When something doesn’t go right at a security checkpoint, TSA wants to know about it. Getting feedback from passengers is one of the best ways we can improve the security experience for everyone and address any problems that could be occurring in the security system.
With a workforce of more than 50,000 people
all over the country, our workforce reflects the diversity of the American
people we serve. Our employees come from just about all of the ethnic and
religious backgrounds as the travelers who pass through our checkpoints, and our
workforce is trained regularly about religious and cultural issues that could
arise during the screening process.
In our mission to protect all people when
they travel, our workforce is committed to treating each person with dignity
and respect throughout the screening process. TSA does not profile passengers
on the basis of race, ethnicity or religion. As a former field employee who
wore many hats, I can say firsthand that TSA does not and has never trained or
condoned racial profiling. We continually engage with a wide variety of
stakeholder groups to help us understand unique passenger concerns, and we
appreciate their support in sharing passenger feedback about the screening
process.
We encourage any traveler who believes they
have been treated differently or unlawfully discriminated against by a
Transportation Security Administration employee to file a civil rights or civil
liberties complaint with TSA’s Disability and Multicultural Division by going
to the Office
of Civil Rights and Liberties’ web page. All claims are investigated,
and again, information provided to us helps us continuously improve our
security system.
If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.
84 comments:
I would actually encourage them to file lawsuits instead, as the TSA's typical response appears to be "...proper procedures were followed..." The only way the TSA is going to truly change is if the courts force them to.
Bob,
Can and will you provide statistics on the number of complaints that have been filed and categorized the nature of the complaint and the results of the investigation?
Thank you.
But, isn't this too little too late?
Why do I get the feeling that every complaint will be disposed of with a finding that the screener acted in accordance with proper procedure? Thanks for nothing.
I'll believe you're "committed to treating each person with dignity and respect throughout the screening process" when you stop irradiating, groping, and molesting people.
For once your blog does not deny that discrimination occurred. That's a step in the right direction, but I still have questions...
So... If I ask for the name of a TSA screener, s/he should immediately give a name without threatening me with the "Do you want to fly today?" rhetoric, calling me a difficult passenger, or calling a supervisor for "backup."
Clearly, we have a right to that information so that we can file a proper complaint with TSA's OCR. The information on that page says to give the name or a description of TSA employees involved as well as witnesses. A description shouldn't be a substitute for the TSA screeners name.
Anything less than cooperation BY THE TSA SCREENER is a violation of my rights as a United States citizen who also happens to be disabled.
Your screeners have consistently bent or broken rules in their own favor and take questions or comments about the process as "threats." Your retraining needs to focus on the right of passengers to gather information for a complaint. Anything less would be a demonstration of continued contempt for passengers' rights.
So my question is, then, why do I have to endure a full pat-down for my MedicAlert bracelet? I do NOT take it off for any reason, and I am certainly not going to risk it being lost, stolen, or mangled by TSA. It contains vital information for responders should I become incapacitated or unable to communicate. TSA's equipment regularly alarms on it and your screeners should be able to look at it, recognize what it is, and let me move on.
Question:
Footnote 3 onthe Office of Civil Rights and Liberties’ web page says "A Civil Liberties complaint concerns a perceived infringement on the Constitutional freedoms of speech, religion, and assembly."
What about our other Constitutional Rights?
I complained because I was wrongfully informed by a TSO regarding pat-down procedures. I asked if the procedure would involve her sticking her hands into my pants. She answered no. Later, she inserted her hands inside my pants. When I complained to a supervisor, I was informed by him that "we don´t say that" regarding confirming that hands enter pants, but that the procedure indeed does involve the entry of a TSOs hands inside the passengers pants.
I asked for a complaint form and was told there is none, and that I could express my dissatisfaction online.
How can we deal with conflicting information (seemingly designed to avoid complaints)? Certaily not by complaining online, where we will be ignored completely.
As an example, it has now been almost 2 years since Nature, the world´s most respected scientific periodical, published that the TSA uses scientifically unsound procedures, and we have no answer from the TSA at all.
http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100526/full/465412a.html
When something doesn’t go right at a security checkpoint, TSA wants to know about it. So we can laugh at you, send our security guards to "retraining", never do anything to remedy it, and keep putting America in danger in the name of security theater. We at the TSA are sickened by the idea that you could believe that you are a human being.
