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People dislike the TSA, says Institute for the Study of Obvious Things
A new AP survey shows that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), in charge of security at US airports, ranks just behind FEMA, and ties with the IRS, in a list of the most unpopular federal agencies. Since its creation under the Department of Homeland Security as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the TSA has been at the center of a number of controversies and the target of frequent complaints. Many of the nearly 9,000 complaints that the TSA received between January and October of 2007 were for long wait times going through security, seemingly arbitrary rules, and employee rudeness. In addition, screeners have drawn criticism for failing to detect fake bombs in government tests-- as many as 75% passed through unnoticed in one airport.
On the other hand, the article notes that "53 percent of air travelers think TSA does a "very" or "somewhat" good job," and it's unlikely that many people write in to the TSA to compliment the job performance of their personnel, even when they do a good job. TSA's spokeswoman Ellen Howe said that the travelers should realize that TSA employees are "good people motivated by the mission." She added: "Our officers take a lot of disrespect from the public... These people are on the front lines and they deserve our respect."
Personally, I've never had a complaint about a TSA employee, but some of the agency's policies do strike me as rather arbitrary. For instance, a three-ounce bottle of liquid can't blow up an airplane, but a four-ounce bottle can?
For a closer look at airport security personnel, check out Barbara Peterson's March 2007 investigative piece in Conde Nast Traveler, "Inside Job: My Life as an Airport Screener."
Filed under: United States, Airlines, Airports, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BJ Jan 24th 2008 10:18PM
As a former TSO working out of San Francisco Intl, I was always upset with the way the TSO's screened passengers and there luggage. Some of the screeners would go through the luggage like they didn't give a shit about taking care with the passengers belongings. I felt that some of the screeners I worked with were doing racial profiling when it came to secondary screening of passengers. When it came to screeners checking the x-ray machines for those prohibited items they weren't looking that closely and I felt that many things got through. And after the passengers were through being screened the screeners would talk about the passengers and make rude comments about what they may have found in a passengers luggage. The screeners seemed to be more interested in talking to each other about what they were going to do after work or over the weekend.
Hayley Jan 25th 2008 3:04AM
Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix has the rudest TSA employees. I just about got arrested for calling one of them a bitch the other night.
ALEX Jan 25th 2008 4:13AM
TSA is the first step in the new fascism. We already need "papers" to travel now (ie passport), they tell us what we can put where, where to stand, what to wear... Where is it going to end?
Their "security" procedures are the biggest bunch of BS around. Anyone can get anything thru, sounds like! Let's just require that everyone on the plane have a loaded gun and Ackmed and his buddies can get their butts shot off when they try to take another plane!
Quincy Mar 9th 2008 11:58AM
TSA workers reperesent a typical cross section of hourly employees in the USA; some have common sense and some do not. That said; the same is true of people with advanced degrees and on salaries; some have common sense, some do not. Some are rude, some are not. The hardest thing for me to take is the attitude of self importance and hiding behind the illusion of empowerment that such a job bestows upon the employee. Those with the least amount of power in their personal lives always seem the most eager to lord their quasi-authority position over others in a desperate attempt at achieving self worth.
rembret Mar 9th 2008 1:10PM
This is why I have no plans in the immediate future to fly anywhere. I would not know where to begin with all of the restrictions and rules.
Ken Jan 11th 2008 11:25AM
I wonder what would occur if TSA handed out questionaires as you complete the transition through their security. Would anyone really care about complaints/suggestions ? As a frequent traveler I certainly see differences in attitudes of TSA employees at different airports. A couple of the best are Seattle and Tampa. A couple of the worst, in my opinion, are Cincinatti and Sarasota. Investigative procedures sometimes seem to go beyond reason....
RedHed Jan 16th 2008 11:49AM
Add Las Vegas to your list of rude TSA people. There was an Asian woman yelling at people going through security. She sounded like she way trying to herd people through rather than allowing people to go through in an orderly fashion. I also got yelled at by a very large fellow because the little container I was using to put things in to go through the X-ray machine almost fell on the floor. Also didn't appreciate the very large Oreo cookie crumbs I found in my luggage after leaving the Portland Airport.
George Jan 16th 2008 11:21AM
The TSA people in Lafayette, LA are the worst ever!They are rude and they rifle and look through everyone's checked luggage in front of everyone else in line! Then, of course they can't zip it up because everything is now unfolded and out of place. I know they need to check the luggage, but it would be better if there was a wall or something for privacy. And, there is no reason to be so RUDE! I fly out of Baton Rouge or New Orleans just to avoid this experience!
art Jan 16th 2008 12:09PM
I hate the TSA, because everytime I go the they ALWAYS taje something. I went threw Phoenix they took Jelly in my carry on.
Comming back they confiscated a snow globe.... they said it had water in it.....Not a drop of water was in the globe......It was a musical globe. Someone somewhere is making alot of $ of travelers items OR they have ALOT of nice items at thier homes.
