Defensive Carry banner

Does TSA Make Anyone Else Not Want to Fly This Holiday Season??

11K views 102 replies 37 participants last post by  mel 
#1 ·
My family and I (wife who is 6mo pregnant, 4yr old son and 10mo old daughter) have travel plans from Dallas to Chicago to see my family for a few days coming up very soon. But the more I read about these inappropriate pat-downs being given by the TSA at airports everywhere, the more I just want to stay home for the holidays and not deal with it. I've been travelling for work a little bit lately and haven't had to do a pat-down yet, but I did have to go through the scanner once. Now, its not as big a deal for me, but I can see myself getting quite pissed if someone (female or not) wants to pat down my wife and/or kids. We teach our 4 year old not to talk to people that he doesn't already know or that mommy or daddy aren't already talking to, and he's very good about it. If a stranger comes up to us and talks to him first, he doesn't say a word, he just turns and looks at me first. But allowing a stranger to touch my wife or very young (and impressionable) son in the ways I've been reading and seeing in news reports and videos taken by bystanders makes my blood boil. So how common are these pat-downs anyway? Is there any recourse that can be taken if it is done inappropriately? Do I have a leg to stand on if I threaten a sexual assault charge on the TSA SCREENER (they are not sworn agents of anything)? What would you do? If you are travelling for the holidays, what are you planning on doing? I find it best to plan my actions ahead of time and not wait until the heat of the moment when I'm mad and end up only making the situation worse. So... thoughts? Recommendations??

OpJ
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Just relax a bit please.......

Sure, I dread flying, I dread TSA, I dread a Head Cold too. You will set the stage for the kiddo, so explain to them, several times between now and departure at an age appropriate level, what will happen and what will be done. That will help the young one.

Other than that, don't over analyze the matter and get all worked up about something the likelihood of which happening is infinitesimal. You will not win if you overreact, you will not win if you threaten, you will not win if you act like a jerk. Let them do their job, and be cool about it. Anything else is a guaranteed lose-lose situation.

Or drive. If you overreact you might get to drive anyway, unless you're in jail.

This is coming from a father who will be flying with his family, and his adult daughter that is a Victoria's Secret model.

Added:

Familiarize yourself with the TSA Rules and Protocols, and your Airlines too, so you are not surprised with the process with pregnant wives and infants and kids. Not to prepare yourself to be argumentative, but so you are emotionally ahead of the curve. Agin, be cool and it will be a snap.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wmhawth and Hopyard
#3 ·
I'm with you. Fortunately we have no reason to ever fly. Some ghetto turd TSA agent ever manhandled my kid (4 & 3 yr old daughters) like I've seen on videos, I would be going to jail for assault. And they'd be on their way to the hospital. No doubt about it. TSA is out of control. We boycott flying. Have taken trains on our past long distance trips. Fun experience.
 
#4 ·
I am so much against the pat downs, scanners don't bother me. But I have to fly for my job all over the world so I don't have much choice.
 
#6 ·
The airlines have definitely lost some of my business due to TSA shenanigans and poor customer service by the airlines.

I hope one of the executives of an airline is reading this page. I HOPE significant Congress critters or their staff are reading this.

What has happened to air travel is insane, and not all of the bad stuff is due to 9/11 hysteria.

I'd hoped that some of the crazier stuff would disappear with the change of administration two years ago, and with the subsequent killing of UBL. Apparently we now have an industry which is going to live on in perpetuity long beyond the passing of the major danger.

I want my old life back for our grand children. We are way off course. Meanwhile, I avoid planes as much as possible-- even to the point of driving 18-19 hundred miles each way to where my kid lives.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NYCrulesU
#9 ·
The airlines have definitely lost some of my business due to TSA shenanigans and poor customer service by the airlines.

I hope one of the executives of an airline is reading this page. I HOPE significant Congress critters or their staff are reading this.

What has happened to air travel is insane, and not all of the bad stuff is due to 9/11 hysteria.

I'd hoped that some of the crazier stuff would disappear with the change of administration two years ago, and with the subsequent killing of UBL. Apparently we now have an industry which is going to live on in perpetuity long beyond the passing of the major danger.

I want my old life back for our grand children. We are way off course. Meanwhile, I avoid planes as much as possible-- even to the point of driving 18-19 hundred miles each way to where my kid lives.
Unfortunately, once they raise the price of gas, for whatever reason......it never goes back down.

As much as those here hate them, but thank the ACLU because without their work, we would be flying naked.
 
#7 ·
I hate flying. I'm 6'6" 240 and the seats literally hurt to sit in, and these unnecessary measures only make it worse. The only time I will fly is when it is on a WVU charter plane where I get an empty seat between me and my neighbor and the group gets fast tracked through security.
 
