Minor slip-ups can turn into a federal offense

I was traveling to my parents' house for the holidays last December and had an accidental experience with airport security. The flight out was no problem - I went through security, got on the plane, and was even served a snack and a small bottle of water. Instead of throwing my unfinished bottle of water I put it in my carry bag, maybe in case I got thirsty on my ride home from the airport. I completely forgot about the water since I didn't use that bag for anything over my stay - it just sat on the floor until I headed back to the airport for my return flight. When I got to the airport I went through the security line, put my bag and shoes into the little plastic container, and walked through the metal detector. As I stood waiting for my bag, I saw the man looking at the screen and not letting any more bags through. Then he called over the other security worker and they both continued to look at the screen.
"Ma'am, do you have any liquids in your bag?" he asked.
"Nope." I said, really not remembering the little bottle of water I put in there on the flight in.
"I'm going to ask you again, do you have any liquids in your bag?" he repeated.
"No..." I said, I was wracking my brain thinking and I didn't think I did.
"Ma'am, if you're going to insist upon lying to me I'm going to have to call my supervisor."
"I'm starting to think the answer is yes. I have something in there I'm not supposed to?" I asked.
He then pulled the bottle of water out (which featured the airline's logo) and sternly informed me of the no liquids rule and how I was violating it - my violation was even worse because the bottle's seal had been opened and I lied about possessing it. I had the good sense to just apologize. Thankfully I was given my bag and shoes and I made my flight.

I was temporarily detained when I confronted an idiot TSA screener. He decided to give my wife (who was wear skirt) a quick rub up and down the legs. A little unnecessary since you could see she had nothing there! I told his supervisor what happened and when I threatened a suit, they let me go.

I have found as a frequent flyer that if your plane leaves at 6 a.m. and your destination arrival time is 11:30 a.m., your real destination time is 12 midnight. If you think of travel in this manner, then you'll do fine no matter what. I learned that it takes all day to get where you want and you'll pull into you hotel at midnight...or whenever. Stay calm and don't forget to laugh or smile. Your peace is created by you. Take it from someone who used to get upset with the airlines but not anymore. Try to walk in their shoes.

Thank you.

Right after 9/11 I went to pick up a friend at the airport and lo and behold - no friend. An hour later we got a call from him sounding rather shaken saying he'd missed his flight because of a "security problem" and would be in on a subsequent one.
When he got in he told us that a lady on the same flight as him had put an unmarked plastic bottle of baby powder in some sort of mesh exterior on her bag and it had been punctured in the loading process - so there was unidentifiable white powder all over her bag, my friend's bag, and the bag of one other person...naturally questioning was in order. We all had a good chuckle about it while we scrubbed the residual baby powder off the outside of his luggage...who knew terrorism smelled so powdery fresh?

Earlier this summer after a long year of planning and saving, my husband and I booked flights for our daughter, her fiance and our 3 young grandchildren for trip to Disneyland. Upon our arrival at the airport the adults checked in and when we were checking in the children we found out their flights had been cancelled by my daughters ex-husband. ( he had hacked into her email got a copy of our itinerary and cancelled flights.) While we were at the check in desk this mean spirited person chose to show up at the airport. What he was thinking we don't know. We thankfully had the children's tickets reinstated but had the travel agent contact security because we didn't want any trouble with a trouble maker. The airport police were more than kind, they detained him and escorted us to the security checkpoints. After the security check we filed police reports. It was a rough start for dream vacation for all of us but we had a wonderful vacation and returned home a week later. Our return flight was red eye so needless to say we were not on our guard when we went to the baggage claim to get our luggage. The very same mean spirited person again showed up at the airport and tried to kidnap the oldest child. This was not pretty, it was shocking for my family and upsetting for many of our fellow travelers. Again, the airport police were called and we were able to gather the children, luggage, stroller, car seats etc while they detained him. What happened to this person??? Nothing..... moral of the story..... just because your at an airport when something like this happens it doesn't mean they will call the FBI or even make an arrest of a non-custodial parent who is obviously only trying to harass and control his ex and kidnap a child. Airport security is for the staff and airline holdings only. No one will be held accountable for harassing passengers and the concept of airport security is a misleading.

i was flying back from iraq and was trying to go home. i was at bwi trying to check-in and was in uniform, with a ruck on my back, 4 bags, and an M-16 in its case. i got to the front of the line and waited until i was called. the airline desk kept calling for the people behind me and wouldnt even look at me. finally, i put the M16 case down and asked the attendant "um, is anyone going to check me in? you've had tons of people behind me check-in but keep skipping me." I was told I needed to check my attitude. At that point, i was rather annoyed, but didnt make a fuss because i didnt want to get arrested and have to wait even longer to see my family. Ugh, I get so frustrated with attendants who think they are God! It took them 10 more minutes to get to me before one of the ladies finally looked at me and took care of me. I know that my weapon was the issue. I know that TSA had to look at it to make certain it was clear, i was fine with that. I wasnt asking for special treatment - I was asking to be taken care of like any other customer. The least they could have done was to acknowledge my presence and said "TSA will need to check your weapon - it will take some time for a member to show up". Instead, TSA didnt check my weapon - I opened it when the attendant asked, asked her if she wanted me to clear it - she said no and gave me a slip saying my weapon was clear. To save my own rearend, I made her look that the weapon was clear and to also give the customers a breathe or fresh air when i showed each mag was empty as was the weapon. If they werent going to follow protocol, I was - I had already been through a 3 day sandstorm, felt sorry for anyone who had to be near me, and didnt want to cause anymore delay in seeing my baby girl and husband. Thanks United! You may have extra leg room that i really enjoyed, but your customer service stinks.

