Does TSA Know Their Own Policies?

In recent weeks TSA has been making headlines all over the country about their controversial screening process which recently changed. As someone who personally doesn’t fly often, I am not overly worried about this, but as a mother seeing the video above pissed me off pretty bad.

What is make clear in the video is, TSA does not know their own screening process, rules, or medical exceptions for breast milk. They do not like being proven wrong either, which is clear when the passenger hands the TSA manager a copy of the TSA rules for breast milk screening.

Please take a couple minutes to watch the video before reading any further.

First the mother, who has clearly done her research asks the TSA agent to not put her breast milk through the x-ray machine, rightfully so, and asks that she perform the alternative screening offered for medical liquids. Because of her reasonable request the woman is pulled out of line and treated as if she was refusing to be screened altogether.

Another TSA agent comes over and asks her to identify her belongings which she allowed to go through the x-ray machine with no issue, but doesn’t allow her to touch any of her own belongings.  After asking several questions which it clearly looks like she annoyed the TSA agents with, she is told to return back to the little airport cubical which they use for special screenings.

With 20 minutes till her flight departs, she is restrained by TSA and forced to miss her flight because she asked for typical TSA exception for her breast milk. No explanation to her why she is being held, and no one answering any of her questions. Being treated as a common criminal that was trying to sneak something onto a plane, or break some kind of law.

After being held for almost a half hour, a uniformed police officer shows up, as if she broke some kind of law, and repeatedly threatens to arrest her. TSA had described her and her request for her breast milk to go through the alternative medical screening as an unruly passenger. UNRULY??

The police officer, also clearly ignorant to the TSA’s own rules threatens to arrest her for not having her breast milk x-ray’ed. And after already going through the metal detector, TSA subjects her to another unnecessary search.

After going through the physical pat down, the TSA manager, another person clearly ignorant to TSA’s own guidelines refuses to allow the alternative screening for her breast milk.  She is offered two choices, neither of which is acceptable, nor would they be acceptable to me!

1. Put the breast milk through the x-ray machine
2. Dump the breast milk out in a garbage can.

After reading the TSA breast milk guidelines himself, the manager continues to break federal law, and does not allow the alternative screening method for this woman’s breast milk.   While this is almost the end of the video it continues to make my blood boil. Why would they take the time to write up these guidelines if they are not going to follow them when there is a passenger flying with breast milk?  What is the point of women researching the guidelines to AVOID a situation like this, if they are still going to break the law and treat the woman like a common criminal?

After an hour and 15 minutes in the special inspection area they let her go. So what was the whole point in detaining her?  Was it the fact that she was an educated passenger who actually questioned them and proved that they didn’t know the guidelines for their own job?

I don’t understand what the big deal is. You would think that the TSA would be glad there are educated fliers out there who know the rules to the screening process before they even get to the screening check points.

Or is it just going to continue to be a further violation of our civil rights, and freedoms. It is time to seriously start questioning whether these are necessary security measures, or if this is just big brother working to restrict our personal rights.

Click to add your comment

Comment Guidelines
We all come from different backgrounds, and hold different opinions and beliefs...

While I understand and respect that, I expect the same respect from my readers. This website is “mine” and like my home, I expect respect, and reserve the right to “kick out” anyone who doesn’t follow the rules, just like I would in my home!

1. Trolls will automatically be deleted and banned
2. If you feel the urge to be disrespectful, or start a fight... move along.
3. No name calling... PERIOD

Happy Commenting!

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website

Twitter ID

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail