What a nightmare this summer for the flying public~

[+ FreshFluff]

Here is a relatively “simple” solution. Apply through the U.S. Immigration Service for membership in the Global Entry Program. This program was initiated about ten years ago to felicitate the reentry into the United States of frequent international U.S. travelers. After filling out a detailed application and submitting it along with a check for $100 (?) the agency does a background check on each applicant. If accepted the applicant sets up an appointment with the Immigration Service at designated airports and at that time has his/her finger prints and photograph taken. When one is accepted into the program all one needs to do upon returning to the U.S. from overseas is approach a kiosk that resembles an ATM insert ones passport, answer a couple of questions and out pops a slip of paper that is presented to the Immigration Officer when leaving the arrival lounge.

 

Now how does this apply to those departing on international and nation flights within the U.S. you ask? It “only” took the TSA about seven or eight years to figure out that Global Entry participants are pre-checked individuals who are deemed safe for near automatic reentry into the U.S. by the Immigration Service. Thus the TSA is now using the Immigration Service’s information. At all major U.S. airports the TSA has established a special line posted as only for Global Entry members. That line is usually VERY short and members are frequently not asked to remove shoes.

 

Pre and Global Entry passengers stand in the same line at the large airports I fly out of. But like you said, GE has additional advantages for those who fly internationally.

[+ azdr0710]

[+ bigjoey]

The dirty secret of pre-check and Global Entry is that for terrorists with no record to so indicate, they get that status. Think the shooter at Fort Hood going through security dressed in his army uniform or the San Bernardino shooters going security through with their baby; they would not get a through screening but the "lite" version of their status.

 

I have Global Entry and my appointment consisted of being electronically finger printed and being shown how to use the machine. There were no questions about my back ground or anything probing to see if I might be mentally unstable or harbor anti-American feelings.

[whipped guy]

My favorite TSA story:

 

A number of years ago I was retuning north from Florida. I had several containers of sealed freshly made all natural peanut butter in my carry on that you could not buy up north. It was not only for me, but for a friend as well. The TSA confiscated it saying that it was a paste and needed to be treated like other liquids, pastes, and gels. This occurred right after they started that rule so I had no clue that certain foods were considered to be verboten. Now I was mad as hell as there was about twenty bucks of the stuff that they took and I'm quite sure we're going to ultimately enjoy themselves.

 

In any event, as I was putting my shoes back on and still steaming over the incident, this little kid and his parents sit near me. The kid starts crying, screaming, and yelling at the top of his lungs and he is right next to me. I say to myself that this is all I need now... a screaming kid!!!!

 

I turn to him and ask, "What's your problem little boy!" His crying response was, "They took my peanut butter!" My response was, "Don't feel so bad, they took mine too!"

 

I guess the peanut butter police were out in full force that day!

 

I'm sure that the TSA folks divided up the stash at the end of the day. As I recall they confiscated some woman's expensive perfume as well.

 

If you google TSA and peanut butter there are other stories as well. Make it peanut butter and jelly and is gets even worse!!!

[bigvalboy]

CHICAGO (CBS) — Travelers flying out of Chicago just can’t catch a break. With increasingly long lines to get through securityhttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png at the city’s airports, many travelers have been missing their flights, and some ended up sleeping at O’Hare International Airport on Sunday.

 

American Airlines put out cots for fewer than 100 travelershttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png who missed their flights Sunday night due to the long lines at TSA security checkpoints.

 

Adrian Petra said he missed his flight after standing in line for 2 hours and 20 minutes.

 

The TSA has been urging passengers to get to the airport at least two hours early for domestichttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png flights, and three hours early for international flights. However, some passengers have said that is not enough time to get through security and still make their flight.

 

American Airlines said some 4,000 passengers have missed flights at O’Hare since February because of the long wait times.

 

To the OP's point...seems like lots of problems with TSA both domestic and international, and just travel in general. I must say that in all the years, my experience with TSA agents and airline employees have been almost all positive. There was the one time that a TSA curmudgeon tried to embarrass me by holding up a bottle of lube and inquired out loud what it was used for, but even then I found that more humorous than anything else, but then out of LAX one time, two sistas, working TSA helped me through a rather nasty security grid-lock, because they thought I was the 'cat's meow'...