#13 ·
TSA needs to learn from someone who has been doing airport / airline security for a while. Who? El Al Airlines in Isreal. They interview each and every passenger as their screening process. No pat downs, no full-body-I-see-you-naked scanners. An interview. And they've not had any incidents in over 8 years. TSA is nothing but reactive, not proactive. Oh... and that interview process averages less than 30 minutes from the time you arrive at the airport until you get to your gate. Less intrusive AND faster??! Sounds great.
 
#14 ·
TSA needs to learn from someone who has been doing airport / airline security for a while. Who? El Al Airlines in Isreal. They interview each and every passenger as their screening process. No pat downs, no full-body-I-see-you-naked scanners. An interview. And they've not had any incidents in over 8 years. TSA is nothing but reactive, not proactive. Oh... and that interview process averages less than 30 minutes from the time you arrive at the airport until you get to your gate. Less intrusive AND faster??! Sounds great.
Isreal "profiles" too. They have a very good track record with airport security.
 
#27 ·
For me, flying is a mode of last resort. Because of certain conditions, TSA is a sheer hassle for me, and then I have to deal with the cattle-car mentality of the airlines. Last time I sincerely enjoyed flying, it was on Eastern Airlines, in the days when passengers were respected customers, not a necessary evil source of cash.
 
#29 ·
Well, Eastern and a whole bunch of others went into bankruptcy shortly after they got what they demanded; deregulation.

You don't have to go back that far to find instances of good-to great customer service, even today, but usually not on domestic flights. Air New Zealand is pretty good if one is going that way. Houston to Baltimore, that's a whole other tale.
 
#28 ·
IT WILL CHANGE as soon as the TSA employee's unionize and demand professional creds for thier work, as more experienced governments do (read-Isreal here) things will change...dont see Homeland Security making any intellegent changes in thier work model our government is very comfortably stuck on stupid, and predictable...to many political/monetary roadblocks to that...but TSA workers can change thier work place by demanding professional standards and pay...its mind numbing work..no doubt after 10 shifts on a big airport line ANYONE would hate FAT people and OLD people because they are a pain...The mutts on the TSA line need real counsel to deal with the pressures of haveing to feel up FAT people's FAT folds, and manipulate colostomy bags searching for weapons..To me its the crappy seat I'm going through all the BS to get to that just REEKS...and the fact that after makeing me reveal my socks to TSA workers, they refuse to let me sit down to get my shoes back on...rude and stupid...if you'v got money the rules are much different...nobody touches "executive class" ...just ask your reprsentitive or Senator...(while your at it, ask them for thier health plan)...SO I plan an extra day to recoup from the Ordeal....
 
#30 ·
Yup and I won't. I used to fly over 100,000 miles a year for business. I retired 3 years ago and have flown one time since. As it stands now, it would take a heck of a lot to get me to fly anywhere - pretty much, if I can't drive it, I'm not going. Matter of fact, I donated almost 1,000,000 FF miles to Make a Wish rather than use them. I hate airports, TSA and the airlines. I hate the attitude of them doing me a favor by selling me a seat and then charging me outrageous prices to fly my bags or feed me. Bah and Humbug.
 
#31 ·
IT WILL CHANGE as soon as the TSA employee's unionize and demand professional creds for thier work, as more experienced governments do (read-Isreal here) things will change...dont see Homeland Security making any intellegent changes in thier work model our government is very comfortably stuck on stupid, and predictable
Wow. That about the oddest (worst) rationalization for unionizing public employees i've ever heard. Glad I'm not FAT or OLD either.

I think Israel's method is much better, but don't think that is dependent on any Union input.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NavyAirdale
#32 ·
The TSA pat downs are a pointless waste of time that only serve the purpose of making naive people feel safe and to get masses of people used to the gov treating them like livestock.
The only reason 9/11 happened was because there was a long standing policy of non resistance when a plane got hijacked. They would just do what the hijackers wanted, pay the ransom or fly the hijackers out of the country then get released and go on about their lives. That all changed on 9/11 and would never work again. Now, if you act stupid on a flight there is a long line of other passenger waiting to hand you your a$$, not some touchie feelie high school dropout with a badge and inflated since of self importance importance.
I have made the decision not to fly under these conditions unless absolutely necessary. I have yet to run in to that situation. But, if I did have to fly, I would make sure I fed my family a nice dinner of beans, broccoli, and cabbage followed by a breakfast of boiled eggs. I would opt out of the back scatter radiation machine and get a pat down. Hopefully, when they went to pat me down I would be able to release a toxic fog to signify my disapproval:gah:.
 
