Behave at the Checkpoint, Children, or It Will Go on Your Permanent Record

USA Today reports on another flyer ‘list’ kept by the government:

Airline passengers who get frustrated and kick a wall, throw a suitcase or make a pithy comment to a screener could find themselves in a little-known Homeland Security database.

The Transportation Security Administration says it is keeping records of people who make its screeners feel threatened as part of an effort to prevent workplace violence.

Remember – you must respect their authoritah!

The database was created in late 2007 as the TSA launched a program to prevent the nation’s 50,000 airport screeners from being attacked or threatened, agency spokeswoman Kristin Lee said. At the time, TSA officials voiced concern about passengers disrespecting screeners, and they began issuing new uniforms with police-style badges pinned to shirts.

(Emphasis mine.)

But how’s this list of folks on double secret probation with the TSA working out?

Lee said attacks and threats against screeners are “rare” and the database has records from about 240 incidents. Most are screeners in conflict with other screeners.

No surprise there…

(Via Musings of the Global Traveller.)

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Pingbacks

  1. […] Why have such a list? “The database was created in late 2007 as the TSA launched a program to prevent the nation’s 50,000 airport screeners from being attacked or threatened, agency spokeswoman Kristin Lee said. At the time, TSA officials voiced concern about passengers disrespecting screeners, and they began issuing new uniforms with police-style badges pinned to shirts.” Jawohl, mein Kommandant! Oh, by the way, most of the incidents are actually cases of screeners threatening other screeners. (Via View from the Wing.) […]

Comments

  1. “police-style badges pinned to shirts”

    Personally, I think they should each get one bullet to keep in their shirt pockets too.

    Nip it. You go read any book you want on the subject of airline passenger discipline and you’ll find every one of them is in favor of bud-nipping.

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