I filed complaint against a screener at DFW and never received one word of any kind regarding a resolution, good or bad, not one word.
TSA can post all the statements it wishes but the words are empty and meaningless.
TSA employees do not treat travelers with respect or dignity, in fact the screening process is designed to degrade people, what with feeling up to "resistance" or in real English the genitals, electronic strip searches and assuming the surrender position, rubbing your grubby paws in our hair, and bellowing at us like you think you are some kind of drill sergeant or something, not to mentioned the insults to our dignity if one happens to be disabled in some fashion.
How about TSA making some changes and then showing us the results of this effort?
A good start would be finding a leader with some leadership skills.
You guys should establish an "Office of Common Sense and Civil Liberties" and have it staffed by guys who don't have room temperature IQs.
Get them to rewrite your procedures that your agents are famously following every time they touch a child, and old lady, or harass a congressman.
It would probably be more effective to file a lawsuit than to depend on an agency investigating itself.
Finally, a post that offers true insight into how the TSA operates. We now know that within the TSA is a special bureaucracy devoted to civil rights and liberties. This bureaucracy contains the TSA's experts who devise the classified policies and procedures that make checkpoints "sterile areas," where civil rights and liberties do not exist for ANY passenger!
Even the TSA's harshest critics can agree that the creation of rights-free zones at checkpoints is the TSA's one undeniable success. TSA employees enjoy unfettered authority to impose any rules or restrictions they want, and to humiliate passengers in whatever manner they feel like.
Secrecy is key to the successful eradication of rights and liberties. A passenger can never know whether TSOs are following secret procedures properly or making things up. We can only know after the fact, when a passenger makes enough noise about an some "incident" to require Blogger Bob to yet again assure us that the TSOs acted properly. Arbitrary rules and capricious interpretation, where citizens must never know what is permitted or prohibited at any given place or moment, are the true hallmarks of a rights-free police state. Even though that achievement is still limited to airport checkpoints, it's something the TSA can be proud of!
Thanks to the Office of Civil Rights and Liberties, the TSA treats everyone the same. EVERYONE, regardless of their protected status or lack thereof, is treated like a convicted felon. Everyone gets the same commands bellowed into their ears, the same humiliating pat downs, and the same "DYWTFT" when they insist that "Blogger Bob said this was permitted." The screening experience is unpleasant and intrusive for everyone.
At a time when the TSA has extreme PR problems with crooked employees taking bribes from drug runners and incompetent employees needlessly harassing children, a post highlighting the excellent work of the Office of Civil Rights and Liberties is just what's needed!
In all my life I have never heard a more Orwellian piece of propaganda.
This is one for the books, Bob. Truly, well done.
I'm not sure if this is discrimination, but I really do not like going through security with my insulin pump. I know I'm not the only pumper that had bad experiences either.
Is there anything that can be done for insulin pump users? My pump manufacturer says to not go through either type of scanner and nt place the pump through the baggage x-ray machine. Are we going to be stuck getting invasive patdowns every time we fly?
I've experienced patdowns that seem punitive in nature because I involuntarily opted out of the scanners. These involved multiple acts of touching my "resistance". It just doesn't seem right that I have to endure this abuse to get on a plane. I'm more than willing to go through the metal detector and have my pump swabbed.
My pump has made my life so much better except at the airport. I think the TSA needs to examine better ways of screening insulin pump users.
When is OCRL going to start taking care of the TSA employees and clean up management officials who.... Never mind. You do not care.
From what I've observed and experienced myself, I'll agree you don't racially profile. Your screeners prefer females traveling alone as their targets of interest. Sorry, I don't believe there is any sincerity in your post and there is no way I would ever file a complaint with your agency. I send those right to my lawmakers.
"A Civil Liberties complaint concerns a perceived infringement on the Constitutional freedoms of speech, religion, and assembly."
You forgot unreasonable searches and seizures.
Is this a joke?
