Stupid (TSA) security
March 3, 2008
Last week I was working for a client in Phoenix. Not much to report there - I’ve been to Phoenix a few times, and enjoy the city, so no real trip report write up. The only reason that I’m doing a post for this trip is to write about another stupid TSA security incident I witnessed.
Going through my local regional airport, sometimes the queues get long to go through security. No big deal there - I always get to the airport with plenty of time just for these situations. For some reason or the other, the TSA guy watching the x-ray machine monitor wanted a “bag check”. I know this because he screamed it at the top of his voice, then stood back and did nothing… for a good few minutes. All the while the queue I was standing in was stalled. Obviously no one with “bag check” privileges was around, so we stood there for about 10 minutes, maybe more, while none of the TSA people did anything other than look at us. Some of the other passengers got a little “ansy” because they had less time for their flights, and asked if the bag couldn’t be put aside so as to let the rest of the people go through. Clearly this isn’t general operating procedure, so we stood there some more.
Once the person with “bag check” privileges did turn up (shouldn’t there be at least a few of these on duty all the time?), the TSA guy(s) were obviously was pissed off with some of the passengers complaining, so were pulling people for having “contraband”, “too much toothpaste” or other toiletries - I kid you not.
Anyway, you’ve read this far, and this isn’t unusual, so perhaps are now wondering why I’m writing this post. Well, as they say in comedy, here’s the punchline.
After I’m through air-side, there’s something like 3 teams of teen-age cheerleaders, obviously flying home from their successful competitions. Perhaps everyone wins something at these events, as each team had trophies of some kind or the other. A few were small, but I saw at least two trophies which, once again I kid you not, were at least two feet tall. Nice big large things - marble base, gold (plated obviously) column, big ball on the end with a cheerleader in pose mounted on top. (I would have taken a photo, but thought it would have been considered “pervy” to take a cellphone picture of a bunch of cheerleaders :)).
So let me get this right. 3.4 ounces of toothpaste (and it’s the .4 that’s the worrying part let me remind you) and you get a “telling off” by the TSA. Big trophy that could easily be used as a weapon - nope, that’s fine to take on as hand luggage.
Stupidity I tell you.
Posted in Rant, Security, Trip Report