 

I guess when all is said and done, I fall more into the 'Clooney camp'. I travel light, never check luggage, ever.... Always make sure that I am overly prepared for every possible situation, find amusement in watching others who don't quite get it, and when all hell does break lose, make sure there is always time for a cocktail. I've lost luggage, missed connecting flights, gotten stuck at airports, dealt with unruly children and screaming babies, and exchanged more than my share of a few terse words with fellow travelers. (I'm no angel)

 

...but through it all, I've loved it, absolutely loved it, because I would rather travel than almost anything else in the world, and I always leave the house with the right mindset, and a smile on my face, hoping for the best, but planning for the worst, and knowing that it's all just one big adventure...Anyway, that's my take. Carry on everyone.

[whipped guy]

To the OP's point...seems like lots of problems with TSA both domestic and international, and just travel in general. I must say that in all the years, my experience with TSA agents and airline employees have been mostly positive. There was the one time that a TSA curmudgeon tried to embarrass me by holding up a bottle of lube and inquired out loud what it was used for, but even then I found that more humorous than anything else, but then out of LAX one time two sistas, working TSA helped me through a rather nasty security grid-lock, because they thought I was the 'cat's meow'... I guess when all is said and done, I fall more into the Clooney camp. I make sure that I am overly prepared for every possible situation, find amusement in watching others who don't quite get it, and when all hell does break lose, make sure there is always a time for a cocktail. I've lost luggage, missed connecting flights, gotten stuck at airports, dealt with unruly children and screaming babies, and exchanged more than my share of a few terse words with fellow travelers. (I'm no angel)...but through it all, I've loved it, absolutely loved it, because I simply love to travel, and I always leave the house with the right mindset, and a smile on my face, hoping for the best, but planning for the worst, and knowing that it's all just one big adventure...Anyway, that's my take. Carry on everyone.

Well, I try to have the same attitude, but I just wish the TSA would run their operation like an escort service! Years ago I attended a seminar in NYC about how to run a successful business and the theme was to run it like an escort service. I kid you not. What was so ironic about that was that the next day I would be hiring my first escort, but I digress.

 

Of course that would not be in the literal sense, but I think you get the idea as the best in this business treat their clients respectfully and try to make sure that they are having a stellar experience, and that certainly includes having patience with those who are less experienced.

 

What bothers me about the TSA is that they think that everyone passing through is an seasoned traveler and should know exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. While I have my own routine, many passangers who might travel once or twice a year or every two years really are not prepared for the ordeal. I just hate it when an agent yells at some geriatric person who has no clue telling then to "advance" or "halt" or whatever as if they have committed a crime.

[actor61]

Well, I try to have the same attitude, but I just wish the TSA would run their operation like an escort service! Years ago I attended a seminar in NYC about how to run a successful business and the theme was to run it like an escort service. I kid you not. What was so ironic about that was that the next day I would be hiring my first escort, but I digress.

 

Of course that would not be in the literal sense, but I think you get the idea as the best in this business treat their clients respectfully and try to make sure that they are having a stellar experience, and that certainly includes having patience with those who are less experienced.

 

What bothers me about the TSA is that they think that everyone passing through is an seasoned traveler and should know exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. While I have my own routine, many passangers who might travel once or twice a year or every two years really are not prepared for the ordeal. I just hate it when an agent yells at some geriatric person who has no clue telling then to "advance" or "halt" or whatever as if they have committed a crime.

I flew Business Class out of O'Hare last January and was happy to be able to go through the separate security line and check until I got to the lady doing the screening. She asked me to remove my watch for some reason, and then muttered, "You white boys with your fancy stuff" - I am NOT kidding. I never said a word but when I was finally through, I found a supervisor's office (conveniently located near the Business Class lounge) and lodged a complaint. They just chuckled and said, "She's probably tired. Have a nice trip."

 

In March, friends who had visited me returned to Europe through O'Hare. I accompanied them to the airport and after they had checked in, I got into the Business Class line with them, intending to say goodbye when we reached the cutoff point. We hugged and said goodbye and they continued through to the lane that would take them to security screening. I stood to the side to watch them leave and the extremely officious agent roughly told me I couldn't stand there for "security reasons". There was a Starbucks and also entrances to restrooms a few feet away so I just moved over there and continued waving to my friends until they had rounded the corner. If I had been a terrorist, how was I less threatening standing 2 feet to the left of where I'd been standing before? How was I more dangerous than the hundreds of people going in and out of the restrooms just feet away?