As a business traveler, I can attest that I have never been treated differently nor have I seen any evidence of profiling based upon race, gender, religion or any other factors. When TSOs bark their orders at us, when they only have half the lanes open in spite of long slow moving lines, my observation is that they are always equally condescending to all the passengers in front of them.
Any complaint filed against the TSA should be filed with an organization that have NO affiliation with the TSA.
My "complaint" will be filed in November when voting for leaders that believe all American should be treated with dignity and respect at airport checkpoints.
Blogger Bob said:
"We encourage any traveler who believes they have been treated differently or unlawfully discriminated against by a Transportation Security Administration employee to file a civil rights or civil liberties complaint"
The problem isn't being treated differently. The problem is that the way you treat everyone is wrong.
"TSA’s Civil Rights and Liberties Program "
Start following the Constitution of the United States and everyone will be happy.
Especially that part about searches requiring warrants specifically identifying the person or place to be searched and the items to be seized.
But that's a bit too much to ask I guess.
Anonymous said...
Is this a joke?
April Fools days was a month and a day ago. This isn't the first time the TSA has been behind the times.
Satire. Right?
"TSA’s Civil Rights and Liberties Program" -- that makes about as much sense as when the U.N. added an Iranian (one of the most oppressive regimes to women) to the Commission on the Status of Women's Rights in 2010.
I'll believe you are interested in "Civil Rights and Liberties" the day you stop routinely violating our 4th Amendment right to freedom from unreasonable search and seizure.
Bob,
It is easy to say you want feedback and that all claims are investigated.
However many people, including myself, have stated repeatedly that our complaints have been ignored.
Even our complaints about being ignored are ignored.
Why does the TSA ignore complaints?
" All claims are investigated"
Of course the front line TSO's also know that as long as they refuse to provide their names, they are off the hook.
Why bother, really? At best somebody would get a worthless apology after the fact. At worst, the complaint will be completely ignored.
What's wrong, Bob? Is the TSA afraid of the new app recently launched to report discrimination at checkpoints?
screen shot
So the TSA has been around for 11 years and now you get a civil rights/liberties section? A little late for that.
I would, however, like to report that my civil rights/liberties were violated. I was illegally searched and my personal property seized without probable cause. An obvious violation of the 4th Amendment.
50,000 employees all over the nation.......What about those 4,000 at HQ. What do they do everyday? All 4,000 of them.
It's sort of amusing that the TSA is touting its "civil rights and liberties" (as if anybody at the TSA actually understands that phrase) program AFTER a week in which it was subjected to ridicule for utter buffoonery-- and indignantly responding that such idiocy was "proper procedure", and that terrorizing toddlers and the elderly is necessary for our national security.
It's also interesting that this comes on the heels of a smartphone app designed to help people file complaints regarding civil rights and liberties violations.
But, hey-- you just keep soldiering on, Bobby. Maybe there really ARE people out there who are oblivious enough to actually buy what you're selling.
I think that if the TSA security agents were better looking then people would be less likely to complain about a full body pat down.
I also think all the security measures are more or less worthless as long as employees at the airport...TSA included don't have to be screened the same as passengers.
there is a major security threat when only the people flying have to be checked, the people actually flying are far less likely to endager the plane they are flying on.
the people coming into contact with the plane and passangers' luggage should be screened and checked with the same if not more throurough scrutiny since they are the true threat to our safty.
if you have a problem with TSA, escalate it to TSA. if that doesn't work, be sure to contact TSA.
how about some real oversight for this mess?
This post is supposed to be satire. Right?
I second the "Office of Common Sense" proposal.
THE TRUTH--- Until TSA cleans up all of the management officials who violate employees "civil liberties," the Privacy Act, and commit criminal acts... nothing will ever happen.
TSA has had 10 years to treat employees correctly. They still have very small minded management officials violating DHS and TSA Management Directives, Civil law, etc. WITHOUT anyone stopping them.
Of course, if you report it TSA does nothing.
DJ said...
"if you have a problem with TSA, escalate it to TSA. if that doesn't work, be sure to contact TSA."
Yes, the fox has been put in charge of the hen-house and somehow this is supposed to make us all feel better.
Truth is stranger than fiction - you couldn't make stuff like this up.
Interesting that commenters can't decide whether this post is serious or farce. The post is so out of line with the experience of travelers.
