Your most inept TSA experience ?

[Gunner46]

I'll start off.

Baltimore. The que was held up for almost an hour because an elderly Alzheimer's gentleman, in a wheelchair, had a bottle of water in his jacket pocket. Dozens & Dozens & Dozens of people missed their connecting flights over a simple bottle of water !!

 

[Flatbrimmer]

I grew up a skateboarder.. a nice skateboard run ya almost $200.. It was like my wallet, I never left without it. It was my transportation.. I ran late to the Oakland Airport a few years back and for the only time of ALLLLL my years flying they CONFISCATED my skateboard. I was ready to fistfight but I had 15 minutes to board my plane- terminals were closed already.. still gets me fired up lol

 

[mdhunter]

New Mexico. I flew out with two TSA approved locks on a case that has room for four locks (as I have multiple times). Albuquerque TSA would not let me fly home unless I had four locks on the case. Procuring two more locks at 6am proved time consuming enough that I missed my flight which resulted in an extra 18 hours of travel to get home.

 

[MTGomer]

I just went through security a minute ago. All was good other than being slow from training new people.

the only bad experience I ever had was their obsession/paranoia over a bar of soap my wife packed (without my knowledge, as I think it’s perfectly fine to use the perfectly fine soap that will be awaiting me at my hotel)
It was in some goofy soap container and they did the full gamete of testing on it for like 20 minutes. I threw it straight into the garbage as soon as they handed it back to me.

 

[Northwoods]

I just went through security a minute ago. All was good other than being slow from training new people.

the only bad experience I ever had was their obsession/paranoia over a bar of soap my wife packed (without my knowledge, as I think it’s perfectly fine to use the perfectly fine soap that will be awaiting me at my hotel)
It was in some goofy soap container and they did the full gamete of testing on it for like 20 minutes. I threw it straight into the garbage as soon as they handed it back to me.

Drugs smuggled in soap is actually a real thing. Someday that TSA agent will find a “loaded” bar if he continues to inspect every bar of soap.

 

[ILbowhntr]

I just went through security a minute ago. All was good other than being slow from training new people.

the only bad experience I ever had was their obsession/paranoia over a bar of soap my wife packed (without my knowledge, as I think it’s perfectly fine to use the perfectly fine soap that will be awaiting me at my hotel)
It was in some goofy soap container and they did the full gamete of testing on it for like 20 minutes. I threw it straight into the garbage as soon as they handed it back to me.

I’ve been flying commercial air the last 3 weeks now that we are back doing more business travel. I’ve traveled extensively for most of my working life. It appears to me that TSA are doing a good job with keeping people moving through the process.

The examples above appear to me to be with passengers and not TSA…just my $.02. I can only imagine all of the communication, clarification of policies and procedures between national, international and local organizations. This combined with a recent rush of inexperienced leisure travelers had me expecting much worse than what I’ve seen recently.

The security process is not fun, but it is necessary. Take some time and just go see all the odd items they have pulled from passengers Luggage and pocket….it’s pretty amazing.

I’ve not missed a flight due to TSA in my years of air travel when I have arrived on time at the airport. If you don’t allow time for security checks, mass transit delays, gate changes, ticketing, plane changes, parking, rental car returns, random extra security screening,etc., don‘t get upset with your TSA experience. If you missed a flight simply and only because of a TSA screening delay any time in the last several years, I would suggest that you need adjust your planned arrival time at the airport. It’s certainly not a job I would want and they get treated like crap by many people, especially if those who arrived late to the airport.

Next time you go through TSA try being a little more empathetic and thank them for their efforts. Maybe offer to help by removing bins from the belt, not holding up the line by standing at the end of the X-ray while getting all of your items together by moving to the very end of the conveyor. Also, getting all of your pockets empty before you go through the screening machines will help a LOT. Those of us who fly often will appreciate your efforts as will the TSA agents.

rant over…..please continue.

 

[MTGomer]

I’ve been flying commercial air the last 3 weeks now that we are back doing more business travel. I’ve traveled extensively for most of my working life. It appears to me that TSA are doing a good job with keeping people moving through the process.

The examples above appear to me to be with passengers and not TSA…just my $.02. I can only imagine all of the communication, clarification of policies and procedures between national, international and local organizations. This combined with a recent rush of inexperienced leisure travelers had me expecting much worse than what I’ve seen recently.

The security process is not fun, but it is necessary. Take some time and just go see all the odd items they have pulled from passengers Luggage and pocket….it’s pretty amazing.

I’ve not missed a flight due to TSA in my years of air travel when I have arrived on time at the airport. If you don’t allow time for security checks, mass transit delays, gate changes, ticketing, plane changes, parking, rental car returns, random extra security screening,etc., don‘t get upset with your TSA experience. If you missed a flight simply and only because of a TSA screening delay any time in the last several years, I would suggest that you need adjust your planned arrival time at the airport. It’s certainly not a job I would want and they get treated like crap by many people, especially if those who arrived late to the airport.

Next time you go through TSA try being a little more empathetic and thank them for their efforts. Maybe offer to help by removing bins from the belt, not holding up the line by standing at the end of the X-ray while getting all of your items together by moving to the very end of the conveyor. Also, getting all of your pockets empty before you go through the screening machines will help a LOT. Those of us who fly often will appreciate your efforts as will the TSA agents.

rant over…..please continue.

They’re hiring.

 

[LuketheDog]

Next time you go through TSA try being a little more empathetic and thank them for their efforts.

I'll do that next time I see one who appears to be not actively trying to make me miss my next flight


As far as ineptitude...One time a TSA lady held up our whole family and went over to have a huddle with her supervisor. They walked back over to where we were sitting, while I was frantically trying to figure out what sharp object I'd left in my pack after hunting or fishing. She proceeded to take my 5-year-old daughter's tiny backpack, search thoroughly through the stuffed animals, coloring books, and toys, and then give her a pat down. The supervisor then dismissed us, with the typical "you can go", like we were lucky to have escaped...Now I wouldn't hit a woman, but she was large and I was very tempted that day...

 

[BigHornRam]

I don't fly much, but on the rare occasion, TSA has been no problem.

 

[KipCarson]

I got held up for a little bit once, they pulled my laptop from my bag and took it away for a little bit and when they came back they handed it to me and with a quizzical stare and told me they detected gunpowder residue on it. My gut response was to say “because obviously it must have been on the table with all my IED making paraphernalia” but I told them I’m a hunter and almost everything in that backpack has been exposed to powder residue at some point. Being at a smaller airport they took me at face value since it was obviously a working laptop and not a cleverly disguised explosive. I am certainly glad my mouth was wearing my filter that day! We all made it to the plane on time with no other hiccups, to this day I still have no idea what sort of witchcraft they were using to detect that powder residue as it passed through the scanner. Or maybe I just looked suspicious and the TSA agent was bluffing

 

[KipCarson]

I got held up for a little bit once, they pulled my laptop from my bag and took it away for a little bit and when they came back they handed it to me and with a quizzical stare and told me they detected gunpowder residue on it. My gut response was to say “because obviously it must have been on the table with all my IED making paraphernalia” but I told them I’m a hunter and almost everything in that backpack has been exposed to powder residue at some point. Being at a smaller airport they took me at face value since it was obviously a working laptop and not a cleverly disguised explosive. I am certainly glad my mouth was wearing my filter that day! We all made it to the plane on time with no other hiccups, to this day I still have no idea what sort of witchcraft they were using to detect that powder residue as it passed through the scanner. Or maybe I just looked suspicious and the TSA agent was bluffing

 

[jejack26]

New Mexico. I flew out with two TSA approved locks on a case that has room for four locks (as I have multiple times). Albuquerque TSA would not let me fly home unless I had four locks on the case. Procuring two more locks at 6am proved time consuming enough that I missed my flight which resulted in an extra 18 hours of travel to get home.

Man I'm glad you posted this, I don't fly much but plan to in September and I just check my case has 4 locking points also.

 

[Dave N]

Left my wallet in my pocket at the Fairbanks airport. Later flight and barely anyone there. They proceeded to swab my hands and give me the rundown just for not removing my wallet!

 

[3forks]

Once while standing in line waiting to go through security, an airport police officer and his dog were walking though the crowd. I realize that these officers and the TSA have a job to do, but this guy was young and seemed to be on a power trip. The officer would walk up to a person and quiz them about their travel similar to what you would expect when you go through customs.

This trip was domestic travel, and the young officer seemed to really be enjoying making people uncomfortable and asking questions that to me seemed over the top. When he came up to me and my wife, he asked “where are you coming from?” in an almost hostile tone. I laughed and said “your mom’s house.” People in line next to us started laughing, and I quickly said in a casual manner, that I was just kidding and answered the question. The officer was flustered, and moved on with no other questions.

 

[Sytes]

One of the most thankless though necessary positions in U.S. Govt (or contractor of).

Some nuts for certain (as in any job) though more often then not... it's the traveler that's the royal pain in the ass.

I would not want to work that job.

 

[glass eye]

Not so much inept as it was malicious.
I arrived in Ketchikan to find that both of my 2 locks had been cut off of my gun case and a single lock had been put on one side only.
I noticed it right away because my locks were black and this lock was silver. I told TSA and demanded that they cut this lock off and that they owed me 2 new locks with the key.
The supervisor watched as I inspected the contents and everything seemed ok. My friend who came to pick me up said "Hope they didn't spin the dial on your scope" apparently it's a thing because that's exactly what someone did. It took me 54 clicks to get it back to zero. That rifle/scope combo had never budged an inch before with decades of use and travel.

 

[glass eye]

Almost forgot....one time flying home from Adak Alaska and my gun case didn't arrive in San Diego. They put a trace on it and for several days there was no record of it departing Adak and the tiny airport in Adak said it wasn't there. A few days later Adak says they found it. That tiny airport has maybe a dozen passengers or less on any given flight 2 days a week. How could they misplace it ?

 

[Bowhuntr14]

I went on a snowmobile trip to Finland a couple of years back. I packed my gear bag and checked it but thought that I should probably carry my helmet on since it is a expensive helmet. Well I put it on the scanner and went through the metal detector and was waiting for my helmet and back pack to come out. As I'm watching the monitor I see my helmet enter. I never gave it a thought but I have a helmet with a red LED light on the back, so when it was in the scanner you could see the two batteries and wires going to the light element. Needless to say they made me take the helmet out and turn on the switch to show them how the light turned on in the back before I was let go. It was actually pretty funny and TSA was really cool about it.

 

[mdhunter]

Man I'm glad you posted this, I don't fly much but plan to in September and I just check my case has 4 locking points also.

I have since flown with four locks but arrived with three...I always bring extras now.

 

[thomas89]

Watching them bumble around with my dads T/C Encore trying to figure out if it was unloaded or not. Pretty funny how jumpy they got when I was trying to tell them they had to press the lever near the trigger to break it open. Me thinks firearms training is maybe not at the top of their course requirement list.