 

On the subject of flying and classes, there was an article about how economy passengers became less annoyed about their cramped seating if the curtains are closed between first/business and economy and they can't see what they are missing. I just don't understand the attitude of people seated in economy against those who purchase business class tickets. It's not like we've done it to spite them. I'm not rich by any means but I travel to Europe once a year to visit family and often use miles if I can for upgrades. If I can't, then I save like crazy so that I can afford to sit up front in the lie-flat seats. I actually go without things in order to buy that ticket. It really is the only indulgence I offer myself and I enjoy it thoroughly. I resent people sneering at me as they pass through the luxury cabin to their seats in economy. I spent many years traveling back there and I know how cramped and unpleasant it can be so why are you throwing dirty looks at me if I've saved liked Ebeneezer Scrooge to be able to sit up front?

[+ bigjoey]

I flew Business Class out of O'Hare last January and was happy to be able to go through the separate security line and check until I got to the lady doing the screening. She asked me to remove my watch for some reason, and then muttered, "You white boys with your fancy stuff" - I am NOT kidding. I never said a word but when I was finally through, I found a supervisor's office (conveniently located near the Business Class lounge) and lodged a complaint. They just chuckled and said, "She's probably tired. Have a nice trip."

 

In March, friends who had visited me returned to Europe through O'Hare. I accompanied them to the airport and after they had checked in, I got into the Business Class line with them, intending to say goodbye when we reached the cutoff point. We hugged and said goodbye and they continued through to the lane that would take them to security screening. I stood to the side to watch them leave and the extremely officious agent roughly told me I couldn't stand there for "security reasons". There was a Starbucks and also entrances to restrooms a few feet away so I just moved over there and continued waving to my friends until they had rounded the corner. If I had been a terrorist, how was I less threatening standing 2 feet to the left of where I'd been standing before? How was I more dangerous than the hundreds of people going in and out of the restrooms just feet away?

 

On the subject of flying and classes, there was an article about how economy passengers became less annoyed about their cramped seating if the curtains are closed between first/business and economy and they can't see what they are missing. I just don't understand the attitude of people seated in economy against those who purchase business class tickets. It's not like we've done it to spite them. I'm not rich by any means but I travel to Europe once a year to visit family and often use miles if I can for upgrades. If I can't, then I save like crazy so that I can afford to sit up front in the lie-flat seats. I actually go without things in order to buy that ticket. It really is the only indulgence I offer myself and I enjoy it thoroughly. I resent people sneering at me as they pass through the luxury cabin to their seats in economy. I spent many years traveling back there and I know how cramped and unpleasant it can be so why are you throwing dirty looks at me if I've saved liked Ebeneezer Scrooge to be able to sit up front?

 

 

There are people behind those curtains!! Who knew??

[+ Gar1eth]

Once years ago they said my Bipap machine tested positive for explosive substances. Then they said they didn't think the tester was reading correctly, and they let me on thru.

 

I wouldn't mind the screening quite so much if I knew it actually was making us safer to a significant degree.

 

Gman

[+ Gar1eth]

There are people behind those curtains!! Who knew??

 

 

 

 

Gman

[+ FreshFluff]

What bothers me about the TSA is that they think that everyone passing through is an seasoned traveler and should know exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. While I have my own routine, many passangers who might travel once or twice a year or every two years really are not prepared for the ordeal. I just hate it when an agent yells at some geriatric person who has no clue telling then to "advance" or "halt" or whatever as if they have committed a crime.

 

They used to have a separate line for "families" and those who were unfamiliar with the procedures. This line would, of course, go more slowly, which these parties wouldn't mind because they'd need the extra time. It disappeared, presumably after the TSA figured out that no one would sacrifice his own time for the greater good.

[whipped guy]

My second favorite TSA story:

 

My 80 something year old dad who was in a wheel chair was pulled out of the line because there was a "problem" with one of his shoes. He was brought behind the scenes as they further X-rayed his shoes. After an eternity it was discovered that he had a defective pair of Dr. Scholl's orthopedic shoes. Evidently there was supposed to be a metal bar for support in both shoes but only one shoe had the metal bar. The TSA agent actually then came over to me saying that I needed to bring my dad back to the store where the shoes were purchased and have them replaced with a pair that had the proper support feature in both shoes.

 

Of course just prior to that he was suspected of having a bomb in one shoe.