If there are TSA people tasked to secure the rights of travelers, then the vital signs of these watchdogs should be checked. Something is not getting done.
In our mission to protect all people when they travel, our workforce is committed to treating each person with dignity and respect throughout the screening process.
So, when TSOs yell at young children, implying that they're carrying weapons, and then claim that they're uncooperative because they won't stop crying, the TSOs are actually treating those children with "dignity and respect"?
Bull.
When I had a miserable checkpoint experience in 2010, your employees lied to my face and told me that comment cards were only for compliments, not complaints.
When I raised my complaint here, your employees were more interested in parsing the terminology I used to refer to your employees than in telling me how to make a complaint.
When I described this experience here yesterday, you refused to post my comment.
Screencapped.
Just pondering, but it certainly seems that TSA through this blog has zero credibility. So why continue with the expense of running this? If the TSA employees who staff this blog do so during work hours are not serving the public well.
Bob you had a chance to make a difference and have clearly wasted that opportunity.
Shut it down, save America a few tax dollars.
Then you have nothing to fear from the Fly-Rights app for iOS and Android.
I hope they are more responsive than you guys. I filed two complaints via the Talk To TSA form and I never heard back on either of the two occasions.
Bob,
Your lack of response to some of the questions is so enlightening.
Apparently the TSA's Civil Rights and Liberties Program is like every other aspect of the TSA.... There is no desire by the TSA to actually prove it works.
The TSA mindset and culture is amazing.
Bob is telling us the convenient truth. The TSA's secret operating procedures give passengers the right to complain. And there's an organization within the TSA that addresses those complaints. He needed something to distract from the latest PR disaster involving drug smuggling, and this is what he came up with.
But like any expert propagandist, he's intentionally avoiding some inconvenient truths.
First, TSA employees at airports apparently have no obligation to help passengers file complaints. That's how they get away with telling passengers to go online when they get home, refusing to divulge their names, or perhaps even retaliating against "uncooperative" passengers who try to exercise their rights. It's the usual disconnect between what Bob says should happen and what does happen at checkpoints.
Second, we have no way of knowing what the TSA is required to do with a complaint. So if we never receive a response, we have no way of knowing if someone improperly ignored it. Similarly, if the reply is "The complaint was investigated. Procedures were properly followed," we have no way of knowing if anyone actually investigated anything.
The only certainty is that complaints never lead to meaningful corrective action. That's obvious from reading this blog. The first step is first to ignore a problem. If a problem can't be ignored, deny it, excuse it, defend the TSO, and/or blame the passenger. (And insist that, as always, procedures were followed properly.) If a problem can't be denied or excused, tell us that some action was taken that can't be divulged for reasons of "security" or the privacy rights of TSA employees. The consistent message from the TSA is that they have no interest in correcting their numerous systemic problems.
This is just another example of TSA Headquarters granting passengers "rights" that seem good in theory. But they're meaningless in practice because employees at checkpoints routinely ignore them.
I read a Sikh advocacy group has just released a free mobile app called FlyRights to help generate and document complaints against the TSA. Supposedly, TSA has agreed to respond to all complaints generated by this program. According to a Washington Post article (April 30), Sikh Coalition program director Amardeep Singh stated, "My hope is that this app will exponentially increase the number of complaints filed with the TSA, flood the system so they get that this is a problem." Hmm, does not sound to me like this individual is interested in fair and honest reporting; rather, that complaint numbers get inflated to feed some social agenda. And of course, TSA is shooting itself in the foot, again, by stating they will respond to all complaints. Sometimes TSA is its own worst enemy.
I read this article and my stoach shurned. TSA EEO/Civil Right/CivilLiberties.... the office is over worked and really do not want to get to the bottom of anything they want to know so they give the public impression they will handle it. To merely avoid the press.
They can not even deal witht heir employees problems timely and in a correct manner an ignore complaints, and investigations etc....
Than they Hide under SSI... if you want to let the public you are doing something about post stats about public and employee complaints and tell us what you did about them.
Start at home with staff and gt them happy and your public complaints almost dissapear.
