TSA makes me sick.

Maybe I'm missing something but almost the same thing happened to me this week;

Finished the day in SWF. An hour until the outbound crew turned up, so I shut down the APU and we closed the door as we left the aircraft to keep in the heat. 2 morons from the TSA turn up to "inspect" the aircraft and promptly lay into the ground crew because the door was closed!!

***!

For those who haven't seen it yet, search youtube for TSA gangstazs, and enjoy! worth a good laugh.

and along those lines.... had a pair trying to "inspect" the bird just as PAX were walking down from the gate... before they could come on the airplane they were made to fish out their ID which was inside their coats.... then promptly asked what type specific training they have had on this specific model aircraft? Can either of you even tell me what model aircraft this is? No, then how will know if something belongs, or not? Thanks for playing.... you're not qualified to be inspecting the aircraft, and may inadvertantly damage the aircraft; please step out of the way and allow my passengers to board, thank you. I think they went to get their supervisor, but we were outa there before anybody returned....

yep, had to go visit the CP.... Probably wasn't worth the aggravation in the long run... but it was satisfying at the time.

This makes no sense. The door was closed right? We have a poster in our crew room with a CRJ on it that says "this aircraft could be a terrorists next target...don't make it an easy one." It explains how important it is to close all the doors on the aircraft before leaving it unsupervised. I guess terrorists can't figure out what the "push" and picture of an arrow mean on the outside of the door. We even got a crew memo that said if we approach an aircraft that has any doors open including any cargo doors without a ramper or gate agent watching the aircraft we should contact a ground security agent and fill out a report. So I guess my company needs to figure out who's right on this issue.

Generally, in a dispute between TSA and anyone else over what's right, defer to the "anyone else". I've had them put sedated dogs into the cargo bin who were far more intelligent than the goons who showed up to "inspect" the aircraft...

TSA IS THE GOVERMENTS BIGGEST JOKE, and that is a pretty large statement.
I love flying into OAJ first flight of the day from CLT and watching 50 marines get off then having the 69 year old TSA agent get on and walkdown the airplane. I am pretty sure you could have a rabid raccoon in one of the overheads and this guy would miss it.

One would think common sense is suppose to be common……

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News Flash: Passengers Think Screeners Are Overrated!
The Transportation Security Administration knows it has public perception issues, and has turned to time-tested tools to better define its problems -- a consulting company and focus groups!



USA Today says it received a TSA report on a $200,000 study by the Manhattan-based Blue Lime consulting firm which brought groups of frequent fliers together to discuss TSA screeners, and gathered screeners to discuss passengers.

Blue Lime met with travellers from New York City, Minneapolis and Washington, and screeners at Chicago O'Hare and New York's John F. Kennedy airports.

Among the conclusions? Passengers think screeners are poorly skilled and poorly paid. TSA signs at airport queues, created by lawyers, are too hard to understand. Business travellers and families don't like sharing screening lines with each other.

From the screeners, Blue Lime learned that passengers are disrespectful, seemingly ignorant of why the precautions are being taken, and don't understand why they have to remove shoes and give up their shampoo.

Blue Lime has prepared a list of suggestions for the TSA, and you'll already see some of the changes over the holidays. Many airports have instituted slower-moving family screening lines. TSA screeners have been urged to avoid slouching, keep their uniforms clean and pressed, and greet passengers with a smile.

Perhaps the first change you'll notice will be visible from a distance. Overhead monitors will run videos explaining why the precautions are needed. In place of paragraphs packed with lawyer-speak, simple, signs will feature simple, clear messages such as, "Please be ready for security."

Another, positioned at the end of the line, says, "Did you collect all of your belongings?" It includes pictures of a wallet and keys.

And, in an obvious nod to the frustrations expressed in the screeners' focus groups, a third sign reads "Please give our officers the respect they deserve." Even when they take away your shampoo.