Ask a Former TSA Screener

[Commodore]

What are some of the worst experiences you've had with people?

One of the worst experiences has to be with a Romanian guy who didn't speak a single word of English. He was nice enough and wanted to cooperate, but niether of us could understand each other and it was extremely frustrating and embarrassing for both of us.

In a more general sense people and their laptops were a huge issue for some reason. I can't tell you how many times I directly asked an individual if they have a laptop and they would say no. Sure enough they would have a laptop in their bag and then they get upset because we have to search it.

What are some of the best experiences you've had with people's tits?

People's tits? TSA has a strict same-gender screening policy so I never got to feel up any tits (although I did have a very sexy German girl hit on me while I was searching her bag).

Why do I need to get rid of all the loose change and gum wrappers accumulated in my pockets before you believe me about surgical plates in my femurs?

Because people have lied about having metal plates in an attempt to smuggle prohibited items past us so we are just being thorough.

Why am I not allowed to go back to the conveyor belt myself to get the tray with all my loose change and gum wrappers?

I'm not sure. I know we always let people grab their own stuff once we cleared it. In fact we encouraged it that way people couldn't say we stole stuff from them.

 

[Zelig]

Sure enough they would have a laptop in their bag and then they get upset because we have to search it.

Search it, like turn it on and look at stuff?

 

[_random_]

I'm not sure. I know we always let people grab their own stuff once we cleared it. In fact we encouraged it that way people couldn't say we stole stuff from them.

Huh. Some chick at O'Hare got really irritated at me for doing so. Granted, I had just gotten off a plane from Tokyo, so I'm remembering the incident through the lenses of my own irritation, but it still seems to be a pretty pointless thing to react to.

 

[Commodore]

Search it, like turn it on and look at stuff?

No we just have to take it out of the bag send it through the xray machine again and then do an explosive trace test on it. We then search the bag and do an explosive trace test on that as well. If you take your laptop out of the bag and run it and the bag separately then we just xray it and you are on your merry way.

@_random_: It sounds like you just got a screener that was having a bad day and taking it out on you.

 

[Antilogic]

No we just have to take it out of the bag send it through the xray machine again and then do an explosive trace test on it. We then search the bag and do an explosive trace test on that as well. If you take your laptop out of the bag and run it and the bag separately then we just xray it and you are on your merry way.

So why do laptops have to be taken out of bags but other electronics (phones, graphing calculators, cameras, etc. do not?

Are explosive traces run automatically whenever somebody forgets to follow one of the rules, or are all electronics subject to it?

Do you guys use ITMS (ion trap mobility spectroscopy) for the explosives test? I have some experience with that technology, we were able to identify some stuff with it but we had difficulty quantifying the amounts.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Where does the consficated stuff go?

 

[emzie]

They can deport you for lying to immigration? What about just punishing you for being a terrorist?

Being a terrorist is often out of their jurisdiction. If you blew up a car bomb in Belfast, or Iraq, another country has no jurisdiction to try you. So they just say, ah, you lied to immigration and so we're deporting you. Much less a hassle.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Where does the consficated stuff go?

In some cases, I suspect they eat it. Somebody's box of cupcakes was confiscated because the TSA guy insisted that the icing could actually be the kind of gel used in explosives.


@the OP: What do you do if a passenger has a service dog? Do you x-ray the dog? Pat it down? Do you explain all this to the traveler who may be blind, deaf, autistic, or epileptic?

 

[Zelig]

@the OP: What do you do if a passenger has a service dog? Do you x-ray the dog? Pat it down? Do you explain all this to the traveler who may be blind, deaf, autistic, or epileptic?

Eh? I don't think epilepsy presents any challenges to understanding, unless they're actively seizing while you're talking to them...

 

[Bamspeedy]

In some cases, I suspect they eat it. Somebody's box of cupcakes was confiscated because the TSA guy insisted that the icing could actually be the kind of gel used in explosives.

I was surprised about the cupcake thing too....until I found out it was a 'cupcake' in a glass jar.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlin...eater-tsa-confiscates-womans-frosted-cupcake/

 

[woody60707]

So I had metal plates installed in my left ankle for its corrective surgery when it was broken. Would a simple explanation suffice or would they require further scanning or documentation?

Commodore has a lot of good info, but it's a little dated. On the other hand he can say things I couldn't say being that he no longer works for the TSA.

We do have the new AIT scanners at most airports now. If you don't want a pat down ICBM, ask to make sure to use the AIT. Just make sure ask before you go through a metal detector. And no you don't need any documents proving anything. You get screened the same either way.

Also we no longer make people "selecties" based on what counties they are from.

Huh. Some chick at O'Hare got really irritated at me for doing so. Granted, I had just gotten off a plane from Tokyo, so I'm remembering the incident through the lenses of my own irritation, but it still seems to be a pretty pointless thing to react to.

