I keep hearing horror stories about encounters with the TSA security screeners at the airport.
I travel quite often and I must battle the security lines every time I go to the airport to take my flight. I, personally, have never had a horrible encounter with the TSA screeners. I have had some unpleasant encounters,some inconvenient encounters, and even some stupid encounters, but none that I would call horrible.
Here are some things that I have learned after taking hundreds of flights over the past five years. (1.) Not all TSA screeners are unpleasant or impolite, at least a few of them are very nice (2.) They are doing a boring job and dealing with many rude and stupid passengers every day, so they can get a bit jaded (3) A few of the TSA employees are just plain nasty, rude, ignorant and stupid. Don't fight it! When you encounter one of those just follow my advice.
Here are my tips.
1. Be prepared when you go through security, Do not take weapons, knives, liquids or explosives in your carry-on luggage, Put all of your liquid cosmetics into bottles of no more than 3 ounces, and carry them in a small plastic bag. At the security check, remove this plastic bag from your luggage and place it in the bin to go through the screening check. Also remove your shoes and place them in the bin.
2. Have your boarding pass and your identification in your hand ready to show the TSA screener.
3. Do not make any nasty, sarcastic or critical remarks to the TSA employees. They do not appreciate jokes about security violations. If you insist on making such remarks, expect to be delayed or detained longer than necessary.
4. Humor, as long as it is congenial and non sarcastic, can be very beneficial in winning over the compassion and empathy of the TSA screeners. The TSA employees must have a very tedious and boring job, putting up with people that are sometimes rude, truculent and often stupid. When they encounter a traveler that is friendly, jocular and congenial, they usually react in a positive manner.
5. When you encounter rude, nasty, obnoxious, arrogant or belligerant TSA screeners, do not fight it. Just follow their instructions exactly. Do exactly what they tell you to do. Answer their questions politely and without sarcasm or belligerance. Just imagine that a policeman has stopped you for driving too fast. If you try to argue with the policeman or try to use sarcasm or belligerance, you might just end up in jail.