There have been many writings / reports and even comedy skits on the topic of the TSA and Airport security.  No matter how much the overall population is complaining about irregularities and no matter how many procedures get improved / reviewed, the general public’s dissatisfaction with the TSA is high.

Why is that, one would ask?   Are we being unfair to the actual Security Officers?  Are all those criticisms ill founded and badly placed?   Tons of questions.  Unfortunately, I believe the answer is “No, this is just what the TSA is”…

I believe majority of people who express concern, dissatisfaction, disappointment or overall consider the TSA in a negative light do so due to the attitude of the agents.  Lets see:

* How many of you have encountered a TSA agent that is smiling and genuinely polite?

* How many of you have encountered the opposite — surly, overbearing, men and women who certainly convey the image of someone who is ready to pounce on you — yes, you — yes, you are one step away from being identified as someone who needs to be “stopped”!

I do believe all will be much better if and only if the TSA employees drop the attitude and the anger filled faces and start addressing their customers — yes, the passengers are the customers — they all pay their salaries and the TSA is there to serve the flying public NOT THE OTHER way around.

There is definitely a reason why the TSA has been the target of so many comedy skits and overall ridicule in the media.  Just recently I had a “great” – NOT – experience at the Boston Logan International Airport.  There after taking off literally everything from my pockets including my wallet — WHICH IS SOMETHING MOST AIRPORTS DO NOT ASK ME TO DO — I stated that I am opting out (i.e. I do not want to go through the X-ray screening), which I had to repeat a couple of times as the TSA agent could not hear me for some reason, then when he finally understood me (no, my English is fine), he barked an order – “Stand over there…”

I fly a lot and I opt out each time — so I am well familiar with the process — yes they are supposed to call a male agent to screen me (as I am male).  So after observing for 2-3 minutes that no one is being notified I asked if some one will come.  This time things turned uglier — the agent halfway shouted at me to stay where I was — mind you I had not moved   A female agent joined him and when I explained to her what I was asking she ignored me and proceeded to dole out great wisdom to her colleague “Do not talk with him…”  and continue to stare at me with her best iron gaze — yes she needed to show me who is the boss!  I needed to be told right there and then that she was in control and in charge –  I needed to tremble in my socks   (my shoes were on the conveyor belt on the other side of the screening machine having gone through several minutes ago…..

Eventually they called an agent who was standing idle in one of the areas beyond the screening point and he did check me out – admittedly fast (he knew I was not happy) and quickly asked me — you know what I need to do right?” to which I gave him an affirmative answer and he proceeded as fast as he could.

So my point is – security is necessary, checking people out is needed, all procedures are necessary too, but the ATTITUDE of the TSA agents is quite something and certainly not an asset to the TSA or something helping the overall process.