#39 ·
To fly el al, you also have to get to the airport 3 hours in advance. They will ask you everything, including religious questions in the short interview. I am sure that would not "fly" here. If they have any inconsistencies you come back for the long interview. That's why they need you there 3 hours before you fly.
 
#40 ·
When I was a frequent flying business traveler pre-9/11 I could walk up to the gate at the 10 minute mark and still board. Those days are long gone. :icon_neutral:

Three hours would be fine with me now. I always blow an entire day flying anyway. What's another hour? The El Al model is fine by me, except I know so little Judaism they might flag me. :gah: Relax and focus on a stress-free cruise through security, and people watch for entertainment. What can beat that?
 
#41 ·
this is the price of safety, planes are too easy of a target and do way to much damage in the wrong hands so you can drive or get a pat down and live with it for safety
 
#44 ·
Last I heard we had a Constitution. What price sir are you willing to pay for safety? TSA is not pro-active, they react. First it was the shoes. Don't kid yourself, as soon as they find a few things up somebody's rectum that passed the scanner then you know there will be more intrusive inspections. You say to drive. I have relatives that live in CA and I am in NH. If something happened to my MOM I would need to fly to get there in time in case it was really bad. There are common sense things to do for security but these pat downs are not turning anything up. And for the pilot to be able to kick somebody off for any reason is not right either. Allowing a slow intrusion on our rights has always led to broader intrusions on our rights. And most always for our safety and security.
Remember this:
Vanessa Gibbs, 17, barred from flight because she had a gun on her handbag | Mail Online

For sake of this post, don't say if she showed up earlier she would have had time to check it. Point is she should be able to carry it on the flight
 
  • Like
Reactions: SIGguy229
#46 ·
I don't particularly like flying and try to avoid it as much as possible, however over the years for work, I have probably flown more than the average individual. Thankfully I haven't had a "horror story" like some of the ones you see on You Tube and I imagine that overall those types of experiences are very rare. By being organized and prepared, you can make the process a lot easier on yourself. The last time I did go through the nudie scanners and the idea of it did make me uncomfortable. After I passed through, I was stopped and asked if I had something in my pocket. I said no, and showed them that my pocket was empty. The guy said that he needed to check it out and politely explained that he was going to run his hand down my leg, which he then did. He was professional about it and it took seconds. Afterwards he said, your clear, sorry for the delay and have a nice flight.

I think that the Israel method has a lot of advantages and we should work towards incorporating some of their methods. I also think that having an organization like the TSA instead of eclectic bunch of different security firms has the advantage of standardization. while there is certainly room for improvement, the TSA still has an awful job to do and a large responsibility to get it right.
 
#65 ·
The guy said that he needed to check it out and politely explained that he was going to run his hand down my leg, which he then did. He was professional about it and it took seconds.
Why not offer to just take off your pants and give them to him to fondle? I don't think that would have satisfied him. Sounds like consensual group groping going on to me. :)
 
#48 ·
I agree 100%.

I've never hidden the fact that I am ALL for an American Revolution: People vs The System/The Government. Until the people come together to take back this country and our freedoms ...it will be as it is, and get much worse.


"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
-- Thomas Jefferson
 
#51 ·
The holidays have nothing to do with it. TSA makes me not want to fly. As Michael Bane says, "TSA is theater for shills." Ask an Isreali security specialist what he thinks of our system.

Heck, It's only 950 miles-ish. For the price of 4 tickets and a rental car, I can drive a whole lot of miles.
 
#53 ·
My wife and I, at one time, flew a lot. Not anymore,,,, and will NOT FLY AS LONG as
the silly crap (TSA) is going on. Stop flying and they will stop the stupid crap.
My flying days are over,,,,, unless there is NO OTHER POSSIBLE WAY TO GET THERE
and then I might stay at home.

Not profiling is stupid,,,, its funny how 90 per cent of the time profiling DOES WORK.
It is just plain stupid to have to wait 45 minutes while some dumb smuck pats down
my mother (88) and others who can barely walk.
It is also getting to expensive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NYCrulesU
#54 ·
If everyone would quit flying until this crap with TSA is done away with, then perhaps the politicians, airlines and powers to be would take notice.

The only real way to fix it is just to say that you have had enough and boycott airtravel.

Hit em where it hurts the most...right in the pocket.
 
#55 ·
If everyone would quit flying until this crap with TSA is done away with, then perhaps the politicians, airlines and powers to be would take notice.

The only real way to fix it is just to say that you have had enough and boycott airtravel.

Hot em where it hurts the most...right in the pocket.
Agreed. The majority of people don't care enough to actually do this, however.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top