My Day With The TSA

I had the chance to shadow a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security officer at Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport the afternoon of Good Friday.  I was stationed at the security checkpoint in Concourse A, the shiny new home for Southwest Airlines.  Now, my tine here is nothing like Conde Nast Traveler magazine reporter Barbara S. Peterson's riveting account of her two-month stint as a screener last fall.  But it was still an interesting experience.

I was assigned to shadow Lester, who was in the third class of screeners, trained right after TSA was created after 9/11.  You may remember that BWI was the first airport in the nation to bring in TSA screeners, back in 2001.  Lester, who commutes from Pennsylvania, had been retired from his job as a corrections officer for about 18 months.  He told me that after 9/11, he felt like he wanted to do something to help, which is why he became a transportation security officer. 

We started in the special needs line, which is used for disabled passengers, families with small children, airline crews and airport employees.  It's also used to provide body checks for those in a wheelchair that cannot get up or those with prosthetic devices.  Right now, TSA is testing a form of backscatter technology that will be able to detect things like metal in hips that have been replaced.

The next station was the x-ray machine, which was fascinating.  Screeners get special training to identify objects, and after awhile, can become quite proficient at spotting prohibited items.  To keep them from burning out, screeners only man the x-ray machine for a half hour at a time.  The screen shows objects at their regular size, but screeners can magnify different spots.  It can also change the screen color to identify specific items, like electronics.

Some items I could clearly distinguish, including cell phones, keys, shoes, make-up bags, bananas, water bottles, iPods, CD players, papers and laptop computers.   You could also clearly see all the metal shanks in travelers' shoes.  Other items weren't so easy.  I was amazed when Mark, one of the screeners at the x-ray machine, found a small cigarette lighter.  He froze the screen and pointed out the striker, the fuel well and the body of the lighter. 

I always wondered why TSA requires that laptop computers be placed in a separate bin.  I found out on Friday.  Travelers tend to pile assorted items in the bin, and when you include the laptop in the same bin, the x-ray machine tends to merge the images of all the items in the bin.  Since laptops could be used to cause all sorts of chaos, screeners need to be able to see that there is no extra electronic equipment that shouldn't be there.  And on top of everything, decisions on what's seen on the screen have to be made in a split second -- otherwise lines can back up very quickly, which isn't a good thing on a holiday weekend.

It was amazing to see how many prohibited items -- especially liquids -- people are still trying to get past security, whether by accident or on purpose.  Lester told me that in the 8-lane security checkpoint at Concourse A, they empty large trash cans full of liquids at least every hour or so.  I saw people with water bottles, perfume, hair spray, lotions, creams and makeup.  All of it went into the trash.  A man who didn't really look like he needed it seemed quite distressed about having to give up his hairspray.  There was also a special bin just for cigarette lighters, since they are considered hazardous material.

I ended the shadowing by watching Lester check passengers' boarding passes and identification.  He was very pleasant to every person, asking about their day and wishing them a safe flight.  BWI has become one of the first airports in the country to use screeners -- as opposed to airline contractors -- to do these checks.  In its $6.4 billion FY 2008 budget, TSA has requested $60 million to pay for 1,329 new, specially trained TSA screening officers to examine boarding documents.  BWI didn't want to terminate the contractors, so they're now used to assist passengers in need and redistribute bins to the top of the security checkpoint.

The overall mood of passengers seemed to be good that afternoon, even though it was a holiday weekend.  Lester and some of the other screeners agreed that most travelers are polite and well-behaved, and that they really didn't see people getting angry or upset at the checkpoint.  And my three hours there bore this out, even with those pulled aside for secondary screening or having their hand baggage checked.  I'm not sure I'd have the patience to do what has to be a pretty repetitive job -- but I do respect the job they have to do, even with the ongoing debate about the future of screeners and the move to more technology.

Comments

[Robin Coady]

Are airport xrays harmful to products passing through, ie. medicines, cell phones, toothbrushes, gum, personal items? Silly question, just curious. Thanks.

[Brandy (TSO)]

No, they are not, but it is recommended to let TSA officers physically inspect film and disposable cameras containing 800 speed and higher.

[Brandy (TSO)]

No, they are not, but it is recommended to let TSA officers physically inspect film and disposable cameras containing 800 speed and higher.

[x-ray fluorescence]

yeah nice blog.X-rays are most useful in so many purposes.They are used in so many security purpose areas..