Have your say with the TSA

Do we need them at all? They are just making our travel experience more horrible and that's all they do.

Slowly losing trust, confidence and respect towards Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

TSA is not performing well. Many times they allow Flight Attendants who are not working to pass screening checkpoints without the proper screening. Only working crew members are allowed excess liquids yet TSA allows anyone with an airline ID to carry such items. Watch next time you are standing in line and you will see many who use their ID or uniform to circumvent security procedures. I have witnessed in Orlando, Portland, Oregon and Atlanta.

I used to work for TSA in San Diego, and I have to tell you reading through these comments makes me sick. To all of you who complain about taking your shoes off, and TSOs stealing your toiletries SHAME ON YOU!!! You are selfish, ungrateful people. If any of you people were somewhat related to those innocent victims of 9-11 you would think differently. First of all, the reason we're here is to prevent another catastrophe. TSOs don't enjoy "digging through peoples' wallets" it is part of the job. You can't imagine how many people have been caught with multiple fraudulent IDs in their bag. So please, before you assume anything about TSA's integrity, remember we are here for you!

Daniele:

Forgive us for having the audacity for questioning you. We lowly servants should just pay our taxes and allow you violate our rights.

You are the arm of government that is out of control. Your presence is unneeded, wasteful, and simply unconstitutional.

You have no right to search my bags, ask me questions, or pass through your body-scanning machines.

Unfortunately for you, I am protected by the 4th Admendment of the US Constitution (unreasonable search and seizure).

Eventually we will send you back to your WalMart job once we get enough votes. Start working on your resume.

We will never get rid of TSA, the name may change eventually and it's powers may wax and wane, but the Department of Homeland Security is here to stay. Get ready for the new world order.

Bryan S. -

As a paying customer to the airline you are flying with, you have to go through security. I fully understand the Constitution, especially the Fourth Amendment, but to be technical, you are not cleared to just pass through to get to your gate. This is where TSA has been given the right to search property and persons, not detain nor to interrogate. Some TSA personnel are insane for doing so, because yes, they personally can get sued, and TSA will NOT back them up, leaving them on their own. Check out the 411 on the TSA from St. Louis! (Which I completely agree with, because if the TSO, LTSO or even STSO screw up and go beyond in violating the rights that were given from Congress, I think they should be canned.) I'm not saying that your 4th Amendment has been stripped from you (even though you may feel that is has been), I'm simply stating that no one is exempt to have their items or their persons looked through. You have every right to ask questions and if someone does not know the answer, do not chastise them, for majority of the answers you are looking for, the officers at the checkpoint will not know (not their fault either, because they themselves do not have a clearance b/c per Washington, they do not need a clearance, only sups., bdos and management need the clearance for pertinent info); management will have the answers that you are most likely looking for. Look at TSA like this, the "suits" are the ones that work in an office building at the top level, known to most as CEOs in the business world. Then you have your checkpoint supervisors, who are usually at a podium behind the X-Rays (3 stripes on shoulder boards), and are most likely uneducated personnel, but got their job title because it's who they know and what they could do, literally, to get that promotion. Then you have the leads (2 stripes on shoulder boads, behind security or checking tickets), they are overpaid screeners or underpaid fill ins for supervisors (maybe in the business world, secretaries?). Then you have your 1-stripers, the officers (or basement mailroom people in the business world), the ones who do the actual screening. These are the persons that take a lot of heat from both sides (TSA and passengers). If an officer asks a certain question to TSA, the officer might be written up for being insubordinate, even though they wanted to be ready for whatever situation that arises. The officer says to passengers, take off shoes, or whatever the rule is, passengers get pissed, but the officer is simply doing his/her job. I'm sure you've seen and heard many of them, rude, etc. (insert expletive), but they could be having a bad day or they are just ignorant as hell, and for those who are ignorant as hell, how the F did you get a job with TSA and literally manage to keep the job with them? I know that upper management or all personnel who are above the officers have said or displayed such behaviors to the point where the officer will mimic that. So if you see an officer stating they don't care or not paying attention, maybe you, Bryan, and anyone else reading this, is seeing a reflection of what the higher paid personnel act. Bryan, I'm sure that no one thinks you or any other flying public are lowly servants, if they do, they should not have a job with the gov't. I SEMI agree about being the arm of the gov't being out of control, but don't say "you" to any one person. Say TSA. But don't say TSA, thinking to blame the officers, it's literally poorly ran b/c of the uneducated personnel in management and upper management. I'd be salty as hell if I, with higher education, B.S., was getting paid the same amount as the person screening next to me, who just so happens to have only a GED. (and we know who you are...). Let's be fair, though. The presence really is needed, but not for theatrical productions. TSA will not be winning a Tony anytime soon. If TSA weeded out the illiterate, thieves, and sex mongrals, and did a much better background check, shit, I think things would run a little better. If TSA would discipline/reprimand those who violated the constitution, people/public would not feel "dirty" after going through security. The checkpoint officers should NOT be going through people's wallets anyway. BDOs are allowed to do so, b/c of what they were trained to do, and this is ONLY done in the presence of the owner of the wallet. If there is cash involved, the owner is to simply take it out of their wallet so it would not be an issue later on in making a statement or judgment of money being stolen, etc.

Flyer, about the crew and liquids, that's a huge peeve of mine, too. ALL crew members KNOW full well that when they are not travelling for work, they are not allowed to bring their oversized liquids. The non-working crew are given the same options as everyone else; check in a bag, leave items with someone saying goodbye; leave in car, or throw out. Some officers take it upon themselves and say, "Go change into your uniform and come back so you can keep your liquids." Hmmm...yikes!

David D.... you are slowly losing trust, confidence and respect? The officers are just going through the motion now. The management don't care and it's getting ugly within the higher ups of TSA and it's coming down on the TSA officers to make them LOOK GOOD, not do a good job! If you have enough time, seriously ask an officer where their trust, confidence and respect lies with their employer, the ones directly above them....it just might be the same as where yours is heading... I know we all have issues with people we work for and with, but I've been in jobs, private, public, federal and this is the worst that I have ever seen and been a part of. I'm sick and disturbed, worse than most passengers. BUT, I am grateful to have a job (not career), and I am doing everything that I can to make it pleasant, quick and safe for you all.