[JSpira]

People who fly frequently have one word to say when it comes to the TSA: "#FAIL"

Poll: 85% of Frequent Flyers Give TSA Fair or Poor Rating

Frequent travelers in overwhelming numbers continue to be unhappy with the job that the Transportation Security Administration is doing and a clear consensus has developed among them that the screenings the agency performs at airport security checkpoints are ineffective, according to a recent survey conducted by Frequent Business Traveler magazine.

Eight-five percent of frequent flyers said that the TSA is doing either a fair or poor job of managing security screenings at the nation’s airports., while 66% said that the TSA’s screening procedures are not very effective in preventing acts of terrorism on an aircraft. Last year, the disapproval figure was slightly higher at 90%.

[Billup]

If their procedures aren't effective in preventing acts of terrorism on aircrafts..., wouldn't we be hearing more stories about it. I do agree that sometimes the TSA seems pretty lackadaisical, and uneducated, they've prevented more than what makes it to the news paper.

Besides, I enjoy getting a pat down from some of the TSA ladies.

[secretsquirrel]

Something to keep in mind is that their jobs are mind-numbingly repetitive. They aren't going to perky and smiling at every person that walks through. Also, they are put in a position where they are automatically judged as an obstacle. Its kinda the nature of the beast.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by Billup

If their procedures aren't effective in preventing acts of terrorism on aircrafts..., wouldn't we be hearing more stories about it. I do agree that sometimes the TSA seems pretty lackadaisical, and uneducated, they've prevented more than what makes it to the news paper.

Nothing the TSA has done has prevented any acts of terrorism.

Other actions taken have, however, done just that, but not what is performed at the TSA's airport security checkpoints.

[Maestro]

The interesting thing about security, if you look like fort knox then you have to worry about someone who is going to go all out to get what they want, i.e. Gold Finger. Now if you looks like you have no clue or inadequate then the people who are hell bend on harming you will not be as cautious about what they do thus easier to catch. The other important thing is you do not publicized the fact you cough people, in reality you make it look like you are ineffective. Grant it the people standing by seeing all this feel they are not safe, but they are because the system is doing exactly what is suppose to do.

If the traveler do not feel safe, then the terrorist also will feel safe in trying something only to be caught since they did not over prepared to get around the security measures. It is not what you see that is is more important in this case.

[Stronghammer]

Last time we flew out of Dulles airport in Washington DC the TSA agents made my wife take her shirt off. She had to walk thru security wearing only a flimsy undergarmet. I thought it was funny, her not so much.

[Cuz5150]

Don't get me started on the TSA. Took a trip to Denver and back this past weekend. Get to the airports and BAM!!! Long ass lines, OK, Im looking to see whats holding up the line. Is it the people going through screening being slow? NOPE, screening is moving at a fast pace. So, im looking looking, Ahh spot the problem! Its the guy sitting down checking ID's/boarding pass. After waiting in line, its my turn. Hand the guy my ID/boarding pass, he glances at it, turns to the other idiot next to him and talks about other "things" after a minute or so, turns back to me and asks for my name? Serious........

My ID has my mug shot.....WTF!! Then he writes a "check mark" on my boarding pass....
I get to the screening area, toss my stuff in the bin, go through the scanner.......out the other side in about 30 seconds....

So..........the problem is these idiots checking IDs.
I don't understand why they have this check point.
The screening takes care of any weapons taking down a plane.
The Gate people scan your boarding pass before they lets you on the plane.....................SO WTF is the ID check point for? Besides wasting tax payer dollars and TIME!!!!

Ok...............end of rant

[edirtaynine]

TSA is like one notch above the meter maids... so pretty much 2nd to last place in life. lol

sucks for them tho...not all are bad people. a few (REAL FEW) actually are super nice, happy people... but just with shitty ass jobs.

[SES_D]

Yeah, agreed.
They don't really fail, well most of the time anyways, they just act like lifeless "I hate my life so I'm going to make yours miserable too" suckers.

[SES_D]

Originally Posted by secretsquirrel

Something to keep in mind is that their jobs are mind-numbingly repetitive. They aren't going to perky and smiling at every person that walks through. Also, they are put in a position where they are automatically judged as an obstacle. Its kinda the nature of the beast.

No one expects them to smile and greet us like were Gods.
The problem is, they know their job sucks but will never admit it, and put on some false sense of pride in themselves that they are better then the people waiting to go through the check point.

If you notice, they seem to think they are all high and mighty...not giving a shit about you attitude, just get your shit and move on. Yes, they need to make the process as quick as possible but at the same time their attitudes are way worst then it needs to be.

WAYYYY worst then it needs to be. I mean, shit, even the younger guys that work as a TSA look like they have the life sucked out of them already...

[mccannable]

I must be lucky( only fly few times a year) I have had no issues at all.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by mccannable

I must be lucky( only fly few times a year) I have had no issues at all.

Me too. I have no problems with them.

However, they are only there more or less to create a sense of security with travelers.

The problem i'm having with them is that if someone really wanted to perpetuate the reign of terror with regards to air travel, all they have to do is suicide bomb the TSA line in a major airport. That will take out a plane full of people without the plane.

A coordinated attack at a high travel time at a hand full of major airports in the TSA lines would really hamper the air travel industry.

Shit.... i'm going to NYC at Christmas.........Good bye.

[kfriceman]

Originally Posted by Cuz5150

Don't get me started on the TSA. Took a trip to Denver and back this past weekend. Get to the airports and BAM!!! Long ass lines, OK, Im looking to see whats holding up the line. Is it the people going through screening being slow? NOPE, screening is moving at a fast pace. So, im looking looking, Ahh spot the problem! Its the guy sitting down checking ID's/boarding pass. After waiting in line, its my turn. Hand the guy my ID/boarding pass, he glances at it, turns to the other idiot next to him and talks about other "things" after a minute or so, turns back to me and asks for my name? Serious........

