Looks Like I Picked the Wrong Day To Fly Through Chicago

[ChasenSFO]

@JordanD 's girlfriend was telling us about this today. She works for TSA. Not saying we should start giving him crap about it, but if you need a scapegoat...

 

[Autothrust Blue]

While it's certainly ridiculous that this happened, basing your opinion on .000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% of air travel is just as ludicrous.

My middle brother, who now rides around on full fare tickets for work, has a pretty good point when he says that it's not a great experience, though. I mean, between TSA and overselling the already cramped airplanes it seems that we're going out of our way to make things unpleasant.

 

[killbilly]

My middle brother, who now rides around on full fare tickets for work, has a pretty good point when he says that it's not a great experience, though. I mean, between TSA and overselling the already cramped airplanes it seems that we're going out of our way to make things unpleasant.

I thought of TSA Pre-Check this weekend and realized that it's like things were before 9-11.

Which is to say that they've raised the bar to the previously crappy level of security and service BEFORE.

 

[mikecweb]

I feel your pain, man. They confiscated my tuna.

What's that?
It's tuna.
What's all that liquid?
Ah...it's just a little mayo and lemon juice.
What else is in there?
Ah...... a little onion, green pepper, pickles and black olives.
It's too big.
Too big for what? It's my lunch.
You can't take it.
I haven't eaten in six hours.
What's in there?
Crackers.
You can keep those.
But they go with the tuna.
You can't have the tuna.
But I want the tuna, it's my lunch.
It's too big.
I promise not to start a tuna war with it. I am just going to eat it.
You can keep the crackers.
Look, I'll trade you the crackers for the tuna.
You can't have the tuna.
Can I have at least have the tupperware back?
No.
Do you want my plastic spoon too?
No.
Well I don't need it now, I was going to eat the tuna with it. Here.
I don't want it.
Well neither do I.
You can keep the spoon.


View attachment 29524

I'm ok with this and actually wish they would expand this to all checkpoints. Tuna or any food that smells horrible should not be eaten in confined spaces. You can keep your spoon.

 

[Oxman]

A 1.2 mile long line. But hey, we're safe because of it. Because no terrorist would ever think of putting on a suicide vest and hitting the security line.

Is there EVER really a good day to go through there?

 

[tomokc]

Fudge. I had fudge confiscated returning from a trip to northern Michigan.

It's a "gel."

No, you need something for your "girlfriend."

 

[derg]

A 1.2 mile long line. But hey, we're safe because of it. Because no terrorist would ever think of putting on a suicide vest and hitting the security line.

Nice! I wonder was it the TSA or "The Clampetts" who didn't leave the house prepared to screen?

Every bangle, shoe, pocket full of change, car keys not in you carryon, etc add up to a few seconds, up to a minute for each passenger. Multiply that times a few thousand and that delay builds substantially.

Just like when there is simply a car pulled over on the freeway, everyone tends to tap their brakes in order to see what's going on and it cascades backwards for up to an hour in heavy traffic and people will point their fingers at the road rather than realize it's a symptom of people not realizing that their own reaction to external influences is way more deleterious than any TSA policy or roadway design.

I don't blame the TSA as much as the unseasoned traveler.

 

[X-Forces]

Fudge. I had fudge confiscated returning from a trip to northern Michigan.

It's a "gel."

No, you need something for your "girlfriend."

So I guess that means that you will not consider packing fudge in the future?

(Sorry, I had to!)

Now back to you regular programming.

 

[poser765]

I made the mistake today of leaving my parents house and commuting out of uniform. The line was non existent but the TSA didn't like my can of sardines. They swabbed it down and the machine flagged it! I got full bag search, a pat down, and they confiscated the can. I've probably been carrying that thing for six months now. Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Canada... Great job TSA. Great job.

Personal policy...I am never at the airport NOT in uniform. F that noise. it's just not worth it.

 

[poser765]

While it's certainly ridiculous that this happened, basing your opinion on .000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% of air travel is just as ludicrous.

He is right, though. Flying is not a pleasant experience. Like not at all. It's expensive, it's a hassle getting to and then into most airports, and it's uncomfortable. Ugh is it uncomfortable. I know it's anecdotal, but most people I talk to describe air travel as being something between resigned indifference, and stroke inducing stress...a best case scenario is "it was just crappy."

 

[saxman]

Personal policy...I am never at the airport NOT in uniform. F that noise. it's just not worth it.

For the most part I wear it, but sometimes my shirt is too wrinkled and I'm too lazy to iron.

 

[NC_BE300]

Lets not forget the message from Transport Canada eh.....

