TSA mess and the police

[LuvOrlando]

I was just reading another article about the way the TSA is strong arming people into complying with their methods. I'm all for safety but the agents aren't highly trained, some of them look like they are barely a step up from ... well, they don't look like the TSA is particularly discerning.

Anyway, I don't have a single doubt in my mind that plenty of them are abusing their authority over people. The TSA seems blithely unconcerned with oversight and personal assaults but people still keep filing complaints with the TSA, as if it matters. This makes me wonder, can a citizen file a criminal assault charge against a TSA agent? I think I'd feel better about this knowing that a bad agent could end up in jail but the way it looks to me now, it seems that these TSA agents are wholly unaccountable. As if the airports are under Marshall Law via contractors and i don't like it at all. If the TSA won't restrain them and the State Police have no authority, who does?

I'm supposed to fly to Aruba next year and have been checking out the airfares but I haven't bought tickets because I AM NOT putting my DS12 and DD11 blindly into the hands of some out of control wackjob knowing I couldn't defend my kid without being arrested. I'm waiting to see what happens. Between the TSA bullies and the radioactive scanners/x-rays and the bedbugs, camping is looking pretty good to me ... I'd rather take my chances in the woods

I like flying & I like Aruba but I am not wading willingly into this mess, not with kids. I wonder if anyone is paying attention to the fact they are costing the airlines business?

 

[j's m]

We didn't have any problems with TSA in person on our trip to WDW (got back Sunday ).

But they did search one of our two suitcases EACH way. That really creeped me out to see their little flyer and know that they had touched our stuff. Thank goodness on the way down we had our unmentionables in carryon so they wouldn't get lost! I would have had to wash all those when I got down there.

The suitcase they searched on the way down had shoes, umbrellas, electric razor, hair dryer, cosmetics etc. On the way back they searched the dirty laundry

 

[Sorsha]

We didn't have any problems with TSA either when we travelled at the beginning of October. They were quite polite and kind, helpful to my kids, and kept their hands to themselves.

Only one of our suitcase was searched, and nothing was disturbed or taken... really, if it makes things any more secure for them to be able to poke my panties and shampoo bottles, more power to 'em.

As long as you follow their instructions and don't get your knickers in a knot, I really don't think you'll have any problems. And radioactive scanners, really?? Have you not had dental Xrays lately? I think it'll probably not be any great threat to life and limb.

Like anything that gets blown out of proportion on the news programs, we only hear about the isolated incidents. Millions of people travel and go through security every day with no trouble. We just hear about those few times when things go all HOOEY and the poo hits the fan. Is it inconvenient? Heck yeah, its a pain in the butt. but its also a part of life. Chill out, follow instructions, and it'll go fine, your children will be safe, even my 7 year old knows how to navigate the security lines like a pro... she smiles at the TSA agent and says thank you sir (or ma'am) as she gets passed on through.

Enjoy your trip to Aruba - I am jealous!

 

[mhsjax]

We didn't have any problems with TSA either when we travelled at the beginning of October. They were quite polite and kind, helpful to my kids, and kept their hands to themselves.

Only one of our suitcase was searched, and nothing was disturbed or taken... really, if it makes things any more secure for them to be able to poke my panties and shampoo bottles, more power to 'em.

As long as you follow their instructions and don't get your knickers in a knot, I really don't think you'll have any problems. And radioactive scanners, really?? Have you not had dental Xrays lately? I think it'll probably not be any great threat to life and limb.

Like anything that gets blown out of proportion on the news programs, we only hear about the isolated incidents. Millions of people travel and go through security every day with no trouble. We just hear about those few times when things go all HOOEY and the poo hits the fan. Is it inconvenient? Heck yeah, its a pain in the butt. but its also a part of life. Chill out, follow instructions, and it'll go fine, your children will be safe, even my 7 year old knows how to navigate the security lines like a pro... she smiles at the TSA agent and says thank you sir (or ma'am) as she gets passed on through.

Enjoy your trip to Aruba - I am jealous!

Makes me feel about as secure as the people doing the bag searches at WDW.

 

[disneykidatheart]

Took my husband to the airport a couple weeks ago. He had traveled from that airport twice this summer already. He had his hands in the air for a pat down. Then hands ran up and down his arms, up inside his legs and crotch, down inside the waistband, and his socks.

I told my sister about it and she said there had been a news story on TV about the new authority TSA has for searches. She said they can pat up the underside of a woman's breasts and can use the palms of their hands instead of the outside of the hand. That would sure take the fun out of flying for me.

 

[TinklednPants]

We didn't have any problems with TSA in person on our trip to WDW (got back Sunday ).

But they did search one of our two suitcases EACH way. That really creeped me out to see their little flyer and know that they had touched our stuff. Thank goodness on the way down we had our unmentionables in carryon so they wouldn't get lost! I would have had to wash all those when I got down there.

The suitcase they searched on the way down had shoes, umbrellas, electric razor, hair dryer, cosmetics etc. On the way back they searched the dirty laundry

Serously? If TSA looked into a suitcase that had underwear in it you would rewash everything?

