Airlines and the TSA
Monday, October 24, 2011 at 08:48PM Admittedly I do not know much at all about the TSA and how they operate but a recent photo that was tweeted by a passenger compelled me to make an editorial post. Let's get into it.
Apparently this is what a woman found in her checked bag after it came to the curb at the end of her flight. From what I understand the TSA sometimes manually searches checked bags if there is some sort of discrepancy during their initial x-rays and other checks. If a manual check takes place then these pre-printed notes are placed in the bag to alert the passenger that their bag was searched.
Evidently an over zealous TSA agent found a very "personal item" in this woman's luggage that they felt warranted a comment. I think at this point everyone can understand that this isn't a TSA procedure but rather a bad apple among a large group of government employees.
That's where the understanding stops.
If you work in an industry where people are largely unsatisfied with the existence of your job then it is of extreme importance that you act in a manner as professional as possible. That's because if worse comes to worse you can atleast stand behind the fact that your employees are professional in the way they interact with their customers.
On top of that there seems to be a severe lack of cohesion between the airlines and the TSA. When the TSA and the airlines should be working together to help improve their overall interaction and reputations with the public, there is a disconnect the width of the Grand Canyon.
Many of the airlines recognize the fact that before their passengers even board the plane they have been hasseled and are dejected due to their typically negative experience with the TSA. And because of this, passengers dislike flying even more. This is a vicious cycle.
I understand the importance and urgency of protecting the skies over the United States and that the jumping off point for that is airport security, but in the world that is air travel where people love to hate on the act of flying commercially (see the headline of this blog) quality customer service and consistent professionalism seems to be lacking.
Again, in an editorial capacity, hearing about this woman's experience with the TSA is frustrating because it is giving people a negative view of air travel and it has absolutely nothing to do with the airline she was flying with or any other commercial air carrier. The whole point of the post, I suppose, is that I hope readers and travelers alike can notice the difference here; can compartmentalize the fact that this is a TSA issue, not an airline issue. Yes, they are blanketed by the "air travel" experience that still, admittedly, has ample room for improvement, but these issues are more akin to the way the TSA is mandated by the government and conducts their daily business.
Thanks for tuning in - and don't forget to send me your airline questions! I am always looking for more "air travel nightmares" so please send away.
Reader Comments (2)
It is really needed that in airports, there are great security measures so that they can see to it that the safeness of the people in the airport is secured.
security is a given issue, and it's a necessity these days to get every bag checked, however, it boils down to how professional and how functional an individual's work ethics prove to be....the note was uncalled for, so to speak...