Nice TSA Agent.

[AdamZ]

On Monday I flew upto state college with a friend while waiting for someone we walked over to the small Commercial Terminal to grab a bagel. There I saw it. a TSA agent doing what they all need to being secure yet helpful and reasonable. A student was checking in at the North West Air Link counter and he had a bunch of liquids in his back pack, shampoo, cologne a bunch of bottles of who knows what that were not permitted. So what does the TSA guy do.

He tells the kid. I'd hate to see you loose this stuff let me see if I can get the Ticket Agent to put them in something to check them through for you and he does. I dunno perhaps it was because it was at a small college airport but thats the first time I've see anything like that

 

[dmccormack]

On Monday I flew upto state college with a friend while waiting for someone we walked over to the small Commercial Terminal to grab a bagel. There I saw it. a TSA agent doing what they all need to being secure yet helpful and reasonable. A student was checking in at the North West Air Link counter and he had a bunch of liquids in his back pack, shampoo, cologne a bunch of bottles of who knows what that were not permitted. So what does the TSA guy do.

He tells the kid. I'd hate to see you loose this stuff let me see if I can get the Ticket Agent to put them in something to check them through for you and he does. I dunno perhaps it was because it was at a small college airport but thats the first time I've see anything like that

Yeah, that doesn't happen to the herd at Kennedy....

 

[gprellwitz]

This was so not the story I was expecting. Nice to hear!

 

[gkainz]

"awe crap, just when you're ready to tar and feather the whole lot, somebody spoils it by doing something nice..."

thanks for sharing that - sure wish we could hear more good news once in a while ...

 

[Pilawt]

Credit where credit is due.

Cheryl and I went through security at KPHX last month, and as we were putting ourselves back together inside the security area Cheryl noticed she did not have her driver's license. It had been in her hand, and she had shown it to the TSA agent, but now it was gone.

She went to the TSA desk nearby. They had already found the license on the floor, and had already put in a request to have her paged throughout the terminal. The agents were courteous and friendly.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

BOS, last year. After checking in for the flight, I took off my belt (near the check in counter) and put it in my carry on bag so I'd not have to mess with it at security or wear it on the flight. Unbeknownst to me, while sliding the belt out through the loops, my cell phone, in its belt holster, dropped to the floor--and I didn't hear it.

Went through a LONG line at TSA security, got to my gate, and noticed I didn't have my phone. Checked all my bags, no phone. WTH!? Replayed events in my mind and realized what I'd done. Went back to security, nobody had turned it in there. Thought maybe somebody would have turned it in at the airline check-in desk, but my flight was soon.

TSA paired me up with an agent who walked me back to the airline counter (who HAD my phone! Bless the soul who turned it in!), and then walked me back past the long line of people in security and got me to my gate in time for the flight. Never would have expected TSA at BOSTON to be that helpful...

So there's another "atta boy" for TSA, the unknown person who returned my phone, and honest helpful folks in general!

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Nice TSA agents? At KBOS? KPHX? I think I entered the bizarro universe!

Smaller airports, theyare usually good, but at a Class bravo...

I'll know I'm in an alternate universe when I hear the FAA saying "No User Fees" or KORD offering VFR flight following...

 

[dmccormack]

I've noticed smaller airports and off peak hours result in the best service.

It also helps when adults are working.

 

[Missa]

On Monday I flew upto state college with a friend while waiting for someone we walked over to the small Commercial Terminal to grab a bagel. There I saw it. a TSA agent doing what they all need to being secure yet helpful and reasonable. A student was checking in at the North West Air Link counter and he had a bunch of liquids in his back pack, shampoo, cologne a bunch of bottles of who knows what that were not permitted. So what does the TSA guy do.

He tells the kid. I'd hate to see you loose this stuff let me see if I can get the Ticket Agent to put them in something to check them through for you and he does. I dunno perhaps it was because it was at a small college airport but thats the first time I've see anything like that

You went to State Collage and didn't let the Mid-State POAer know! : (

Not that I would have been free enough to blow off work.... but maybe Ted...

I find the smaller airports are like that. But then the passengers are not just a Mass of faces... after about 2 flights a month the TSA people (that were) at Williamsport reconize you.

Missa

 

[wsuffa]

On Monday I flew upto state college with a friend while waiting for someone we walked over to the small Commercial Terminal to grab a bagel. There I saw it. a TSA agent doing what they all need to being secure yet helpful and reasonable. A student was checking in at the North West Air Link counter and he had a bunch of liquids in his back pack, shampoo, cologne a bunch of bottles of who knows what that were not permitted. So what does the TSA guy do.

He tells the kid. I'd hate to see you loose this stuff let me see if I can get the Ticket Agent to put them in something to check them through for you and he does. I dunno perhaps it was because it was at a small college airport but thats the first time I've see anything like that

Now you've gone and done it. He will surely get fired. Can't have nice treatment of the sheeple, now, can we?

 

[docmirror]

I have a close pilot friend who's sister in law worked for TSA. They were given specific directive to be 'polite, nice, greet every passenger, assist them where possible, and present a positive attitude toward the public'. This confirmed that they know there is an image problem, and to defuse the adversarial nature of the job, they are tasked with being nice.

