TSA and the transmitter, a short travel story

[kadleck]

The inconsistency started from day 1. Way back, when I was living in sunny CA, I took one of the first flights back to UK - a few days after 9/11 - from San Jose airport via JFK (it was booked way in advance of 9/11, and I was fortunate that the route operated 'on time').

Anyway, at the time it was clear that TSA were just learning some new rules (and the queues were vast, for obvious reasons). Lots of things (knives mainly) were getting picked out of passengers' bags and put in overflowing trash containers.

Having managed to go through security and still with plenty of time for the flight (yes, I had guessed it would be chaos and got there 4 hours early!), I perused the air-side shops. One shop was selling various sizes of Swiss Army Knives! I walked back to get the TSA supervisor, who reluctantly agreed to come to the shop with me. When he saw what they had on offer, he uttered a single word ... "s h ! t".

... and they are still learning (world wide). Give 'em a break, they are doing a hard job trying to keep us safe.

 

[ItsBruce]

Our problem is that JB's bags are all postive for explosives.

So...I make him go seperate from me so I don't get all inconvenienced by all that.

I'll bet they are all positive. My step-son has the same problem being in FA. (BTW: he is in the new book "In Time Of War".)

 

[letterboy]

HMM I never thought about my gear being contaminated . . .

NOTE TO SELF: Don't wear field gear to airport . . .

 

[dkktsunami]

I have carried my entire set-up including regs, wrist computer with transmitter, steel plate and wing, etc with no trouble. TSA has, however, pulled my wife, a grey-haired grandmother of three, out of line and created quite a fuss over a small bottle of pepper sauce purchased in the duty-free section of the Belize airport. Bottle was maybe 4 oz. at most, and sealed, and a common product of Belize. Based on appearance I could easily be mistaken for middle eastern and I was carrying a bag full of bad looking stuff with the timer/computer in a black box but they pass me right through and go for the grandmother with the hot sauce. The logic escapes me.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I accept that the TSA (for USA) are doing a difficult job and are always fighting a host of ever changing procedures (and lists). I also do not care how much money they make or what the perks are. What do I care about? I have worked very hard for a while and have moved up in my chosen career path. I have learned a thing or two. What are two things I have learned in Business? First, do your job and do it well or you will rub your arse after it hits you on the way out. This includes NOT constantly being ignorant to people. Not all safety people are like this but having travelled enough through certain airports, I know for fact that even those that have fewer people skills than a great white shark maintain an "employed status". Second thing I know.....learn to embrace change and work with it because the bus will stop and let you off if you choose to fight it. Part of embracing it is learning to cope.....something that, (again only some security people) some security people choose to ignore. They decide rather than embracing change, they will have a bad day and simply be rude and ignorant to all passemgers while comfiscating anything they want irrespective of what is on the "list".

I have little tolerance for those people that are incapable of doing their job right and well. A bad day is one thing but incomptetence is another.

Yet we as travellers have no choice so I have learned to try to watch for "those agents" and avoid their lines. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. I am happy to watch my bag be insected and to answer any questions asked as long as they are polite.

 

[letterboy]

I used to be a people person, until I worked retail for 7 years . . .

 

[DandyDon]

I used to be a people person, until I worked retail for 7 years . . .

Hehe, me too. Y'all didn't know me before my retail sales/grouch days started...

 

[tfsails]

I've never had any problems carrying my reg and hoseless computer onboard. I think they've opened the bag up on occasion, but that's about it. I tell 'em beforehand that it's scuba equipment.

 

[DandyDon]

I've really had few problems since 2001. Coming back from Roatan on 9-16-01, the Honduran guards kept my nail clippers :silly: and as late as last December on Exuma the Bahamian guard kept my lighter - arguing that they had not been notified of any changes: ignorant or lying? I resisted the urge to ask.

One time a Lubbock agent went all thru my laptop backpack looking for a knife, even opened my cigarette box thinking it was in there, then gave up and let me go.

View attachment 50024​

Only later did I notice it stuck in the lid; had wondered where I'd lost it.

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I empty my backpack out on the floor and repack it before a trip as it gets as cluttered as a soccer mom's purse.

 

[616fun]

I have just decided it's a given I get a frisk on the way through.

I am diabetic and wear an insulin pump (think small pager sized instrument with a liquid filled compartment and a hose going down into my pants). I usually carry all my diabetes back up supplies as well (syringes, insulin, blood glucose meter, insulin pump supplies). I HAVE to carry this stuff on, as there is no way I'm trusting that they will get my bags to the right place with my medicines in them. Without that stuff I'm screwed. Should have been with me on the trip the agent grabbed the pump and jerked. Let's say I jerked him back and had the chance to meet his boss. I did make the flight though.

Throw in dive gear and a laptop computer and I always show up about 45 minutes early. I'm awaiting the day I end up in a dark room with a light swinging over my head