 

[npmommie]

We didn't have any problems with TSA in person on our trip to WDW (got back Sunday ).

But they did search one of our two suitcases EACH way. That really creeped me out to see their little flyer and know that they had touched our stuff. Thank goodness on the way down we had our unmentionables in carryon so they wouldn't get lost! I would have had to wash all those when I got down there.

The suitcase they searched on the way down had shoes, umbrellas, electric razor, hair dryer, cosmetics etc. On the way back they searched the dirty laundry

that made me giggle!!

Makes me feel about as secure as the people doing the bag searches at WDW.

We have flown to MCO from Boston and from Providence,
and I have to say the agents in Boston were always helpful, polite, kind to the kids, never an issue.
also in Providence same thing, I can't recall them being quite as good as Boston, but no issues.
In boston they always helped getting all our gear off the belt so we can move along and get the kids back into their shoes etc.........

in Orlando, its a whole different ball game if you ask me. no one has ever been rude, but certainly not as polite and helpful as others we experienced in Boston or Providence.

 

[hereyago]

Here is a untold positive story:

DD12 and I went to WDW 2 weekends ago. Arriving back at MCO from ME, I like a dork was following other people instead of looking for Southwest-I was still in vacation mode. So I come upon a security check, no long line.

The TSA agent looked at our boarding passes and we started the process. We got at the end and saw the trams. Wrong way.

I didnt know there was more then 1 security checkpoint. So this female TSA is around and I ask which direction do I go to Southwest because now I am just confused. She asks if she can take our bp's for a moment. She says she will take us there herself. THe first TSA agent should have told us it wasn't for the Southwest side.

She escorted us, took us through the airport employee security part so we wouldn't have to wait in the line. Once we got past that I was like" I know where I am now". She said she would want someone to help her if she had her daughter with her.

She could have just pointed and said to go "that" way, but she didn't.

 

[rie'smom]

The TSA makes me think we live in a police state. I remember growing up in the 60s and hearing about how the Russian police could search people's bags, purses, person, etc and being so happy we lived in the US. Yes, I know the whole 9/11 thing. If a sophisticated terrorist group wants to blow a plane out of the sky, this type of thing will not stop them.

 

[minkydog]

I think you may be over-reacting a bit. I could see if you have actually experienced abuse by the TSA, but it sounds like you're giving into fears that may or may not even be rational. Okay, I get that you don't want to undergo so-called "radioactivity". You don't have to. You can elect to have a pat-down by a person of the same gender. Those so-called TSA "bullies" are responsible for scanning millions of customers every day in order to keep us all safe. I don't know how you can tell what kind of people they are based on your limited time spent at the scanner, but whatever. Theirs is a pretty thankless job--I have never heard ANYONE express one morsel of gratitude toward a TSA agent, but I've seen plenty of so-called adults acting out because they or their stuff had to be re-scanned. Gee, why can't they just believe us when we tell them we're "clean"? Oh, yeah. That would be because some of us aren't "clean". Some of us are carrying weapons, bombs, and drugs. Some of us are even having our children carry these things for us. I'm pretty sure nobody wants to go back to the laxity of pre-911 security.If you don't want to endure the scanning and searching, then don't fly. Simple as that. It's a necessary evil in 2010.

I fly at least once or twice a year, as do my kids. I even fly with Christian. I have family members who fly weekly coast-to-coast. In all the years that we have been flying none of us has been subjected to anything remotely abusive. TSA is just doing their job. I'm sure there are a few bad apples in TSA just like there are bad teachers, preachers and doctors. I don't think that most TSA workers are out to get us.

 

[RitaE]

I don't travel much but I did get pulled aside for a really fun pat down last month. I don't consider myself traumatized by it but that ladies hands were extremely intimate. I will refuse the naked machines at OHare if I'm ever confronted with that. Those things creep me out.

My husband travels constantly and there are airports he absolutely dreads having to go through. TSA can and does step way out of bounds at times and I agree .... their presence does not make me feel one bit safer.

 

[SaraJayne]

The TSA makes me think we live in a police state. I remember growing up in the 60s and hearing about how the Russian police could search people's bags, purses, person, etc and being so happy we lived in the US. Yes, I know the whole 9/11 thing. If a sophisticated terrorist group wants to blow a plane out of the sky, this type of thing will not stop them.

I agree. It's giving people a false sense of security.

 

[rie'smom]

I think you may be over-reacting a bit. I could see if you have actually experienced abuse by the TSA, but it sounds like you're giving into fears that may or may not even be rational. Okay, I get that you don't want to undergo so-called "radioactivity". You don't have to. You can elect to have a pat-down by a person of the same gender. Those so-called TSA "bullies" are responsible for scanning millions of customers every day in order to keep us all safe. I don't know how you can tell what kind of people they are based on your limited time spent at the scanner, but whatever. Theirs is a pretty thankless job--I have never heard ANYONE express one morsel of gratitude toward a TSA agent, but I've seen plenty of so-called adults acting out because they or their stuff had to be re-scanned. Gee, why can't they just believe us when we tell them we're "clean"? Oh, yeah. That would be because some of us aren't "clean". Some of us are carrying weapons, bombs, and drugs. Some of us are even having our children carry these things for us. I'm pretty sure nobody wants to go back to the laxity of pre-911 security.If you don't want to endure the scanning and searching, then don't fly. Simple as that. It's a necessary evil in 2010.

