fly often. They are the ones that take coats and jackets off at the belt.

pinnie

 

[maxiesmom]

I've always found the lines at MCO to be well organized and fast. I've also never had anyone help me put my suff on the conveyer belts. I didn't think they were allowed to actually.

 

[MidgeD79]

Your experience must have been very upsetting to you. Be aware that people on this board appear to know more than you and must have been standing in line behind you because they have all sorts of insite to went you went through. Maybe you weren't really at the Orlando Airport..........

 

[maxiesmom]

Your experience must have been very upsetting to you. Be aware that people on this board appear to know more than you and must have been standing in line behind you because they have all sorts of insite to went you went through. Maybe you weren't really at the Orlando Airport..........

No one accused the Op of lying. We are just commenting on our own experiences. So far they have been more good then bad. Why does this mean we are attacking the OP?

 

[safetymom]

I don't think anyone was attacking the OP. We were sharing our experiences just like they were. I fly quite frequently around the country and live here in Orlando. The security lines have gotten much better in the last several months.

 

[DebbieB]

I fly out of Pittsburgh almost every week and they are usually nice but I don't recall anyone ever helping me put stuff on the belt (I always have a handful: my laptop, laptop case, carryon bag, shoes, coat). You were lucky that they helped you. Every airport's procedures seem a little different and it is confusing if you are not used to flying. Then you run into pushy passengers. It was taking me some time to get everything on the belt at LAX last Friday. This guy jumps ahead of me and puts his stuff in the middle of mine, then goes through the dectector ahead of me and it beeps. So he had to start emptying his pockets. I said to the lady behind me "he was in such a hurry and he's not ready". Then one of the bags he put in the middle of mine had to be pulled off for bag check.

 

[bavaria]

Your experience must have been very upsetting to you. Be aware that people on this board appear to know more than you and must have been standing in line behind you because they have all sorts of insite to went you went through. Maybe you weren't really at the Orlando Airport..........

This is one of the reasons I rarely post anymore. DebbieB, Safetymom, CarolA and I are all very very frequent flyers, and we were always happy to share insight and information. Yet too often I see us (and others) being accused of being 'knowitalls' because we answer questions, offer advice, and share insight into how the airlines and associated travel industry usually works.

I'm sorry if you don't appreciate the information that was posted but I don't think that the response was appropriate to the situation.

I too have never seen TSA or CATSA or any other countries' airport security aid passengers; at my home airport the frequent flyer security line merges with the family line, and I can assure you that I don't see anyone there getting assistance from CATSA.

 

[debster812]

This is one of the reasons I rarely post anymore. DebbieB, Safetymom, CarolA and I are all very very frequent flyers, and we were always happy to share insight and information. Yet too often I see us (and others) being accused of being 'knowitalls' because we answer questions, offer advice, and share insight into how the airlines and associated travel industry usually works.

I'm sorry if you don't appreciate the information that was posted but I don't think that the response was appropriate to the situation.

I'd like to go on record to say if I have a question, I'm usually searching for one of your posts, or Safetymom's first. You guys DO know your stuff, and I for one appreciate it.

To the OP, sorry you had a rough time at MCO, it can be sheer chaos at times, and even more confusing when you have small ones in tow.

 

[CarolA]

Saturday MCO Security was YELLING "PUT YOUR LAPTOPS IN BINS" etc. Of course ALL of the bins were on the OTHER side of security. And then the jerk running my line decided to try and dump my laptop. Kind of hard to explain, but basically he could tell the "unload" area was backed up and just kept sending stuff thru at full speed and YELLING at the women in front of me to grab and go. While I agree with him on the need to clear the area, if the woman in front of me hadn't grabbed my bin (which I only had because the CLEAR folks have bins for thier customers) my laptop would have flown off of this pile of JUNK. (TWO CARRYONS is NOT TWO plus FIVE Disney bags... I counted!) And at the SPEED the jerk was sending this stuff thru while turning to YELL at the ladies backing up the line I can gurantee he never looked at my bags! (Don't you feel safer now?) He was basically trying to use my luggage as a battering ram....




However, I didn't find them any less "helpful" then any of the other TSA folks I encounter. (Applying for a TSA job, Step 1 YELL! Step 2 Be Rude. If you can do both of those, you are hired.) As a general rule, TSA doesn't seem to care about customer relations. And NO I don't think that being nice endangers reduces thier "effectiveness" so please don't try to tell me that "yelling" is an effecitive security measure!

On occasion you will see TSA agents who are helpful as the OP did. It's sad that for lots of frequent flyers, thier counterparts pretty much manage to "outweigh" the nice ones.

 

[DebbieB]

I try to be conscious of the fact that I am an experienced flyer while others on this board are one time a year, if that. What appears to be "norm" to me can appear to be awful for someone not used to it. I just try to be realistic.

I just set my alarm for 3:45am to get up for my 7:30am flight to Minnesota via Philadelphia (from Pittsburgh, long story). Last trip of the year!

 

[bavaria]

aaah CarolA, I thought of you as I stood in Frankfurt this week, telling the security agent in fluent German that the item on the screen was NOT my handbag, but someone else's laptop case. They couldn't figure out why they couldn't find the bottle of water in my handbag that they saw on screen - DUH!

DebbieB, enjoy that last trip - I have two more roundtrips for work before year end!!!

 

[Diznyfan68]

We just flew out of MCO yesterday and the security was a joke. They had all of the conveyor lines open and one person was apparently sending the items through the scanner for two lines - on our line the TSA agent was only working on the other line. Our line had no bins, on the other line she was putting bins out for each person and sending them through - she looked over at our line a few times but apparently couldn't be bothered to turn around and help our line out.

Please keep in mind I'm not saying she was PLACING anything on the conveyor, rather she was facilitating getting it through the scanner. Every other section of two had one person working both lines efficiently, unfortunately we ended up on a line where someone was either incapable or unwilling to do that. Is this unique to MCO? No way - I've seen it at other airports too - customer service skills are not high on the TSA's requirements.

 

[C.Ann]

We flew out of MCO yesterday and they snagged my DD in the metal detector (forgot to take her cell phone off her waistband) and then snagged her carry-on because she forgot she put one of those smaller size cans of soda in the side pocket.. All the stations were well-manned and no one was being pushy or yelling while we were in line.. Maybe things got more congested later on..

 

[ducklite]

While security can be rude at MCO, the rudest I've ever encountered was Albany, NY. Those people should be guarding prisoners at Attica, not working with the general public.

Frankly if you can't manage it on your own, check it. If you have small children, you can usually get a pass from your carrier for another adult to help you to the boarding area. The TSA are there for security, not to be a personal valet. It is no one's responsibility but the travelers to manage their belingings, including putting things on the conveyor line.

My guess is that the line that kept getting cut off was the CLEAR line. CLEAR fees pay to have that line open to begin with, and they use it for the general public when CLEAR passengers don't need it. CLEAR passengers will always be cut into that line when they arrive.

Anne

 

[paults]

Gee this post reminds me of another post about people who pack carry-ons to the hilt and expect someone to help lift it into the overhead bin.