[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Andrea

Please share your Transportation Security Administration (TSA) experiences here. Be sure to denote if you are referring to before or after the “enhanced” pat downs began in November 2010.

I have not flown for over a year now and I find I am dreading any interaction with the TSA screeners due to the multitude of recent negative reports. I really want to know I am over reacting so my honey and I can fly away to some place warm for a week or so.

As much as I would love to know how everyone feels about the TSA, it would be my preference to hear from only those that have experienced TSA security. Thank you for your consideration.

Please tell me your experience(s) and be sure to include:

1) What airport you flew out of
2) Did you go through a metal detector or the backscatter
3) Did you alarm or opt out
4) Describe your pat down experience, if any
5) Describe the experience of anyone traveling with you or to visit you
6) State how you feel about the TSA and Homeland Security
7) Anything else you feel is pertinent

I've flown from Orlando (Jo is right...it sucks), Seattle, Austin, Denver, Chicago, NYC, Jackson, San Francisco, Reno, and a bunch of other smaller airports that I just can't remember right now. Denver and Austin are the easiest, by far, to navigate. Seattle's not horrible either. The really BIGGGG cities? Fuggitaboutit.

It's been a little under two years since I've flown anywhere, to the best of my recollection.

I've never been backscatted but I have been patted down. The last time, I forgot to take off my sweatshirt before going through security. My error and the lady was quick with the pat down. I did have to wait for them to find her as there were no females at the security point when I went in. In my own defense, it was o'dark thirty and I was effin sleepy. But again, it was my error. Before that, I think I was patted down twice. Once because I had a corset on that had metal in it and I wasn't removing it and once I can't remember why but it was years ago and neither left me with a bitter taste.

I've been rather fortunate in terms of speediness (versus safety) as I have packed things that aren't really supposed to be packed, either from laziness or a mental hiccup, that have gone through just fine and without raising alarm. I did lose a nail file and a small pair of scissors, separately, over the years. I really miss that file, darn it.

I think that the TSA has a job to do and those who have the power to make that job better or worse are working hard on the latter, unfortunately. The agents themselves have, for the most part, been courteous and/or downright kind in my experience. Of course, there have been a couple of snobasses or grumpalumps but who doesn't have a bad day now and again?

All in all, my flying experiences have been okay. What I tend to remember more than the security stuff, is how the flight staff treat me. There have been some outstanding flight attendants that I remember and a handfull of really crappy ones that obviously didn't give a rat's patootie about any of us on the flight. Again, we all have bad days but those are the memories that stick with me most. Not the few minutes I spend in line with TSA, but the hours I spend sitting in those uncomfortable seats and the flight staff that either makes that time better, or worse.