Why the ever changing TSA requirements?

[6bowmans]

If it keeps you guessing, then it keeps the knuckleheads and bad guys guessing too.

 

[georgina]

I hate that. One of the many reasons that we got pre check

Agree. I have never been asked to take food out of my bag, but did get flagged for a bag of nuts even with precheck (in Albuquerque)

 

[tcufrog]

Now that we have Global Entry my dh doesn't have to get his CPAP out of our carry on.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

Even with PreCheck, you may be subject to what is called 'random, additional screening' at any airport. I often think our home airport is some kind of training ground for TSA personnel. The rate of being pulled aside here - even with PreCheck - is roughly 50%. I sometimes think it would be far easier to just go through the regular security lines.

 

[Dis703]

We have twin girls both at 95 percentile activity levels. Two years ago they had just turned 4 and we went through MCO security. One of the twins saw the huge pile of water bottles taken from passengers and she ran under the folding table barriers and started routing through the bottles. The nearest TSA agent was a large man and his face bore no indication that he had ever smiled. He glared at me and told me to retrieve her immediately. I said I think she is thirsty and smiled. Bad response since at this point the glare deepened to the point that I started to worry about a night in jail. I retrieved my daughter and we made it through meekly without further incident. The incident really surprised me in that MCO TSA didn’t seem in the least tolerant of children. There was no harm or security breach and we were still some minutes from actual screening.

Active twins can be a handful and I don’t know how to please some people without resorting to duck tape and leg irons.

Lol, I can totally relate to wrangling twins in the airport. I don't recall which airport we were in, but one of my twins took off under the ropes while we were dealing with the stroller and all the luggage once. He was about 4 or 5 at the time and he was/is FAST! Luckily they were all pretty entertained and didn't freak out about it, but I was so nervous they would. How they handle kids is so hit or miss depending on the person. When they were two years old one of them got sick the day we were leaving Disney. He had a fever and had been vomiting for several hours by the time we got to the airport. The TSA agent wanted me to put him down to walk through the x-ray machine and I told him he'd been sick all day and I couldn't put him down. He rolled his eyes at me and called over to another agent in a very disbelieving tone, "She says she can't put him down because he's sick" and they told him to allow me. He was obviously annoyed. We walk through the x-ray and not 2 seconds after and 2 feet from the agent he starting puking again. Served him right IMO, lol. And the kids love that story now.

On the flip side we also have had agents who waved us over to go through the line for people in wheelchairs once they saw the 3 kids and double stroller allowing us to completely avoid waiting in line. It just depends on the person and the day I guess.

 

[Dis703]

We flew out of NY a few years ago... DS was 16 at the time.
He gets to scanner and the agent tells him he does not need to remove his shoes.
He gets to the other side of the metal detector and the guy on that side ask why he didn't remove his shoes?

Another trip we had a stern talking to since all of our liquid baggies were put in the same bin. There were 4 of us flying and the baggies all go in the same carry on so we put them in the same bin like we have done every other time including the flight down. Turns out that was a no-no.

Omg, I do that every single time I go on the plane. There are 5 of us when we travel together so 4-5 baggies with our liquids. It's always in the same bin and same bag just because it's easier. I wonder if that's really a rule. I mean I know it's per person but why would it matter if we all have access to the same bags on the plane? So far so good as no one has ever said anything, but I guess I'll keep that in mind just in case.

 

[Dis703]

THe taking the food out of your carry ons has been a thing for a while and it depends on how busy the airport is. Food packaging is often flagged and needs additional screening, so if the security checkpoint is busy, you have to pull it out.

I have had to pull all of my food out several times in Philly, Miami, Palm Beach, Atlanta and I am sure there are a few others. It really depends on how crowded it is.

I mostly fly Trenton and Philly to Orlando, but also have also been to Tampa, Newark, and Myrtle Beach in recent years. So far they never asked me to take out food anywhere but Orlando, but I was carrying 2 personal sized pizzas through Myrtle beach security and they made me open the boxes and checked the outside for residue. I wasn't sure if pizza was going to be a problem, but I HAD to have some Hungry Howie's once I know there was one in the area, lol. Not great pizza but it's a nostalgia thing from childhood.

 

[goofy4tink]

The reason is because TSA is security theater carried out by low paid employees, who from person to person don't know what they should be doing.

While they are focused on food and drinks, the majority of the weapons that are put through security audits pass without being found.

Please do not go there.

It's best to be prepared to take out what you would expect to take out. Wear shoes that are easily removed and put back on. This isn't rocket science. When you get to the belt, you will be told what you need to do. Listen to the people that are right there, not the ones who are further back in the line.
My 3-1-1 baggie is always on the top of my carryon bag, as are my electronics. I don't wear a belt and I wear slip-on shoes. I have TSA PreCheck but am still ready to comply.