[+ VeryHappyCustomer]

I once enjoyed a very thorough pat down at the Palm Springs airport.

 

But I agree with the OP: Air travel has become so unpleasant I prefer to avoid it. I'd rather spend six hours driving from Phoenix to LA in the peace of my own car than 90 minutes in the air + two hours in airports. Pre-screening and leaving your luggage at home help... until they don't. When you can't rely on that extra line being open, you need to get to the airport just as early as people who know they'll be in the slow line.

 

TSA agents are human, and most of them don't tolerate the sustained stress of security checkpoints any better than passengers do. I'd be rude too after several hours of monotonous work surrounded by screaming children and surly frequent fliers. I understand it. But I don't like it. Time to dump those airline stocks...

[seaboy4hire]

I do my best to make their day as unpleasant as possible without being denied boarding. I feel it is my patriotic duty to make them come as close as I can to making them want to cry.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[tanman4u]

I almost hate posting this because I feel like I'm setting myself up for disaster in a couple of weeks when I'm traveling again but I'm a HUGE fan of PRE-Check. As I fly often enough that my status with AA was getting PRE on my boarding passes "most" of the time it wasn't always so I bit the bullet and did the Global Entry thing which includes PRE Check. In the beginning I would occasionally find that the PRE check line could take longer but that was normally because they were randomly moving people from the regular line into it and those people had no idea how to use it (trying to take shoes off, computers out, etc). Now it seems to work very well.

 

I flew out of JFK yesterday morning and there was almost no line. In fact the only thing that delayed me was forgetting to take a small bottle of Listerine out of my bag and put it in a plastic bag (which stays in my bag anyway). The TSA agent laughed and said, "it's not full anyway I don't know why they tagged you for it". Turns out I had also left a mostly full bottle of hair conditioner in the same bag and nobody found that one.

 

Now, flashing back several years to 2001, just after 9/11 I was traveling from San Juan and was amazed at the number of flyers who were having their tweezers, pocket knives, etc., all taken away at the gate (pre TSA then) but were still allowed to board with a six pack booze carrier. It was quite a while before they started requiring that those boxes be checked as baggage. Without even going into what else could be put into those bottles (gasoline, etc.) a weapon made by smashing two fifths of booze together would be a lot worse than a pair of tweezers.

[Frequentflier]

I won't pay for any form of expedited clearance, I think "Clear" is another one that's out there. Yes, I can afford it but to me I shouldn't have to pay extra. TSA and the airlines should work harder to give travelers a better experience. I usually see Pre Check when I get my boarding passes and I've paid nothing for that. Most of the time I fly First class either through miles or paying extra because airlines have degraded the experience of Coach to the point no customer should be treated that badly. I prefer they learn again to charge higher prices and provide a better experience for everyone. I like the idea of charging for carry-on luggage versus checked if they insist on charging for either. The number of fools who bring oversized and too much luggage on a plane, try to take it up to First (where they are appropriately denied) or delay the plane as overhead space is gone and bags have to be carried (often) upstream is still crazy.

 

I am calm going through the TSA delays because I know on the other side there is a First Class seat and service (as bad as that is today) waiting. United Airlines in particular needs to hire people that actually know how to clean a plane. Lately I've been getting to the airport 2.5 hours before departure even flying First. I DO NOT like the stress of worrying if I'll miss my flight.

 

I echo someone else's point about people waiting in long lines and then being unprepared to pass through the security section (belt, machines, etc.). If TSA were given cattle prods we'd see less of this. I'm so ready when I get to the belt area I'm usually pulled into the machines ahead of the goofs that are still working on their shoes or belts. If you look up the number of items confiscated through security it reinforces my cattle prod idea. Ridiculous how many people put long knives, guns (including some loaded), etc. in their carry-on. They should publicly flog those people before 10 years in prison.

 

I rarely see any passengers being jerks to the TSA employees. My view is if you don't want to go through the process that's established to try and keep us safe then drive, take the bus or stay home. What's to gain by going through life trying to be an a**wipe at every opportunity!?! Most TSA employees I've encountered have been professional, pleasant, some even funny and they are mostly boring jobs. "Hey you, check IDs for 10 hours", "Ok, my lucky day". If I can make someone smile during a brief encounter, why not. I'm a voracious reader so they often either ask about a book (yes, a real book) or if in the morning I've got the WSJ and they ask or comment about something business or market related. They probably don't care but, again, some have very boring (but very necessary) jobs and some non standard interaction with another person probably helps their work shift go by faster/better.

