Airport Employee Power Trips

[Lorenzoid]

Next time run the shorts with the belt installed through the x-ray and show off your clean boxers. You are wearing clean boxers right?

Got a story for that, too. Years ago in some foreign country I had a pair of shorts with a sort of built-in belt. In other words, part of the belt was sewn into the shorts. But again, the buckle was plastic, so I didn't think it would be an issue. When they asked me to remove the belt, I had a heck of a time explaining that the thing was part of the pants, not to mention had a plastic buckle.

 

[ronscuba]

Traveling too/from Indonesia, they have all kinds of weight restrictions. I bought a photographers vest with tons of pockets. I probably had 15 lbs of stuff in the vest when I boarded the plane. Before someone complains about this, I weigh 155 pounds and the vest was placed under the seat.

 

[AdivingBel]

Entering the body scanner at MIA, the TSA agent told me to take my plastic-buckled cloth travel belt off and put it through the x-ray and return to the body scanner. I complied, of course, and returned to the scanner. When I entered the scanner and raised my arms as instructed, my cargo shorts started sliding down to a point that might have been considered fashionable had I been a gangsta rapper rather than a middle-aged suburbanite. The TSA agent barked, "PULL YOUR PANTS UP!" I said "You told me to take off my belt!" As I grabbed my pants, they said "RAISE YOUR ARMS!" I bet those a-holes had a good laugh.

Reminds me of a classic rodeo clown outfit. Arms go up, pants go down. My elderly father had that happen to him on a golf course. He wore suspenders because as he aged he had less and less derriere to ride below a belt. Once in the middle of his back swing his suspenders let go...ta da...rodeo clown. Getting old sucks but it's still better than the alternative.

 

[wedivebc]

Recently during a layover in Denver I had to pass through TSA. This really chill looking agent where I was lined up was working at about 1/3rd the pace of the other agents. Making chit-chat with the folks and just taking his sweet time. Huge line up behind me BTW. As he got to me he looked at my passport for a long while under the UV scanner then said "You know,Canada has the coolest colors on their passports" with which he showed it to me under the UV.
It was then I remembered Colorado now has legal cannabis.

 

[Rhone Man]

I travel more than most for my one business. That being said, my only one big b-tch is there is no one standard amongst the gate agents or security personnel. At one airport people are carrying on what seem like trunks. At the next, the gate agent, has a cow about a woman's purse. TSA, is another story. One airport, they are a bunch of mini Hitlers berating and confusing. Next airport, helpful and making the experience at least a little pleasant. Yes it sucks to fly, but, it's part of doing business. I admire the agents that do try to enforce the rules and do it fairly. Now on a side note,,,,,the airlines have mostly created the mess seen at the gates.. Charging for checked bags has created the funnel you see upon boarding. Me personally, I check my bags whenever I can,,I hate carrying luggage!!

I too travel a lot - I reckon about 120,000 miles a year in total across North America, Europe and Asia.

If I had one serious wish, it would be for security gates at each airport to put up a bloody great sign saying: "At this particular airport, our rules in relation to shoes, belts, iPads, etc. are as follows..." instead of making you guess, and then having to hop the last 15 feet whilst undoing your laces because you guessed wrong on the shoes.

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

I wouldn't mind having a few benches mandatory so I could sit to put my stuff back on.

 

[gr8jab]

Seems to me they should charge for carry-on and make checking bags free and easy. That way you are paying for the added "convenience/item safety" of carry-on while the bulk of the baggage goes in the hold where it belongs. Would sure make life in the passenger area much nicer. IMHO.

I'm curious what it really costs the airlines to check a bag. Do they pay a flat fee for baggage handlers, or is it a per-bag basis?

 

[Altamira]

On most airlines, the baggage handlers are normally hourly wage workers. Some of the more senior supervisors may be on a fixed salary, depending on the contractual agreements. However, the hourly/fixed wage is just part of the cost to handle baggage, and the airlines have to calculate their costs for other "non-bag tossing" personnel involved in the process and all benefits as well as equipment, fuel, and maintenance costs. Baggage handling is not an inexpensive operation, and I am pretty certain the amount you pay to check a bag does not come close to the airlines actual cost to handle the bag.

 

[Lorenzoid]

My ex-brother-in-law was a baggage handler, aka "ramp rat," and I was amazed at what those guys got paid for overtime and holiday work thanks to their union contracts. Then again, it's backbreaking work, and they're out there in all kinds of weather loading and unloading baggage.

 

[gr8jab]

On most airlines, the baggage handlers are normally hourly wage workers. Some of the more senior supervisors may be on a fixed salary, depending on the contractual agreements. However, the hourly/fixed wage is just part of the cost to handle baggage, and the airlines have to calculate their costs for other "non-bag tossing" personnel involved in the process and all benefits as well as equipment, fuel, and maintenance costs. Baggage handling is not an inexpensive operation, and I am pretty certain the amount you pay to check a bag does not come close to the airlines actual cost to handle the bag.

Yea.... my mistake. I was thinking that baggage handling was now outsourced, like much of the aircraft maintenance now is. I wasn't thinking they were still employees. Wasn't Denver supposed to have a centralized baggage management system, instead of each individual airline?