TSA Experiences

[Ciaran]

Originally Posted by Andrea

Anyone else care to share their thoughts?

As a generalisation, my experience of security checks through US airports has been worse than elsewhere (Europe / Asia). This is because, in my experience, there's more chance of being taken aside and, more importantly, the attitude of the officials has tended to be more formal and more stilted than the attitude of officials in other countries.

I'm not sure why but the new bodyscanners have thrown up particular problems for me. Anytime I need to go through one of these machines, I'm invariably pulled aside. Twice in the past six months I've had what I would perceive to be rather intrusive "pat down" of my buttocks region .. I may appreciate this in other circumstances but not at an airport.

No doubt I don't make things easy for myself - I don't do small talk with most folk, let alone TSA officials, I don't smile or act in a deferential manner and I wouldn't attempt to joke or be sarcastic with them as they'd likely not understand.

All-in-all, I'm not a fan. On my trips to the US, it's another reason for me to regret the lack of good rail travel !