I really hope the TSA reaching out like this is sincere. I think one thing you guys can do is to actually publish some instances of when you righted a wrong and perhaps reprimanded the agent responsible. That'd go a long way.
Wow, Bob! You STILL refuse to post my comment about your refusal to tell me how to seek redress for an awful checkpoint experience last year. Nice transparency you've got there.
@Jim Huggins: So, when TSOs yell at young children, implying that they're carrying weapons, and then claim that they're uncooperative because they won't stop crying, the TSOs are actually treating those children with "dignity and respect"?
Without revealing Sensitive Security Information, I can tell you that the TSA's operating procedures include an official Security Definition of "Dignity and Respect." As with all the contents of TSA operating procedures, that definition is SSI. We all understand the need for strict secrecy, as making even a simple Security Definition public risks allowing the enemy to exploit it to kill Americans.
But I can tell you that "Dignity and Respect" is one of many terms that have meanings within the TSA that are very different from the meanings they have in the English language outside the TSA. Security requires very precise use of terminology to consistently communicate sophisticated concepts. That terminology, as embodied in Security Definitions, is created by security experts whose knowledge of robust intelligence allows them to determine the most efficient way to communicate consistently within the security community.
As Bob noted when he gave us the true account and explanation of the incident to which you're referring, those TSOs were acting properly when they responded appropriately to the very clear threat their extensive training enabled them to identify. Their actions were fully consistent with SOPs as well as the Security Definition of "Dignity and Respect." So Bob is being entirely accurate when he says they treated the child with dignity and respect.
Perhaps the solution to these difficulties with young children is for parents to teach them as early as possible that TSOs and other uniformed officers are their best friends, who love them very much and only want to protect them and keep them very safe from evil monsters who want to kill them. The consistent message should always be that a TSO deserves their complete trust. Whatever a TSO does to them is good, right, and necessary to keep them safe. So there is no need to cry.
Although secrecy has been critical to the TSA's undeniable success in preventing another 9/11 tragedy, it unfortunately creates confusion among the public who necessarily must remain ignorant of the very good reasons behind everything the TSA does. Bob does an excellent job of giving us what we need to know to replace confusion with trust, but that doesn't seem to be enough. Perhaps if we teach our children to trust and respect TSOs from early age, the next generation will approach TSA checkpoints with the proper behavior that will avoid incidents and make screening better and easier for everyone.
Blogger Bob & TSA -
I believe my Civil Rights were violated.
My Civil Right that was violated:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Just had the worst experience in Salt Lake. TSA agent yelling at everyone. No one was exempt from his behavior. Telling people to stand on the blue in a harsh voice, yelling at people to get back, telling people to let him do his job. It was INSANE! no one was pushing or saying anything to him. In fact the crowd was calmly trying to comply shocked by his barking and crankiness.. He was just an ugly person on a power trip. Been flying for 11 yrs regularly and never seen anything like this guy. People were looking for a supervisor to complain to and one passenger made a statement "don't bother, TSA is like a pack of wolves, they'll just defend each other."
Fill a complain Bob? Why? So you will respond 4 years later?
No Bob. We WILl use that app that the Sikh community made available. We don't trust the TSA. And we don't trust you.
Is this an example of how TSA treats people with dignity and respect?
Mother Of Child With Cerebral Palsy Says TSA Treated Daughter "Like Osama Bin Laden"
oh wait, that was a performance by TSA of its proper procedures.
Blogger Bob: when CO was going through rough times in the 90's and decided to change for the better (and they did), you could get off the plane and visit customer service, or pick up a phone that went directly into a customer service center. No long waits, problem resolved.
Why don't you do this for TSA? You certainly have enough staff to deal with this, and headaches at major airports would decrease, and the agents (not 'officers') might even become more human, knowing that problem resolution is only a few steps away.
Also, why don't you ever respond to comments on the comment page?
Ponter said...
"But I can tell you that "Dignity and Respect" is one of many terms that have meanings within the TSA that are very different from the meanings they have in the English language outside the TSA."
Seriously? This isn't Wonderland and you aren't allowed to redefine the English language to mean whatever you want. Redefining "Dignity and Respect" as "Abuse" doesn't make it OK.