My ID has my mug shot.....WTF!! Then he writes a "check mark" on my boarding pass....
I get to the screening area, toss my stuff in the bin, go through the scanner.......out the other side in about 30 seconds....

So..........the problem is these idiots checking IDs.
I don't understand why they have this check point.
The screening takes care of any weapons taking down a plane.
The Gate people scan your boarding pass before they lets you on the plane.....................SO WTF is the ID check point for? Besides wasting tax payer dollars and TIME!!!!

Ok...............end of rant

That is why I participate in the Global Entry/Nexus/Sentri programs; I've been background checked to the Nth degree and get to bypass the "cattle call" security lines in most airports and with equal to greater speeds of the flight crews one will see whirling passed the lines.

-Kevin

[bbbbmw]

1. TSA hasn't stopped a single terrorist. Not one. The Shoe Bomber, Underwear Bomber, etc. - all sailed right through TSA.

2. By their own audits, TSA misses over 75% of what their staff auditors try to smuggle past them.

3. The most effective deterrents of terrorism on planes is the barricaded door to the cockpit, and the fear of getting your ass kicked by other passengers if you try anything on a plane.

4. El Al (Israel's airline) hasn't had any terrorism problem, because they are not afraid to profile travelers, and question those who are suspicious.

I fly a lot, and TSA is wholly ineffective. Their new program of "Pre-Check" allows them to collect a profile on you, spend less time and resources on screening at the airport, and charge you $100 for the privilege.

If you want to get on a plane, you have to have verifiable forms of ID, and surrender all sorts of rights. But if you want to vote, you don't even have to show ID. And if you are breaking the law, Calif will give you a driver's license. What irony.

The goal of terrorists is not to blow stuff up, it's to create an atmosphere of terror. The TSA is doing their job on the American traveling public.

[ThEnder]

It's security theater, not real security. I'm surprised that only 85% of people are dissatisfied with the agency.

I fly frequently for work and thus have developed a strategy to get through the screening quickly but at airports where there isn't pre-check or some other quick way through it's extremely annoying waiting for everyone to pull out their crap, get sent through again, etc.

Beyond the logistical challenges the TSA creates, my real issue is that they are letting the terrorists win. Terrorism isn't about a single target, it's about creating an atmosphere of fear and bringing the target society to a paralyzed halt. The TSA does exactly that by adding a tremendous cost in terms of staffing an equipment to air travel on top of the incredible amount of lost productivity due to lines and other random BS.

[Mr Tonka]

What's funny is that you can just about drive to any destination under 200 miles away in the same amount of time as it takes to fly. IF.... you count the time from you leave your house to arriving and renting a car.

Back in the day you could be in Miami within 2 hours of leaving your house in tampa. Not any more.

Tampa to Miami: 45 min to the airport, arrive 2 hours before flight time, 30 min flight time, 45 min to exit airport with rental car = 4 hours.

Tampa to Miami drive time is 4 hours.

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

What's funny is that you can just about drive to any destination under 200 miles away in the same amount of time as it takes to fly. IF.... you count the time from you leave your house to arriving and renting a car.

Back in the day you could be in Miami within 2 hours of leaving your house in tampa. Not any more.

Tampa to Miami: 45 min to the airport, arrive 2 hours before flight time, 30 min flight time, 45 min to exit airport with rental car = 4 hours.

Tampa to Miami drive time is 4 hours.

Actually 300 to 400 miles is the threshold of driving over flying, even before the hassles today. I use to drive between Pittsburgh and Philly every other weekend and could make the trip on most good days in about 4.5 to 5 hours. And flying was about the same time door to door. back them it was not security but traffic on the roads getting to the airport plus all the delay flights and such.

The biggest issue i see in airports today is the person who never travels and shows up for the once a year trip and have no clue what they are doing. Most time than not it is these people slowing the lines up. I use to line hope when I saw these people, today do that and security will be all over you.

[Templar]

Do you work for this blog? Thought this might be a repost because I remember the old post... Just happens to be a new article, showing a 5% decrease in who "approves" of the TSA.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=742873

[JasonCSU]

Did you guys hear about the 9-year old boy who snuck past security and gate agents to stowaway on a flight to Las Vegas?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayi...vegas/2931361/

[Kabrich]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

What's funny is that you can just about drive to any destination under 200 miles away in the same amount of time as it takes to fly. IF.... you count the time from you leave your house to arriving and renting a car.

Back in the day you could be in Miami within 2 hours of leaving your house in tampa. Not any more.

Tampa to Miami: 45 min to the airport, arrive 2 hours before flight time, 30 min flight time, 45 min to exit airport with rental car = 4 hours.

Tampa to Miami drive time is 4 hours.

To be fair, one can easily arrive at the Tampa airport 30-60 minutes before boarding time, not 90 minutes before. However, the time from gate to gate is certainly over 30 minutes and around 60 minutes which negates some of that.

BUT, you did not include the drive time from Airport exit to your destination which adds even more time.

Bottom line, your point is even more correct than you state - especially if one has made the trip in around 3 hours

[bbbbmw]

http://www.wtsp.com/news/topstories/...ncerns-experts

This is disturbing, and the TSA is woefully unprepared to deal with it.

[Nate2046]

Originally Posted by bbbbmw

1. TSA hasn't stopped a single terrorist. Not one. The Shoe Bomber, Underwear Bomber, etc. - all sailed right through TSA.

They both travelled from foreign airports, so the TSA wasn't involved in their screening.