Just a warning about MCO TSA agents:
Our family of 4, youngest ds (11) were all flagged with SSSS codes on our most recent return flight from MCO/DFW on Air Tran. It was our first and hopefully our last experience with the dreadful code. Horrifying and humiliating are not words that could possible describe the experience.
There were two TSA women officials, yelling at my family, 1 blonde woman yelled at my 11 yo son twice, the same blonde woman called my 18 yo son names. The boys were only trying to collect their things that these people had strewn all over the place. They unpacked everything we had with us on the same table area where other passenger bags were coming through the screening. TheTSA agents did not make any effort at all to make sure our belongings were secure. We're talking about 4 back packs full of stuff, 2 computers, 3 ipods, a Blackberry, watches, wallets, everything! My boys were a little worried about their ipods and DS's brand new laptop computer was just laying out on a table for anyone to come by and pick up. They didn't bother to tell us that our stuff also had to be swiped down before we could have it back. They just yelled at the boys when they tried to pick up their stuff like they always do when they come through the regular screening.
All the while, they had DH and I sequestered in a separate area, we could see and hear how they were talking to the boys and when we asked them to stop treating the boys that way, the same woman that was yelling at them then grabbed me by the arm, physically forced me into a chair, yelled at me to put my head in my lap and proceeded to frisk me.
I was in tears about how we were treated, my youngest ds (11) was scared to death, ds (18) looked like he was about to punch someone and DH was trying to get someone to explain what in the world was going on that warranted this horrifying treatment. I'm sure everyone around thought we must have surely been some kind of drug smuggling family that got caught the way they were carrying on. Talk about an abuse of authority! We were stunned beyond belief that this was happening, we typically fly for family vacations 2-3 times a year, and have flown in and out of MCO at least 20 times. Never has anything like this happened to us nor have we seen it taking place.
We have filed a formal complaint with TSA and Air Tran Airways. This was our first time to fly Air Tran, we've always flown American before. Welcome to discount flights! We'll stick with the regular fares if this is what you have to go through to save a few bucks!
, write your Congressperson and Senators.