"Perhaps the solution to these difficulties with young children is for parents to teach them as early as possible that TSOs and other uniformed officers are their best friends, who love them very much and only want to protect them and keep them very safe from evil monsters who want to kill them."
Not a chance. I'll tell my kids that the TSA is evil and don't trust them for a second.
Ponter said...
"Perhaps the solution to these difficulties with young children is for parents to teach them as early as possible that TSOs and other uniformed officers are their best friends, who love them very much and only want to protect them and keep them very safe from evil monsters who want to kill them."
Are you nuts? Teaching your kids to just trust anyone in a uniform is setting them up for child abuse. No parent is going to tell their kids that. Anyone can get a uniform.
Bob I wouldn't say I've been discriminated against by TSA. I'd say I've been treated extremely rudely by screeners on numerous occasions. At times pointlessly escalating the situation and yet I’ve never carried a banned item, never had anything confiscated nor violated any of your procedures. I see a lot of professional screeners doing their best and I appreciate that. I also see the power trippers who are having a bad day and they really let you know it. I'm of mixed race but it's not that obvious with my skin as fair as it is. I doubt I'm being discriminated against for having slightly Hispanic features with an English name. It's much more likely I'm encountering people with poor customer service skills who are empowered to take out their anger on others. I’ve filed complaints before and they all go down the memory hole. I never hear back any kind of resolution. I called once and the person I spoke to was so rude to me I told her I would write a letter to my Congressman instead. She said they wouldn’t be able to do anything to help me. I said are you telling me Congress doesn’t have oversight of your agency? The line mysteriously went dead. That’s why the public is angry Bob. If I had darker skin I can easily see how that might be interpreted as discrimination.
I haven’t honestly even see TSA make the attempt at any kind of resolution. Most of us know, understand and accept the need for a screening procedure. The haters on here I’m sure would never reach accommodation with you on that. I can understand in those cases at some point you’ve done what you can, provided you even tried. I can’t even get a response though on a simple policy question. I tried on three separate occasions to get an answer on what TSA policy is if you are diverted to an airport that isn’t your destination. Are you allowed to rescreen security there so you can go to the food court? I was on a plane diverted to OMA once. A violent thunderstorm parked itself over our destination MCI and didn’t move for several hours. I think we’re all on the same page here that these things happen and no one is to blame. After landing we were let off the plane because it was going to be a few hours delay. There was nothing to eat on our concourse but I was told there was a food court past security. I decided not to take the risk of trying to reclear security and possibly miss my flight when it resumed.
I could have asked someone at the checkpoint while still inside the sterile area. I wish I had now because so many flights were diverted there TSA must have had some accommodation made. I might have gotten an answer if I’d asked then. Based on too many prior experiences of hostile confrontation I felt it wasn’t worth the risk. What would have happened on my return if the screener insisted I was never told it was ok? I’d hope TSA has a policy on this but afterward no one would tell me when I emailed. My first two emails were completely ignored. On my third attempt I got a response from someone identifying themselves as a supervisor responding with boiler plate they were looking into my complaint. I didn’t have a complaint, I had a question. I never got another response that supervisor. This was a legitimate question about a situation where no one was to blame. If I’m diverted again I’d probably still not risk exiting security in a city not listed on my boarding pass regardless of what I was told at the checkpoint without prior knowledge of a clear guideline on how this situation is handled. Once I exit security TSA has all the power to say I violated procedure and missing the flight was my fault. Not responding to my emails isn’t discrimination. It’s just part of a culture that tolerates abusive behavior and is empowered to ignore legitimate concerns and complaints.
@Pointer
"Security requires very precise use of terminology to consistently communicate sophisticated concepts."
Terms such as "resistance?"
screen shot
Bob if TSA is so concerned about my Civil Rights can you explain something for me? When I go on you own agencies website to see what is involved in the screening process I get an error, "Sorry, the page you requested was not found." If no one knows the process they won't know if they've been discriminated against.
http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/screening/security_checkpoints.shtm
then follow the link at the bottom "Become familiar with this process."
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1049.shtm
is the link and it redirects to http://www.tsa.gov/404.shtm
"I asked for a complaint form and was told there is none, and that I could express my dissatisfaction online."
