I once went through and my bag flagged up. I had a battery bank I’d forgotten about in a side pocket i didnt use. Must have flagged up as a big block.
The security guy went off when I couldn’t immediately find it “WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN THE BAG? SHOW ME WHAT IT IS?” Right screaming.
Then went and (after I explained where the hidden pock was) found it and said “oh it’s just a battery charger I forgot I had in here.” It was like a flip switched and he was just cheery “oh ok. Move on”.
I was flying out of the US to join my fiancee. My bags were very strategically packed for weight limits. My carry-on got flagged. I had one of those Woodwick Boat candles. She really liked them. If you dont know what they are, they can look strange. They are football/boat shaped, and instead of a normal wick, there's a long chunk of wood to serve that purpose (which makes a pleasant crackling sound when lit)
TSA guy had no clue what it was and ttying to make sense of it.
"Its a candle."
He was not buying it. I ended uo having to go through a full patdown afterwards. I have no idea how having a candle in my bag requires that, but whatever.
I wasnt able to keep my mouth shut though and tried to joke with him, "You guys really take candles seriously, huh?"
Yeah, I mean, I get the confusion of it all. I think those candles are a little more well known now than at the time, but even still, I would get someone being a little confused by it.
For me it was just the general attitude that was exhibited the whole time. I was fully cooperative and trying to be good humored, and it got me absolutely no where.
Yep, unfortunately our airport security is kind of insane.
I dont even think this actually makes us safer to tell you the truth, but apparently Americans will give up almost any freedom or dignity to feel slightly safer from statisticslly negligible events.
Dealing with TSA in the US vs other countries really is a trip. I never fucking know if I'm supposed to take off my belt or shoes. It seems like whenever I think I have to, TSA yells at me to keep them on. When I don't take them off, TSA yells at me for not knowing better. And when I ask TSA before making a decision one way or another, they are very annoyed by my existence.
After this candle encounter, I landed in Japan. I don't speak the language. Terrified, and approaching their own version of TSA I hesitantly asked for directions on how to get somewhere in the airport. She was the nicest woman I've encountered and was super helpful, lol. And this isn't meant to be a "Japan is so awesome!" type post. I feel like that's been my experience in most other countries I've since flown in and out of.
I think the difference is partly because our TSA is under the Department of Homeland Security, which is more of an intelligence agency and paramilitary organization and was created in direct response to 9/11.
TSA is also paid very badly and understaffed, and doesn't get paid during government shutdowns but still has to work.
You are basically dealing with people trained to have the mindset of counterintelligence officers and military police but paid McDonalds wages and pulling lawyer hours.
I think this is an extremely stupid and paranoid way for us to set up airport security. It all came out of the wave of madness in the Bush era after 2001.
Yeah, it was the most recent shutdown that really put a huge strain on TSA, right? With the solution to backfill missing employees with the national reserve? And then creating even longer lines as a result somewhow?
I won't go too hard on the individual TSA members simply becasue of what you're pointing out with the wages. But yeah, surely there is a better way to go about that whole thing.
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u/Narradisall 29d ago edited 29d ago
Airport security in the US can be intense.
I once went through and my bag flagged up. I had a battery bank I’d forgotten about in a side pocket i didnt use. Must have flagged up as a big block.
The security guy went off when I couldn’t immediately find it “WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN THE BAG? SHOW ME WHAT IT IS?” Right screaming.
Then went and (after I explained where the hidden pock was) found it and said “oh it’s just a battery charger I forgot I had in here.” It was like a flip switched and he was just cheery “oh ok. Move on”.
Weirdest thing ever.