I fly at least once or twice a year, as do my kids. I even fly with Christian. I have family members who fly weekly coast-to-coast. In all the years that we have been flying none of us has been subjected to anything remotely abusive. TSA is just doing their job. I'm sure there are a few bad apples in TSA just like there are bad teachers, preachers and doctors. I don't think that most TSA workers are out to get us.

TSA pat downs today, what's next? And no it is not as simple as not flying.
Our personal freedoms and privacy are being trampled upon bit by bit in the name of security.

 

[LuvOrlando]

The new uproar isn't about searching luggage, that's a totally different problem. (I had 2 pieces of brand new luggage destroyed between Newark and MCO when they ripped off TSA approved locks we'd been using for YEARS) I'm ok with the luggage, what I'm NOT ok with is way this is being handled when it comes to our bodies.

You do realize that the police are required to have a REASON to do a body search but when it comes to flying the only REASON necessary is that we show up. Think about that, we are ALL treated as suspects simply because we show up AND, what's worse, we are at the mercy of a bunch of people who are neither police nor military personnel... who probably have only the dimmest understanding about OUR RIGHTS AND LAWS and who, apparently don't have to trouble themselves with following any of them.

All this is for what anyway? I never see or hear anything on the news that seems to justify any of this. Where are the arrests? The guns found? The explosives found? The ACTUAL REAL LIFE threats this prevents? I don't see anything, just a bunch of bullies accountable to NO-ONE given the reigns to my life once I step into that building and I'm just not going to do it willingly.

Now they've gone a step further and I'm asked to expose myself and my family to radiation for a luxury trip. Radiation which we have spent an entire decade being told will kill us if we go for a walk without sunscreen, radiation that causes all sorts of cancers from skin to thyroid & on & on so now, what, it's safe? How did that tricky little u-turn happen? Never mind myself and my kids, what about my DH who flies for business? Who is keeping track of his exposure levels? Will he get one of those little readers that x-ray techs get to use to record his exposure or is he just expendable? No, they just crossed a line for me and it's time for put up or shut up. I better start hearing how good this is for me and how or I'm just done with the whole thing. I'm so very done, I don't NEED to fly and I won't. But my DH does and I'm ticked he has to choose between being groped and radiation.

BTW, my DD11 gets a lead wrap covering her ovaries when she gets an x-ray. Come to think of it I do too.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I agree with minkydog 100%.

It's really not that big a deal, people. It's 2 minutes out of your day. It'll be alright. Flying isn't a right, it's a privilege, and if you don't like having to clear security, don't fly, because you don't have a choice.

I'll take a 20 second patdown by another female than take my car across the country ANY day. If you'd rather drive to the MOON than endure such a treacherous patdown, then drive!

Complaining isn't going to change anything!

 

[AKL_Megs]

LuvOrlando, you can opt for the patdown. Nobody HAS to get scanned, so really, no need for all of he radiation drama posts!

 

[punkin]

I agree with minkydog 100%.

It's really not that big a deal, people. It's 2 minutes out of your day. It'll be alright. Flying isn't a right, it's a privilege, and if you don't like having to clear security, don't fly, because you don't have a choice.

I'll take a 20 second patdown by another female than take my car across the country ANY day. If you'd rather drive to the MOON than endure such a treacherous patdown, then drive!

Complaining isn't going to change anything!

Complaining, writing letters, protesting...these are the only things that ever change anything!

 

[LuvOrlando]

LuvOrlando, you can opt for the patdown. Nobody HAS to get scanned, so really, no need for all of he radiation drama posts!

It's not drama, the whole thing is utterly ridiculous.

Punkin, you are right. I think I'll let Continental know they are losing $2,000 in tickets to Aruba over this... money talks right?

 

[AKL_Megs]

TSA pat downs today, what's next? And no it is not as simple as not flying.
Our personal freedoms and privacy are being trampled upon bit by bit in the name of security.

What is an alternative?

Letting everyone through? Not checking anything circa 1950?

Just checking bags, not people?

Just checking people, not bags?

Just checking known terrorists and their bags?

We DO NOT know who, what kind of person, when, or where the next attack will happen... We just know it will.

As someone who flies 20 days a month, I am not bothered by TSA at all.

 

[AKL_Megs]

It's not drama, the whole thing is utterly ridiculous.

Punkin, you are right. I think I'll let Continental know they are losing $2,000 in tickets to Aruba over this... money talks right?

You are a drop of water in the sea. Money talks, but people... Most people... Will ALWAYS fly. There is just that need. The airlines have no say over what TSA does... The USDOT does... And The US Department of Transportation makes no money from people who fly. The airlines do, and the airlines encourage safe flying