I'm a sometimes frequent flyer but less often in the US, so I don't have any kind of pre-screening. I have never had a problem, other than the occasional line, with TSA. I actually have found them regularly polite and joking. I think this could be because I'm familiar with the procedures, and generally very well organized to go through screening.
There are lots of horror stories about flying, things can go wrong occasionally, personally I would fly anywhere that's > 3 hours or roughly the break even to get there faster, unless I need a car for some reason. If you are familiar with it it's really not as bad as the horror stories.
It is not the agents I have a problem with, it is the process. You are correct the agents are normally friendly and efficient. I have objections about the process from having to take all your crap out, take your belt off, shoes, no liquids, stand with your hand over your head while someone in another room passed millimeter waves through you taking a look at a near pornographic photo of you...
That does not seem like things a person not accused or convicted of a crime in a free society should have to be subjected to just to travel, that seems like something you would find in a Authoritarian dystopia novel not a free society
I opt-out of the scanner. Every time. It rarely delays me more than 10 minutes (and usually 3-5).
I personally think it’s an unreasonable search (meaning, there’s a less intrusive way to accomplish the legitimate goal that TSA has); it seems like they don’t want to have that tested in court, so the opt-out process avoids giving a pax that standing to sue over it.
I agree completely. Somehow I've decided flying isn't my hill to die on and so i just try and go though the process as efficiently as possible, which ends up making it relatively painless. We shouldn't have to put up with it though.
I always opt out. Very occasionally the screeners are grumpy, but usually completely indifferent or a little curious about why opt out (do you know something about the radiation?). The time difference is negligible from what I've seen.
I flew out very early one morning and put my toothbrush, etc, in a small plastic bag and stuffed it into my duffel.
The scanner detected the liquid so they pulled me to the side. As soon as the TSA agent saw the bag with the toothbrush she made a "ugh" sound, had an annoyed look on her face, then closed everything back up and let me through.
There are lots of horror stories about flying, things can go wrong occasionally, personally I would fly anywhere that's > 3 hours or roughly the break even to get there faster, unless I need a car for some reason. If you are familiar with it it's really not as bad as the horror stories.