The topic of the moment in the travel world is the TSA, and their use of full body scanners and enhanced pat downs for security. I thought I better get my two cents in…
A couple of years ago, I showed up at the airport and found that I had been deemed a “Quad S”. I had no idea what a quad S was, but that’s how the customer service agent referred to me when she called security. When she handed me my boarding pass, she told me to skip the regular security line, and report to a special line reserved for people who were Secondary Security Screening Selectees. I looked down, and there it was, the dreaded SSSS in the corner of my boarding pass.
When I arrived at security, I was searched, and searched again. My bag was searched, my shoes were sprayed with something, and they used what looked like some kind of tape to check for bomb residue. I was given the enhanced pat down, which is now the topic of so much scrutiny, and was on my way. The TSA agents were courteous and efficient, and doing their job.
The next time I arrived at the airport, the same thing happened.
And the time after that, I was inexplicably let through with the SSSS at check in. I didn’t speak up, though I knew that I should have been directed to the “special” security line. As it turned out, when I arrived at the gate, I was called to the desk where the gate agent told me that someone would be down to search me at the gate. There I was, with a gate full of people looking at me while I was wanded and patted down. Yes, it was the enhanced pat down that they keep talking about, with all the necessary patting included.
At that point, I thought things were getting a little silly, but I never felt violated.
The “Quad S” followed me for over a year, and because I happened to be traveling a lot that year, I got used to it. I thought about researching how I could get off the most wanted list, but never got around to it. It eventually dropped off, and I never found out why I was on it in the first place. Some think buying last minute tickets, or one way tickets can trigger the algorithm, and I do both of those things on occasion. I have also shown up at the airport without an ID because of a lost purse, so I’m sure that may cause me problems in the future.
But I cooperate without complaint because I know what it’s like working with the general public, let alone the flying public.
Here is where I think there can be problems
There have been times when TSA agents have been rude a-holes to me and everyone else in line at security.
The majority of the time, TSA agents have been professional and courteous, and other times they have gone above and beyond what I would expect. The time my purse was stolen, the TSA agents at JFK went out of their way to make sure I made my flight, and another time, my son put his ipod in the little dish to go through security and never saw it again. The TSA agents searched everywhere for that ipod, gave me a form to fill out, and a number to call to see if it was turned in. They were great.
But, like I said before, there have been times when I’ve seen agents on a serious power trip treating people like a group of stupid cattle. Imagine if that is the agent that patted you down. I can see how you would feel violated.
In my opinion, if these pat downs are going to be the norm, there needs to be training, training, and more training. TSA agents need to keep in mind that some people have never flown before, and what is routine for the agent may be disconcerting to the passenger. If children are being searched, there needs to be specialized training given to those agents.
The TSA needs to be looking for new, effective, and less intrusive ways to conduct security. And passengers need to be careful about the accusations they’re making.
There needs to be a huge push to make sure that everyone who flies is aware of the procedures used at security. They also need to know what they should NOT have to put up with just because someone is having a bad day.
In the end, this is a huge inconvenience for everyone. Terrorism sucks, but it’s a reality, and there will never be a perfect system.
I think everyone needs to tread very carefully right now, on both sides.
I’m actually kind of grateful I was a Quad S for awhile. I’m an old pro at this.
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