 

[mommyrosa2]

Last month DH & I flew out of Boston to San Fran. We get to the airport 2 1/2 hours before our flight. We get to the TSA line and I ask the first agent at the conveyer belt if I have to take out my IPad and he says no. My carryon goes thru security no problem but my personal bag with my Ipad gets pulled and they proceed to put it on the conveyer again for a second screening. I see it come thru and the agent now pulls my personal bag off the belt and to the side. Ahead of me are two college age guys whose bags also got pulled. One TSA agent is going thru their entire bags and begins screening every single item they had because they had a bunch of individual gallon size bags full of different powdery substances. The guys are explaining they are weight lifters heading to a competition and it's their protein powder - mind you nothing is labeled. She is nit-picking every item in their bags (as she should) but meanwhile the line is now getting backed up because two other people now behind me had their bags removed to also be personally screened. I make the mistake of asking the TSA agent if she would be calling for backup because she was taking a LONG time with the guys in front of us. She snaps and says no and we were all going to have to wait. She took 45 MIN, I timed it to go thru their stuff. She gets to my bag and proceeds to snap at me because I didn't remove my IPad. When I tried to tell her that the other TSA agent (and I pointed right at him) said I didn't have to, she snapped and said "well you do". I very rarely ever fly out of Boston, much rather fly out of Providence and it will be a while before we fly out of Boston again. So many TSA agents just standing around, you would think one of them would have come over to help .

 

[L_MD]

I just want to agree with this thread. When we left on 10/26, I had to do stuff at MCO that I had never done before. Backpack on the belt, not in a bin. Shoes in a bin, but by themselves. All food out of bags, and in a separate bin. However, leave the liquids in the backpack. So strange! LUCKILY our line had a super nice TSA agent...something I have rarely seen at MCO. He was very nice about making it very clear on what to do, joking around, and actually answering questions that people asked him. So in a way it was both more and less stressful. More because of course I had like 5 bags of snack mix and candy, but less because he was actually helpful.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Backpack on the belt, not in a bin.

I don't think we've ever put a backpack in a bin unless it was years ago. It's a bag and thus has gone on the belt in our experience.

Shoes in a bin, but by themselves.

That one it's been a toss up. But there have been times that it the TSA agent has lifted the shoes and places them on the belt by themselves without complaint and other times that they've been fine with my jacket with it and belt if I have one.

 

[L_MD]

I don't think we've ever put a backpack in a bin unless it was years ago. It's a bag and thus has gone on the belt in our experience.

That one it's been a toss up. But there have been times that it the TSA agent has lifted the shoes and places them on the belt by themselves without complaint and other times that they've been fine with my jacket with it and belt if I have one.

In my home airport I always put my backpack in a bin since it has sticky-outy straps and they're a pain to tuck in. No one's ever said anything! It doesn't matter to me one way or the other...as long as someone tells me before I do it.

 

[charmed59]

When they were two years old one of them got sick the day we were leaving Disney. He had a fever and had been vomiting for several hours by the time we got to the airport. The TSA agent wanted me to put him down to walk through the x-ray machine and I told him he'd been sick all day and I couldn't put him down. He rolled his eyes at me and called over to another agent in a very disbelieving tone, "She says she can't put him down because he's sick" and they told him to allow me. He was obviously annoyed. We walk through the x-ray and not 2 seconds after and 2 feet from the agent he starting puking again. Served him right IMO, lol. And the kids love that story now.

I remember a family trip to Hawaii where one child got sick the night before our morning flight. We felt it would be mean to take a sick child on the plane, both for the child and for the rest of the passengers. We decided DH, grandparents, and other children would make the flight, and sick child and I would extend our stay until she wasn’t actively sick. The hotel was amenable in extending our stay in one of the rooms, and because we didn’t have trip insurance we paid for the flight changes.

After a full day in bed, my DD felt much better and we headed one day behind the rest of the family. I was not all that surprised to see a few very sick children throwing up in bags at the airport. They looked miserable. My daughter turned to me and said she was really glad she didn’t have to take the plane sick. I was just really glad the sick children weren’t on my plane.

I’ve come to appreciate the countries that won’t let you on the plane if you are sick.

 

[Pmlocke]

TSA works under the guidance from Homeland Security. Depending on any threats or the security level to either the airport, city, state, or nation, the level of security check will increase or lessen. The security alert levels are not posted anywhere, so don't bother looking for that type of information. Also, the TSA Agents will not disclose any threat level information. This does not ean one airport does things different than any other. If you had an easy check through process at Airport A but Airport B was very intrusive in their search, that only suggests that the threat level for that area of the nation has been elevated.

 

[rg35]

Please do not go there.