In 2003, I was taking a flight, with a tour group, from Juneau to Anchorage. For some reason, that airport there was set up so that the food places were all OUTSIDE the security screening instead of inside near the gates. I was already checked through and waiting at the gate with my group. Our flight was delayed several hours because the plane we were to take was detained at its prior destination to wait for a mechanical adjustment and could not get to Juneau. After a few hours, I was hungry and went out to get some food. I left my carry-on bags at the gate with the people in my group and took only my money. After I got my food and tried to come back in, I had to clear security all over again. Since the line was now very long and my bags were with other people and not with me, and since I had already been through this earlier, I spoke up and explained I had already been through earlier and had only gone back out again to get some food. But since I was carrying nothing and was acting annoyed and anxious, I was pulled aside for questioning. Since my bags (with cameras, etc.) were not with me and since the flight could very well start boarding without me, I grew upset, and then I was really taken away, in tears. They were very rough with me and a monster of a women took me into a room to question me privately, which I thought was pretty unnecessary but it made her feel like she was doing her job. The more upset I got, the worse I made things for myself. They finally let me go, my bags were fine and I made the flight, but it was awful - partly because of the stupid setup of the airport. (It was not long after 9/11 and they had not had time to work things through yet, and also there was an Orange Alert in effect that was only a couple of days old, so they were not taking any chances.) But they used no judgment, even though I'm a little old lady (American) who was with a tour group..

Flying from Charlotte, NC, to Houston, TX, in 1980 (before all the TSA security checks & balances of today) I was detained at the security check-in where your bag goes through the xray machine. They kept running my carry-on through again & again & each time they called over a higher up supervisor. Finally they asked me to please open my bag for them to inspect. Before I had left home heading back to my job, my father had given me a brand new Shakespeare open-face casting reel for fishing, which was still in it the box. I guess the curved bail looked suspicious through the xray machine. I complied, opened up my carry-on bag & quickly whipped out the box with the reel in it. The security personnel all jumped back. I was keeping a straight face the whole time, but the ever increasing line behind me waiting to get through the check point were getting a might peeved by now. The security personnel asked me to please open the box, which I did very fast & whipped out the fishing reel & started cranking the handle & acting like I had a big one on the line. Everyone was laughing by now. I have though about trying this on a flight to somewhere in today's airport world & see just how far it would go before the TSA/security personnel had a total meltdown.

Again, what happened to "Freedom of Speech" and the right to express oneself (and ones frustration with incompetence) here in the "Land of the Free"? Once one enters an airport; "sterile area" or not; get ready to be bullied and insulted. TSA is a sad joke that borders on a modern Gestapo. Jack-in-the Box rejects have the ability to seize ones property, ruin travel plans and summon the Federal Bureau of Investigation for anything that personally offends them - like breast feeding mothers. They consistently fail in every regard except to harass and delay paying customers. It is no wonder airlines are foundering, they have no regard for the folks who they allegedly serve and passengers have no rights whatsoever. Welcome to the Fourth Reich.

Best to play mute and dumb when travelling by air. Hopefully TSA will just think you are just one of their own. I am sure my participation in this discussion will earn me a spot on the "Terrorist Watchlist" for expressing my opinion on the absolutely ridiculous fraud that is Airport Security.
Stay The Course!

While boarding a flite from Houston Texas to New York, my wife was found to have a large and very expencive tube of prescription ointment, however, the prescription label was on the box the tube came in and she did not pack the box.  Needless to say, the tube was taken away from her.  I, on the other hand, had a pint bottle of prescription mouth wash with the prescription label on the bottle.  The guard did not even open it to see what was in the bottle and could care less, as long as there was a prescription label on it.

So much for real security.

On my first flight home after living overseas.. I was stopped by a very aggressive TSA agent. Granted.. I had been through 3 security check point by now and ALL had searched my bag.. UGH! Basically I forgot to take the small "ziplock" bag out of my carry on and place it on it's own.  The agent pulled it out and proceeded to tell me that I was violating the rules and this was not a regulation sized bag and he was going to confiscate it... I was going on about 2 hours of sleep over the last 32 hours.. so I was less than pleased. I went to show him the logo on the side and he hit my hand.. it actually left a bruise (we documented it and sent in a picture and letter to TSA, thankfully we have been informed this person no longer works for them!!). My hubby asked to see a supervisor and then the supervisor proceeded to chastise me.. I finally said ENOUGH pretty loud and said look at the logo on the bag.  I bought this at the airport and it is an official TSA approved bag.. it says so on the outside of the bag in big bold writing.  So  in the end I got an apology and went on my way.. but seriously, if they cannot even tell what a TSA approved bag looks like.. there is a problem!

Anyone who has traveled internationally knows that TSA is a joke and does nothing but hinder air travel.  How is it that other countries have a better handle on the situation?  Did you know that there are scanners for bottled water? You just place it on a machine and it gives you a green or red light to carry it on!  NO more waisted $$~

My major melt-down happened at the worst possible time: in December 2001. My father, who lived in another state, was dying and I'd been called to come home as quick as possible. My aunt didn't think he'd make it through the day. I got the first flight out of Nashville and went through all the checkpoints fine ... right up to the gate where I was pulled for a 'random' security check.  I lost it. I threw my purse down and started bawling. I kept saying, "My Daddy's dying and you won't let me go home." I even called my husband to "Come get me. They won't let me go home to daddy." Given my complete incoherence, the airport staff was incredibly understanding. The security lady said, "We just pull people at random." And I said, "Well, you picked the wrong one this time." I was beyond any sort of rational communication.  They got me on the plane, gave me a drink and I cried the whole 30 minute flight home. Everyone was so nice and understanding. I felt such a fool.