I've been told the same thing. And you can't direct your comments about a specific "officer", either, because they refuse to give you any information that you can use to identify them other than a first name... "John", for example.
I guess TSA only employs one "John."
My family and I have been treated with disrespect by TSOs MANY times but only made one actual complaint. First of all, politely asking a TSO how to make a complaint resulted in additional mistreatment right on the spot. Then, we got no response at all from the TSA after filing the complaint (and TSA procedures have just got worse since that time and so clearly our complaint made no differnce). Then we were concerned that our complaint would actually result in more scutiny on future flight...which is hard to determine because we have certainly had more bad experiences since the complaint we filed. As far as we can tell, TSA reacts poorly to anything comments other than 100% postive ones. Why should anyone share their feedback with the TSA? If TSA responds at all, it is only to make things even worse for the person commenting or to say that TSA did everything right and the commenter really had no grounds for complaint. It is ridiculuous for TSA to claim they care about the experience of flyers.
Anonymous said...
My family and I have been treated with disrespect by TSOs MANY times but only made one actual complaint. First of all, politely asking a TSO how to make a complaint resulted in additional mistreatment right on the spot. Then, we got no response at all from the TSA after filing the complaint (and TSA procedures have just got worse since that time and so clearly our complaint made no differnce). Then we were concerned that our complaint would actually result in more scutiny on future flight...which is hard to determine because we have certainly had more bad experiences since the complaint we filed. As far as we can tell, TSA reacts poorly to anything comments other than 100% postive ones. Why should anyone share their feedback with the TSA? If TSA responds at all, it is only to make things even worse for the person commenting or to say that TSA did everything right and the commenter really had no grounds for complaint. It is ridiculuous for TSA to claim they care about the experience of flyers.
May 6, 2012 10:05 PM
.................
Don't feel lonely, TSA didn't respond to me either. I will never forget that either!
In fact if TSA treated people with respect and dignity this thread wouldn't be here.
Not responding to travelers concerns is an indication that senior TSA staff could care less what happens to us.
TSA screeners ability to hide their identity and lie about complaint procedures indicates a lack of concern of what is happening at TSA check points by senior TSA staff.
It is the senior TSA staff that sets the tone for how TSA employees will function, and treating people with dignity and respect is not what is happening.
I suggest that those 4,000 staffers at HQ get out of their offices and spread out to airports and learn what is really going on. Perhaps doing so incognito so they can get a good feel for what is really going on at TSA checkpoints.
In fact all TSA suits should spend half their day at a checkpoint and observe how their screeners are working.
civil rights and liberties in america?
HAHAHAHA! thats funny bob. and this whole time i thou....
dear god your serious....
Teen Blames TSA For Broken Insulin Pump
"Katharine Gordon is the staff attorney for the American Diabetes Association. She said issues with TSA screening have been going on for years.
Gordon said representatives from the American Diabetes Association meet in person with TSA once a year and also have a quarterly conference call about issues. But she said there is a breakdown between TSA training and what happens in the field.
"These aren't isolated incidences. They are occurring across the country, and we think that a way of ending that is to have better training by TSA," said Gordon."
============================
Again with the Insulin Pump.
Seems you TSA people aren't going to be satisfied until you kill someone.
Why can't TSA workers be trained?
An 'office' of bureaucrats isn't needed to defend the Constitution,actual Americans are. And any agency of the Federal government that needs such an office & function is illegitimate at the outset.
I'd like to see a commitment to common sense, courtesy and decency.
Hey Bob....
When are you going to address the incident involving Savannah Barry who had her insulin pump compromised by TSA when she traveled through Salt Lake City? We're also waiting for the TSA video that TSA "agents" didn't scream a child when she hugged her Grandmother.
"Any complaint filed against the TSA should be filed with an organization that have NO affiliation with the TSA."
SEND IT TO: crcl @ dhs.gov
BUT, THEY DO NOT CARE EITHER.
TSA, for YEARS has refused to follow EEO law and been timely. They are so screwed up, they have not even addressed a 2003 EEO case or 2010, or 2011, let alone any 2012 cases.
They pick and chose what they want to do and when they want to do it.