I don't know what your comment about "not going there" is about. Nothing about my post violates any of the rules.

Someone asked why TSA checks are inconsistent, and I gave them an answer. Go to any airport and you'll see different agents on different lines doing things. This doesn't have anything to do with security alerts or anything else. It's poor training, low pay, and a thankless job environment. In 2017 TSA missed 70% of weapons that were put through security. This isn't made up, it's a fact based on Homeland Security's own internal investigations.

Another thing that would help would be people not trying to bring their entire household on an airplane. On a multi-thousand dollar vacation, $25 extra bucks to check a bag is the tipping point? I've never had a problem with airport security confusion - the only items we carry on are electronics and non-liquid snacks for the kids. I get it, sometimes people need medication or special items, but these are not the majority of cases. Some of the things people asking about bringing on line I don't understand why they need for a 2 or 3 hour flight. Put it in your checked bag and breeze through security.

 

[Dis703]

I don't know what your comment about "not going there" is about. Nothing about my post violates any of the rules.

Someone asked why TSA checks are inconsistent, and I gave them an answer. Go to any airport and you'll see different agents on different lines doing things. This doesn't have anything to do with security alerts or anything else. It's poor training, low pay, and a thankless job environment. In 2017 TSA missed 70% of weapons that were put through security. This isn't made up, it's a fact based on Homeland Security's own internal investigations.

Another thing that would help would be people not trying to bring their entire household on an airplane. On a multi-thousand dollar vacation, $25 extra bucks to check a bag is the tipping point? I've never had a problem with airport security confusion - the only items we carry on are electronics and non-liquid snacks for the kids. I get it, sometimes people need medication or special items, but these are not the majority of cases. Some of the things people asking about bringing on line I don't understand why they need for a 2 or 3 hour flight. Put it in your checked bag and breeze through security.

We almost never check bags at all. We fly Frontier and are able to take as many trips as we do because we pay as little as $50 round trip to fly and part of that means only bringing a bag for under the seat. The extra $60-70RT adds up. And it’s a pain to deal with picking up bags at either end. I don’t take my entire household but we do travel with a lot of food because of severe allergies and then the treats we bring home. But none of that is against TSA rules.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Another thing that would help would be people not trying to bring their entire household on an airplane. On a multi-thousand dollar vacation, $25 extra bucks to check a bag is the tipping point? I've never had a problem with airport security confusion - the only items we carry on are electronics and non-liquid snacks for the kids. I get it, sometimes people need medication or special items, but these are not the majority of cases. Some of the things people asking about bringing on line I don't understand why they need for a 2 or 3 hour flight. Put it in your checked bag and breeze through security.

I'll just give my experience.

I am not a person that packs everything under the sun yet (I don't have kids yet so we'll see how that goes lol) but I am known to pack my shoes, normally my small packing cube that has clothes in it, a change of clothing for 1 day in case checked luggage is lost, anything too fragile but still small enough to fit in either my personal item or my carry on, etc. into my personal or checked bag. I will also have my kindle, headphones, charging cords, my small compact travel pillow (that contains a throw sized blanket inside it).

We also don't always use a checked bag. It depends on where we are going and how long we are gone for. We fly SWA and you get 2 checked bags included but it won't always make sense for us to utilize that.

Checked bags come with risks that as passengers we accept such as damage, such as being lost, etc.

So I guess my point is don't assume people are packing stuff only for the plane ride.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

And what's interesting in what you've mentioned is we flew several hours after the Vegas shooting TO Vegas and our airport security was no different other than that was the time period when Kindles started having to be taken out of your carryon bags and when I had flown to Disney several weeks prior that rule was not in effect yet at my home airport.

The Vegas shooter didn't fly, and that incident wasn't related to a threat to air travel.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The Vegas shooter didn't fly, and that incident wasn't related to a threat to air travel.

The Vegas airport was closed for a time after it and people were running towards the airport. I found it interesting that a poster said there was an increased alert level and experienced increased security review in Orlando due to the Vegas incident (their words) and yet I experienced no increased check when flying to Vegas where it was right by where the actual incident occured just several hours after it occured (we landed about 8 hours after it occured but we checked into security approximately 5-6hours after the first shots). I'm fully aware that the shooter didn't fly.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

If it keeps you guessing, then it keeps the knuckleheads and bad guys guessing too.

LOL


That’s hysterical. Considering they can’t find 70 to 80% the weapons that goes throuh the screeners we don’t need to play games. And harassing people is not the same thing ad doing a good job. This is theater


They are hoping that by keeping you guessing you won’t notice they’re clueless.

Oh and don’t forget, that all those dangerous things you can’t bring lLike food, beverages, etc. Airport and airline employees can bring . LOL.


We are safer now than we used to be but it’s not due to the theater put on by the TSA