Each time I fly, the TSA folks try to be nice. It's not their fault personally that the whole thing is a clusterpuck. However, know this; Any TSA official, from the top to the bottom can have you 'detained' or can make your life miserable in so many ways. They will be unfailingly polite, right up until you are turned over to an LEO for potential arrest.

Most of the interfaces are absolutely minimal transactions with no small talk. This is not by accident, at least on my part. It's also not how I was brought up. I was taught to be open, honest, and forthright. That doesn't work well in the Peoples Repulik of commercial aviation.

 

[KennyFlys]

Ya know, you folks can't be telling lies about the TSA. It's gonna catch up to ya!

Seriously, I'm glad there's a few good eggs out there. Unfortunately, that's not the rule and that's worse than sad. This morning, I was going into a side door to our hangar with a key. Two TSA agents were walking down the sidewalk on the non-secure side of the hangars. I half expected them to stop and watch to make sure I closed the door behind me or even insure I was authorized to have access. Oddly, they just kept walking on their merry way.

 

[Lance F]

OK, my turn. (First let me say I despise the concept of the TSA and consider it a bureaucratic jobs program).

However at ATL (busiest airport for passenger boardings in the world) I realized upon approaching the belt just before the metal detector that I had my prized Doug Ritter survival pocket knife with 3 1/2" razor sharp blade still in my pocket.

I told the TSA guy I had mistakenly brought something unauthorized up to this point (didn't show or identify the knife) and asked him what to do. In a very friendly way he personally escorted me backwards through the long line I had just been waiting in back to the initial ID check point. I went down the hall to the post office, grabbed a priority mail box and shipped my knife back to me.

This guy left his post to help me out and was very helpful about the whole thing.

I wouldn't have believed it. Nor would I have believed that I would carry a knife up to that point. But both things are true.

 

[Ted]

You went to State Collage and didn't let the Mid-State POAer know! : (

There's more than one of us, y'know!

Not that Ted would have been free enough to blow off work.... but I might have...

There, fixed that for ya.

I find the smaller airports are like that. But then the passengers are not just a Mass of faces... after about 2 flights a month the TSA people (that were) at Williamsport reconize you.

The IPT TSA people have annoyed me on more than one occasion. I've actually met a couple of nice ones, but I can't remember any stories. Interestingly, the nice ones I've talked to are afraid to fly.

 

[Dave Siciliano]

We're met some nice TSA folks in our travels through the airport; I know they are well intended.

But, until I can carry a bottle of water through the security checks and my nieces don't have to remove frickin flip-flops; I'm not happy.

I've dropped things to. Of course, you're taking off everything but your briefs or boxers while holding a ticket and ID; laptop has to come out of back pack to go on a separate tray, cell phone somewhere, wallet somewhere, must hold cash, etc, etc.

One of my nieces bought several little knicknaks in Hawaii and put them in her carry- on so they wouldn't get broken. TSA flagged her and we stood for ten minutes while each was unwrapped. The agent didn't re-wrap anything. My niece was just left standing with 10 to 12 unwrapped little packages with her carry on open, flip flops, cell and ID in a hand and a pillow on the floor while she slowly put everything back together. They had had shampoo, perfume, etc. taken away when they came out and didn't want to purchase more because we had several more stops.

Things don't have to be this way.

Best,

Dave

 

[kgruber]

OK, my turn. (First let me say I despise the concept of the TSA and consider it a bureaucratic jobs program).

However at ATL (busiest airport for passenger boardings in the world) I realized upon approaching the belt just before the metal detector that I had my prized Doug Ritter survival pocket knife with 3 1/2" razor sharp blade still in my pocket.

I told the TSA guy I had mistakenly brought something unauthorized up to this point (didn't show or identify the knife) and asked him what to do. In a very friendly way he personally escorted me backwards through the long line I had just been waiting in back to the initial ID check point. I went down the hall to the post office, grabbed a priority mail box and shipped my knife back to me.

This guy left his post to help me out and was very helpful about the whole thing.

I wouldn't have believed it. Nor would I have believed that I would carry a knife up to that point. But both things are true.

I am just now packing for a family vacation at Lake Chelan. I was cleaning out one of my flight bags to take and noticed two .22 LR shells in the bottom of a pocket.

Since much of my corporate flying also involves the airlines, that bag has probably gone through security 20 times with that contraband, unknowingly, of course.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

I am just now packing for a family vacation at Lake Chelan. I was cleaning out one of my flight bags to take and noticed two .22 LR shells in the bottom of a pocket.

Since much of my corporate flying also involves the airlines, that bag has probably gone through security 20 times with that contraband, unknowingly, of course.

That'll give you warm fuzzies about TSA's ability to catch things. 20+ times through x-ray and not one of them pulled you to the side to ask about the bullets on their display?? Wow. Do they really even LOOK at the screen??

P.S.--One would think computer imaging analysis could "flag" certain common threat items...