[Moondance]

Head of TSA security operations removed from position

 

(AP) ... 5-23-16 ... WASHINGTON — A House committee said Monday that the head of security operations at the Transportation Security Administration has been replaced. "Kelly Hoggan has been removed from his position as head of security at TSA," the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform posted on Twitter.

 

The oversight committee said Hoggan received more than $90,000 in bonuses over a period from late 2013 to late 2014. About a year later, a report from the Homeland Security Inspector General's office revealed that agency employees failed to find explosives, weapons and other dangerous items in more than 95 percent of covert tests at multiple U.S. airports.

 

That report and allegations of other mismanagement within TSA have drawn congressional scrutiny and promoted multiple hearings on Capitol Hill.

 

Hoggan's ouster also comes amid growing concerns of massive security lines at airports this summer. The long lines have been blamed in part on more travelers during the busy summer travel season and a shortage of screening officers manning checkpoints. Some security line woes [have also been attributed to] fewer people than anticipated applying for the government's PreCheck program, which allows passengers to move through security faster after submitting to a background check.

[+ dutchmuch]

All TSA is doing is rearranging the deck chairs with Hoggan's reassignment.

[+ bigjoey]

Head of TSA security operations removed from position

 

(AP) ... 5-23-16 ... WASHINGTON — A House committee said Monday that the head of security operations at the Transportation Security Administration has been replaced. "Kelly Hoggan has been removed from his position as head of security at TSA," the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform posted on Twitter.

 

The oversight committee said Hoggan received more than $90,000 in bonuses over a period from late 2013 to late 2014. About a year later, a report from the Homeland Security Inspector General's office revealed that agency employees failed to find explosives, weapons and other dangerous items in more than 95 percent of covert tests at multiple U.S. airports.

 

That report and allegations of other mismanagement within TSA have drawn congressional scrutiny and promoted multiple hearings on Capitol Hill.

 

Hoggan's ouster also comes amid growing concerns of massive security lines at airports this summer. The long lines have been blamed in part on more travelers during the busy summer travel season and a shortage of screening officers manning checkpoints. Some security line woes [have also been attributed to] fewer people than anticipated applying for the government's PreCheck program, which allows passengers to move through security faster after submitting to a background check.

 

A good start. More administrators need to be fired to put the fear of God into the remaining ones that if they do not do their job, they lose it. Maybe this is becoming a trend: VA, various police department heads and school district administrators. Performance is important; deliver good service to the public or lose your job is not a bad standard to ask of these administrators for continued employment.

[Karl-G]

I came through O'Hare security yesterday morning at 7:30 and it took me a total of 5 minutes, no problems at all. I was at United, Terminal 1.

[Brian Kevin]

Large airports have a handicap area

 

They get scanned in - wait for wheel chair attendant - then go to TSA in the wheel chair

 

 

@DERRIK & @Keith30309 are so knowledgeable and resourceful!!

 

I'm also positive they can even turn water into Sweet Lemonade with the snap of a finger.

[Phlmuscle]

Just heard on the news that the head of the TSA was fired.

[Moondance]

Intruders breach US airport fences about every 10 days

 

(AP) Under pressure to prevent people from sneaking onto runways and planes at major U.S. airports, authorities are cracking down — not on the intruders who slip through perimeter gates or jump over fences, but on the release of information about the breaches.

 

A year after an Associated Press investigation first revealed persistent problems with airports' outer defenses, breaches remain as frequent as ever — about once every 10 days — despite some investments to fortify the nation's airfields. As Americans wait in ever-longer security screening lines inside terminals, new documents show dozens more incidents happening outside perimeters than airports have disclosed.

 

... Following a two-year legal struggle with the TSA, AP has now used newly released information to create the most comprehensive public tally of perimeter security breaches. The 345 incidents took place at 31 airports that handle three-quarters of U.S. passenger travel. And that's an undercount, because several airports refused to provide complete information.

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ap-intruders-breach-us-airport-fences-about-every-10-days/ar-BBtv2xk?ocid=spartandhp#image=2

[dcguy20]

I prepared myself for a long wait, but my checkin at National Airport took less than 10 minutes today.

[+ Keith30309]

I likewise walked straight thru pre-check at ATL and MIA in the last few days.