Until Mr. Pistole FIRES a bunch of the good old boys and girls, TSA will never be anything but a hugh hunk of lead being dragged around the latest bunch of good old boys.
TSA a young lady is reporting that a Whole Body Strip Search Machine destroyed her Insulin Pump at SLC.
If the Whole Body Strip Search Machine is capable of destroying a $10,000 piece of medical equipment just what else can it destroy? There is no known data that shows these devices were ever tested for human safety.
It is my belief that these dangerous devices should be banned until the effectiveness and safety has been fully established.
Test the Strip Search Machines TSA!
Bob,
I thought there were no children on the no-fly list. Or don't 18 month old girls count?
http://www.wpbf.com/news/south-florida/Baby-18-months-old-ordered-off-plane-at-Fort-Lauderdale-airport/-/8788880/13038550/-/fhxhp7/-/index.html
"It is my belief that these dangerous devices should be banned until the effectiveness and safety has been fully established."
This is particulary true since it would NOT have discovered the new underwear bomber.
You *are* going to disclose the results of the engineering study, aren't you?
"Without revealing Sensitive Security Information, I can tell you that the TSA's operating procedures include an official Security Definition of "Dignity and Respect." As with all the contents of TSA operating procedures, that definition is SSI. We all understand the need for strict secrecy, as making even a simple Security Definition public risks allowing the enemy to exploit it to kill Americans. "
Lol. You're saying that the actual definition of Dignity and Respect is Sensitive Security Information? Hilarious.
""I asked for a complaint form and was told there is none, and that I could express my dissatisfaction online."
I've been told the same thing. And you can't direct your comments about a specific "officer", either, because they refuse to give you any information that you can use to identify them other than a first name... "John", for example."
I broke through this problem. Make your complaint to the LEO manning the gate. Tell him/her that you have a civil rights complaint to make. If he/she is unwilling to help, suggest that the LEO will be part of the complaint. That's usually sufficient; the LEOs are mostly embarrassed to be associated with the screener corps and will gladly support true law and order.
It's worked for me in Denver twice and Dulles once - I travel at least once a week - and it will likely work for you.
Anonymous said...
"Lol. You're saying that the actual definition of Dignity and Respect is Sensitive Security Information? Hilarious."
It's secret because they don't want you to know that their definition of "Dignity and Respect" is "Degradation and Abuse".
George Orwell would be proud. He pretty much nailed it.
TSA feeling up Henry Kissingers "resistance"!
Really TSA!!!
TSA Agents Conduct ‘Full Monty’ Pat-Down On Henry Kissinger
rb said:
TSA feeling up Henry Kissingers "resistance"!
Really TSA!!!
TSA Agents Conduct ‘Full Monty’ Pat-Down On Henry Kissinger
lol, good thing you didnt actually see what mr kissinger had to say about his experience. more drama
How many Whole Body Pat-Downs has this TSA employee done on children?
Perhaps he prefers the Porno Scanners!
Priest Removed From Ministry Due To Sex Abuse Allegations Now Works At PHL
Anonymous said...
rb said:
TSA feeling up Henry Kissingers "resistance"!
Really TSA!!!
TSA Agents Conduct ‘Full Monty’ Pat-Down On Henry Kissinger
lol, good thing you didnt actually see what mr kissinger had to say about his experience. more drama
May 21, 2012 7:37 PM
..............
I submitted a response to your question but the TSA, a federal agency of the United States, refuses to abide by the law of the land and engages in illegal suppression of speech.
It's a shame that these TSA employees took an oath to defend the United States Constitution yet do exactly the opposite of their sworn oath.
TSA does respond to the comment cards filled out and commits allot of resources to making sure any concerns are investigated and resolved. The TSA response cards are the best way to respond to individual experiences. However, for concerns about TSA policy, you should consider contacting political leaders. Personally, I have contacted Rand Paul. He is part of the DHS committee and he will take action and give his best effort.
I have been harassed while traveling since 2006 by the TSA. I am harassed due to sexual orientation, race & disability, however the BIG SHOCKER- TSA does nothin about it!!!! They get to do what they want to who they want whether profiling or not. Meanwhile the plane bombers get on planes while Americans are harassed GO FIGURE TSA SUCKS
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