LAWMANTOO Jan 16th 2008 12:38PM
TSA IS DOING TO THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY WHAT THE UNIONS DID TO THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY. IT IS NO LONGER A PLEASURE TO TRAVEL UNLES YOU USE YOUR OWN VEHICLE.
TSA IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT OLE BEN FRANKLIN SAID ABOUT TRUSTING THE GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENS.
"THOSE WHO WOULD GIVE UP FREEDOM FOR PROTECTION DESERVE NEITHER."
I PERSONALLY RESENT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SUCH AS THE TSA "PROTECTING" ME. LOOKING AT THE INTELLIGENCE LEVEL OF TSA JERKS MAKES ME SHUDDER AT WHAT TO EXPECT OUT OF OUR GOVRNMENT IN THE FUTURE.
LAWMANTOO Jan 16th 2008 12:50PM
I KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN EVENTUALLY. THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN THE CURRENT TSA FIASCO IS A UNIONIZED TSA FIASCO. TALK ABOUT A HOTBED FOR CRIME. THAT WOULD BE IT. JIMMY HOFFA USE YOUR CELL PHONE. WE NEED YAH.
krodes Jan 16th 2008 12:54PM
TSA is ineffective and absurd makeing traveling by air odious.. It is typical overkill by the government. There are so many other ways terrorist could attack if they wished. Hopefully people will get fed up with this government intrusion and TSA nonesense and boycott the airlines until they remove the TSA
fritzfrye Jan 16th 2008 1:03PM
My favorite is having to put my toiletries into a clear plastic baggie. A TSA type at Providence discovered my sin and sent me out to the lobby to get one from a news stand. (OK, at least that went well...) I came back and held my little bag of trophies up for all to see and declared that the plane was now safe, my deodorant was in a clear bag. He informed me that (a) sarcasm wasn't required and (b) it wasn't about safety but about following the rules.
My thoughts:
(a) He didn't need the sarcasm, but I certainly did. It allowed me to vent at the absurdity without getting loud or profane.
(b) Not about safety?? So just what DOES the "S" on your epaullet stand for, buddy? Savant??
Scaramazoola mitzificula bibbidy bobbidy boo Jan 16th 2008 1:34PM
I flew out of LAX last month, and the TSA confiscated the Arizona Ice Tea that I brought into the airport and put it into a bin with all the other confiscated drinks. The stupidity about this is: the same drink that I bought outside the airport for 99 cents that they confiscated, was sold in the airport for $3.25! Now we know WHY outside drinks are confiscated: to make the airport a profit! Meanwhile, these TSA agents probably have a big party with our confiscated drinks!!
willy Jan 16th 2008 6:28PM
As long as Al Queda continues to be blunted by TSA and others in their many attempts to kill tens of thousands of Americans SINCE 9/11, you complainers can pound sand.
Willy
Jess Jan 17th 2008 10:53AM
I recently traveled to Colorado Springs for a two week vacation. On the way back I was sitting in the terminal looking for chapstick and I found my swiss army knife that I use hiking in the summer...(I use my backback for travel too)....So, they missed my knife multitool with 5 different blades TWICE in two different airports, but my lipgloss(which was the only liquid I had with me) HAD to be put in a quart size clear plastic baggie in order for me to proceed! THe TSA guy told me to put it in the person's standing behind or in front of me, bag and retreive it when we got through!!!! Absolutely insane!!!!
Kurt Jan 17th 2008 12:48PM
Willy, you must be TSA. Tsa has stopped very little. The comment about what Ben Franklin said is right on the money for the TSA. Thousands standing around doing no better job than those that were there before 9/11. The think they can do anything they want and act however they choose, unfrotunetly they are right because there are no checks and balances for the TSA. I am a operational manager at an airport for an individual airline. I could go on for a long time about the overall ineffectivness of the TSA everywhere.
don Jan 17th 2008 1:17PM
I take 2 or three flights a month from Newark NJ and travel all over thus USA. I appreciate the TSA and see them as my protector, however my confidence is getting less and less with every trip. I have had items taken from my checked luggage on three occasions. In December my portable GPS unit was taken and when I called Continental to report the theft, all they offered to me was that they were not responsible for electronics. I pointed out that I was reporting a theft and had hoped someone would care that there was a theif working at Newark Airport. I have also had Swiss army knives on security in Toronto my carry on luggage that were not found by the TSA. My company is owned by the Swiss and the knives are gifts for custiomers. This has happened 5 or 6 times. The last was a flight to Canada. I flew from Newark to Toronto for 3 days. No problem with the TSA in Newark on the way but on my return, Toronto pulled me aside ond said there were knives in my carry on. They searched my bag and pulled out two knives. I mailed them to myself and when returning through security, they found a third knife. Makes you wonder what is going on
A~ Jan 17th 2008 3:06PM
TSA employees are NOT allowed to even pick up a penny left behind on a table. No one takes home anything that is confiscated from the passengers. Everything is disposed of according to procedure.
And you are right, there are people that work at TSA that should be working someplace else. The foul language of some of the people that work for TSA is horrible.
Follow the rules and everything goes smoothly.