ORD, right? The new AIT scanners use x-rays. So it's mass, not just metal that is looked for. We will ask to have everything taken out of the pockets and hold it in your hands. The TSO likely didn't want you hoping in and out of line for items you can just hold in your hand. Not saying the TSO was right how s/he talked to you (it wasn't), just explaining the underlined logic of it.

As for the cupcake thing, it was 100% the right call. There was no need for the TSO to call over the supervisor (the STSO). But the TSO was likely trying to be nice in seeing if the STSO would ok an item that normally wouldn't be allowed. http://www.tsa.gov/311/311-carry-ons.shtm

Spoiler :

(1)All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in 3.4 ounce (100ml) or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be 3.4 ounces (100ml) or smaller.

(2)All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.

(3)Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Is there anything that is commonly consificated that would not make sense to an average person, and what is the reasoning?

 

[woody60707]

Is there anything that is commonly consificated that would not make sense to an average person, and what is the reasoning?

Snow Globes #1 The logic is we have no means to test what's inside the Snow Globes, so no matter the size, not allowed.

Liquids, gels and aerosols over 3.4 ounce (100ml) are 90% of the items that get "confiscated". Pretty much everything else is common sense in what is not allowed. Also lot of people don't know about all the rules. (and there are some new rules). Laptops need to be in a bid by it's self, nothing on top or below it. With the new AIT machines, belts and "everything" needs to be taken out of your pockets. It's the mass that is being looked for, not metal. Also 12yrs and under don't need to take off there shoes anymore.

A note about "confiscated" items. The TSA doesn't confiscate items. They get "voluntary surrendered" I understand that when your flight leaves in 5mins it doesn't feel voluntary. But legally understand that if you don't want to give up an item, you don't have to. (again common sense, if you have a block of C4, you're not getting that back lol).

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Is it possible to ever get something back if you surrender it?

 

[BC1871]

How much of the screening performed is security theater versus actual threat detection/prevention?

 

[Commodore]

So why do laptops have to be taken out of bags but other electronics (phones, graphing calculators, cameras, etc. do not?

Are explosive traces run automatically whenever somebody forgets to follow one of the rules, or are all electronics subject to it?

Do you guys use ITMS (ion trap mobility spectroscopy) for the explosives test? I have some experience with that technology, we were able to identify some stuff with it but we had difficulty quantifying the amounts.

If the ITMS is the system where you run a little cloth pad over something and put it in the machine to be analyzed then yes that is what we used.

Laptops have to be taken out of the bag because it is a large electronic and could make it difficult to see what's in the rest of the bag on the x-ray machine. It also allows the screener to get a clearer view of the laptop to see if anything is out of the ordinary there as well. And it'snot just laptops it's pretty much and large electronic that has to come out and be run through separately. So if have a game console in your bag that has to come out too.

Where does the consficated stuff go?

We mostly just threw it all away. Back when TSA confiscated all lighters (now I think they just take the zippo lighters) we put them in a special container and they were taken for disposal at the end of each day. It was the same deal with knives that people surrendered to us.

What do you do if a passenger has a service dog? Do you x-ray the dog? Pat it down? Do you explain all this to the traveler who may be blind, deaf, autistic, or epileptic?

Yes, we do a pat down of the dog and yes we make sure this is explained to the person who is using the service dog. Usually people with disabitities like that are accompanied by someone which makes it a lot easier to explain things to them and get them through the process.

Is there anything that is commonly consificated that would not make sense to an average person, and what is the reasoning?

woody is right about the snow globes. Another big one at CVG were cakes and pies and it was for pretty much the same reason as the snow globes. I was there when the liquids ban was first implemented and it was total chaos those first few days. I actually got called in on my day off because that was the day the liquid bomb plot was discovered in London and they needed screeners to help handle all the liquids searches. Plus they started doing searches at the actual gates for people who slipped past with liquids.

woody is also right about the "confiscated items". The screener should always give you the option to either go back and check one of your carry-on bags with the prohibited item in it or to give it to a friend that's not flying. If you don't want to do either of those things then your only option is to surrender it or not get on the plane.

 

[Commodore]

How much of the screening performed is security theater versus actual threat detection/prevention?

Believe it or not, it's all supposed to serve a purpose. None of it is just for show. Now, the effectiveness of some of the methods is of course a topic to debate, but it is all supposed to actually do something.

I would say the closest thing to a "show" that we did was the "random" screening. What a lot of people don't know is that we have behavior detection officers who walk around the airport looking for people who may be acting a little suspicious. If someone was acting a little too weird then the BDO would point him/her out to the screeners and they would be selected for "random" screening.

 

[Takhisis]

Being a terrorist is often out of their jurisdiction. If you blew up a car bomb in Belfast, or Iraq, another country has no jurisdiction to try you. So they just say, ah, you lied to immigration and so we're deporting you. Much less a hassle.

Bureaucratic imbecility astounds me every single time I hear about a new instance of it.