WASHINGTON - November 23, 2010 - Furious security staff today hit back at pat down searches in airports across Amerika, claiming that they hated dealing with obese travelers and those with personal hygiene problems.
As millions of people prepared to travel for Thanksgiving, passenger backlash was growing against the measures introduced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
But after being contacted by a travel blog, 17 security staff came forward to express their disgust at the policy put in place last month.
They said that they hated having to carry out body searches, with one claiming that it was worse for him than the passenger.
“It is not comfortable to come to work knowing full well that my hands will be feeling another man’s private parts, butt, or inner thigh,” one told the BoardingArea blog. “Even worse is having to try and feel inside the flab rolls of obese passengers and we seem to get a lot of obese passengers!”
Another said he had a huge problem dealing with a “large number of passengers... daily that have a problem understanding what personal hygiene is.”
All the staff said that they had experienced a high level of personal abuse while carrying out the pat downs.
“Being a TSO (transportation security officer) means often being verbally abused, you let the comments roll off and check the next person,” one said. “However, when a woman refuses the scanner (and) then comes to me and tells me that she feels like I am molesting her, that is beyond verbal abuse. I asked the woman if she thought I like touching other women all day and she told me that I probably did or I wouldn’t be with the TSA. I just want to tell these people that I feel disgusted feeling other peoples private parts, but I cannot because I am a professional.”
Angry passengers have subjected TSA officers to verbal abuse and even physical threats.
The American Federation of Government Employee, the union that represents officers, said a TSO was punched by a passenger in Indianapolis.
Union President John Gage called for more information on the searches including leaflets for passengers.
He said, “TSA must act now - before the Thanksgiving rush - to ensure that TSOs are not being left to fend for themselves.”
Up to two million passengers per day are expected to fly today and tomorrow ahead of Thanksgiving, with huge delays expected.
Meanwhile, one patient traveler has proved it is possible to bypass the high-level security measures in place at all airports, but only if you have time on your hands.
Blogger Matt Kernan recorded his epic experience as he returned to North Kentucky International Airport in Cincinnati from Paris on Sunday.
Exasperated at being told to prepare for a body scan and with time on his hands, the determined businessman decided to make a stand - with remarkable results.
Writing on his website noblasters.com, he said, “I certainly don’t enjoy being treated like a terrorist in my own country but I’m also not a die-hard constitutional rights advocate. However, for some reason I was irked. Maybe it was the video of the three-year old getting molested, maybe it was the sexual assault victim having to cry her way through getting groped, (or) maybe it was the father watching teenage TSA officers joke about his attractive daughter. Whatever it was, this issue didn’t sit right with me. We shouldn’t be required to do this simply to get into our own country.”
As a result, Mr. Kernan informed staff he did not want to go through the infamous Backscatter imaging machine.
He was told he would have to undergo an invasive pat down search, but again politely told staff that he would consider any contact with his genital areas as assault.
After being told that the two options were TSA policy, he replied, “I disagree with the policy, and I think that it is unconstitutional. As a U.S. citizen, I have the right to move freely within my country as long as I can demonstrate proof of citizenship and have demonstrated no reasonable cause to be detained.”
As the situation escalated further airport police and more senior TSA officials were called but Mr. Kernan refused to back down, remaining calm throughout.
Eventually causing a stand-off between police and TSA officers over who should resolve the situation, Mr. Kernan was told by a supervisor, “Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to escort you out of the terminal to the public area. You are to stay with me at all times. Do you understand?”
He was then escorted by the police and no less than 13 TSA officer through security without a hand laid on him.
He said, “Then came the most ridiculous scene of which I’ve ever been a part. I gathered my things - jacket, scarf, hat, briefcase, (and) chocolates. We walked over to the staff entrance and he scanned his badge to let me through. We walked down the long hallway that led back to the baggage claim area. We skipped the escalators and moving walkways.”
He was then waved away by annoyed officers and said, “In order to enter the U.S., I was never touched, I was never Backscattered and I was never metal detected. In the end, it took 2.5 hours, but I proved that it is possible. I’m looking forward to my next flight on Wednesday.”