 

[Pilawt]

But, until I can carry a bottle of water through the security checks and my nieces don't have to remove frickin flip-flops; I'm not happy.

To this day that person who calls himself "Richard Reid" is referred to as the "shoe bomber."

If he were known as the "underwear bomber" can you imagine what those security lines would be like?

 

[Bob Noel]

> If he were known as the "underwear bomber" can you imagine what those security lines would be like?

Shorter?

 

[Ghery]

To this day that person who calls himself "Richard Reid" is referred to as the "shoe bomber."

If he were known as the "underwear bomber" can you imagine what those security lines would be like?

I don't even want to think about it, but I'd sure like to have 10 minutes alone with him and a baseball bat. I'm so fed up with taking my shoes off at "security"...

 

[silver-eagle]

The start of the shift they are in a much better mood. Also, a smile and a thank you go a long way (even in BOS).

 

[Bob Noel]

> a smile and a thank you...

For what? The privilege of taking off our shoes and getting
rid of all bodily fluids? feh.

And the BOS TSA crowd isn't polite at the end or beginning of shifts
(at least in terminal A).

 

[purdue1014]

That'll give you warm fuzzies about TSA's ability to catch things. 20+ times through x-ray and not one of them pulled you to the side to ask about the bullets on their display?? Wow. Do they really even LOOK at the screen??

P.S.--One would think computer imaging analysis could "flag" certain common threat items...

Someone I know who flies everyweek (not as much as Scott) was able to get a small knife through security for 3 years immediately following 9/11--then they finally caught it.

My dad once forgot his 12inchish hunting knife in the outer most pocket of a back pack he had with him, and discovered it after he had been through BOS, (I think) and ORD twice.

If you give me a bit longer, I could think of more like the above, however those were the two biggies...

On a different tact, about a month or so ago, coming through ORD, They pulled my bag off the Xray, dumped half the bag out, hand searched it for 5 minutes, and then said that "we're going to have to run this through again..."

The guy then takes my bag, proceeds to chat up his female compatriot who is "looking" at the Xray screen for 5 minutes, then decides to put my bag on the belt----NEITHER of them looking at the screen as my bag went through

He then came over, (After talking with a different screener at the base of the belt for about 2 minutes) dumped the rest of it out, hand searched everything for about another 5 minutes, said the same, "we're going to have to run this one more time."

He proceeded to do the exact same thing, he talked with the female screener for about 5 minutes, put my bag through, looked at the screen this time, chatted with the guy at the end of the "roller belt," and then came to me and said "you are good to go..."

<automatic rifle smiley here>

 

[rubber314chicken]

like the time I took a dozen pb and j packets from a hotel onto a plane? and a few yogurts. They "confiscated" the yogurts, but not the pb and j. Infact, they got three of the five my mom had packed.

 

[Henning]

On Monday I flew upto state college with a friend while waiting for someone we walked over to the small Commercial Terminal to grab a bagel. There I saw it. a TSA agent doing what they all need to being secure yet helpful and reasonable. A student was checking in at the North West Air Link counter and he had a bunch of liquids in his back pack, shampoo, cologne a bunch of bottles of who knows what that were not permitted. So what does the TSA guy do.

He tells the kid. I'd hate to see you loose this stuff let me see if I can get the Ticket Agent to put them in something to check them through for you and he does. I dunno perhaps it was because it was at a small college airport but thats the first time I've see anything like that

Yep, can't count how many bottles of shampoo, tubes of toothpaste and cans of shaving cream TSA has taken from me, and lighters! Funniest one there was a friend had given me a nice refillable lighter, and this .75liter can of butane. This was right after the institution of TSA. So, the guy takes the nice lighter as it is a "Torch Type Lighter" and would shoot a 2"flame. However, I was allowed to pack back my Bic lighter and the can of butane effectively leaving me with a pretty decent flame thrower. Good thing most people are just normal good people. TSA/ State-Local security at any airport could be easily overwhelmed with a 100 person coordinated attack. You won't be allowed to fly past the time it takes the nearest jet on standby to get the go call and get to you, and that's what I count on for security. The notion that we can secure every single flight is ludicrous, we can't secure any flight or facility. What we can do is limit the damage/destruction, and for that, all we need is a clear understanding that under any untowards operations, the plane will be shot out of the sky in a low population density area. We have the ability to fulfill that contract. The rest is a waste of time and money and building of fiefdoms and powerbases for the up and coming beaurocrats and politicians. The thing that disgusts me is how easily everybody buys into it. It is easy to see, that "bang for the buck" so to speak the TSA as administered now is low on the list from greatest value. We could effectively at this point accomplish everything we accomplish completely inobtrusively and nearly transparent to the flying public. The systems, sensors & optical tracking and sorting now are sensitive enough that you could just channel everyone through one multi sensored channel/tunnel into the concourse. Just like at Wal Mart or any store, if you set off the alarm, they pull you aside and check you out.

The other day I had to go through secondary (pretty common for me since I travel last minute one way and on a credit card not in the name of the traveller, that's too many flags) and the dude went through my entire wallet.