 

[wheelsup]

He is right, though. Flying is not a pleasant experience. Like not at all. It's expensive, it's a hassle getting to and then into most airports, and it's uncomfortable. Ugh is it uncomfortable. I know it's anecdotal, but most people I talk to describe air travel as being something between resigned indifference, and stroke inducing stress...a best case scenario is "it was just crappy."

It's unfortunate because the bigger hassle it becomes, the less folks will fly. The airlines certainly have done their part to make it a PITA but the government hasn't helped.

We want air travel to be a pleasurable experience. There's nothing worse than spending lots of money and hating the experience to boot.

 

[PhilosopherPilot]

Nice! I wonder was it the TSA or "The Clampetts" who didn't leave the house prepared to screen?

Every bangle, shoe, pocket full of change, car keys not in you carryon, etc add up to a few seconds, up to a minute for each passenger. Multiply that times a few thousand and that delay builds substantially.

Just like when there is simply a car pulled over on the freeway, everyone tends to tap their brakes in order to see what's going on and it cascades backwards for up to an hour in heavy traffic and people will point their fingers at the road rather than realize it's a symptom of people not realizing that their own reaction to external influences is way more deleterious than any TSA policy or roadway design.

I don't blame the TSA as much as the unseasoned traveler.

And my God but does this time of year being them out of the woodwork...

 

[PhilosopherPilot]

I've been driving 4 hours to my base for a year now. The drive sucks, but it beats commuting by aircraft! I hope to never go back.

 

[tonyw]

Yup. I just don't like traveling by air. I'll do it when I have to, but I still loathe it. FLYING the airplane sure lets go.

I don't blame you. They sandwich us into uncomfortable seats, give us very little in the way of service, and ding us for things that used to be free. But it's our fault. We have told the airlines that we don't give a damn, just get me there for $5 less and I'll endure the hell that results.

But there's just no other way to get from coast to coast in five hours. I can't get out of the Pacific time zone in that amount of time if I drive.

Airlines have all gone with the Walmart model. There's got to be a market for Nordstrom passengers. Someone is going to figure that out and make a lot of money.

Nice! I wonder was it the TSA or "The Clampetts" who didn't leave the house prepared to screen?

Sometimes it is the TSA. A couple of years ago, I was flying back after visiting my folks in DC. The flight was delayed, so I spent a couple of extra hours with my folks. I don't get to see them very often, so I didn't mind.

I showed up, got my ticket, and had what I thought was plenty of time to get to the gate.

Until some dumbass TSA agent said, well, the time on the boarding pass says your flight has already left. I showed him the app from the airline, the text message from the airline, and the airline's website which showed the delay. Not good enough. Those jackasses had to sit around with one thumb up their butt and one thumb in their mouth playing switch for around 30 minutes.

I finally got frustrated and said, look, that is the last flight to San Diego and I want to be on it. No response. I then said "DO YOU JUST NOT GIVE A S*&!" Well, now, everyone's staring at the assclown who's had me standing there. Finally, one of his colleagues gets up, and gets help. Two supervisors come over and say, you're good go to go, sir.

I have to ask people if I can cut in front of them in the screening line and when I get to the gate, the agent tells me, oh, good. We were just about ready to give away your seat. I shake my head and say "TSA" and the agent says "oh, God."

Seriously, if I were a terrorist and the flight had already left, I would have to be the dumbest terrorist in the world. How the hell would I blow up a plane that had already left without me on it?

 

[bronco21016]

Personal policy...I am never at the airport NOT in uniform. F that noise. it's just not worth it.

I'm with you man. There are 2 cardinal rules to non-revving/jumpseating. 1) Always wear your uniform and 2) Always try to take the first possible flight. Even if it's oversold.

I've managed to get stuck overnight somewhere precisely 0 times while non-revving for personal stuff using those two rules. *Knocks on wood*

 

[WestIndian425]

Airlines have all gone with the Walmart model. There's got to be a market for Nordstrom passengers. Someone is going to figure that out and make a lot of money.

That would be the corporate charters and fractional shares, no?

 

[bronco21016]

I dunno, I think corporate and fractionals are more equivalent to shopping at a boutique in Manhattan. When someone figures out a way to Uberize corporate jets then we may have a Nordstrom's level.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I dunno, I think corporate and fractionals are more equivalent to shopping at a boutique in Manhattan. When someone figures out a way to Uberize corporate jets then we may have a Nordstrom's level.

Walmart runs their corporate flight department like a fleet of rental vans. For a while we even took out the carpet on the Lear 31s and replaced it with vinyl flooring because it was easier to keep clean.

Ain't nothing "boutique" about it.