TSA, Customer Service and Sippy Cups

June 16, 2007
Filed Under Change Management, Customer Experience |

I’d like to start by saying that 99% of the time the people a the TSA do a fair, quick and accurate screening at the airport. It’s important to remember this as we review this story and the TSA’s bogus response to it. Oh and shame on the mainstream media for not linking to Bill Adler’s source post on this issue. Washington Post is a notable exception.

Here are some concerns about the TSA the other 1% of the time and in the handling of this case:

1) In March when returning from the CTIA conference in Orlando, I took a bottle of water through security. The TSA agent allowed me to consume it on the spot and toss the container. As he should have. Why the inconsistency in treatment? The issue of TSA inconsistency is a serious one.

2) On my way to Orlando, I experienced a TSA agent who screened my bag 4 times and was downright rude. So rude in fact that I filled out a complaint form upon my return and received a form letter from the TSA two days later. The body language of the first man in this video with the woman is almost exactly the same I experienced and we should see the whole tape. So why the selective video release of the woman spilling/dumping the water? What is the TSA hiding? I’d like to request in the interest of fairness that the TSA immediately release the WHOLE VIDEO. This will likely not be so flattering to the TSA. 

3)  Since we as travelers pay fees for the TSA to operate, why aren’t we treated like the customers that we truly are?

4) 2008 candidates for President have questioned the TSA in general. In his May 22, 2007 speech, “In the Name of Patriotism”, Ron Paul stated:

“The war mentality, and the pervasive fear of an unidentified enemy, allows for a steady erosion of our liberties, and with this our respect for self reliance and confidence is lost.  Just think of the self sacrifice and the humiliation we go through at the airport screening process on a routine basis.  Though there’s no scientific evidence of any likelihood of liquids and gels being mixed on an airplane to make a bomb, billions of dollars are wasted throwing away toothpaste and hairspray and searching old women in wheelchairs.”

The inability to have a consistent culture and the selective release of video shows serious problems at the TSA that needs to immediately addressed. The selective release of the partial video is outrageous. It’s sad that an incident like this had to occur to bring the national spotlight to this issue. I wonder how this will be resolved?




First time visitor? Please subscribe to my blog feedfeed me

Related Posts:
  • Comcast Tech Tells Story
  • UPS CEO States “Someone Else Might Have a Different Fresher Approach”
  • “CTA riders are in for a rail mess” per Chicago Tribune
  • Marc Freedman’s Linkedin Question

    • Comments

    4 Responses to “TSA, Customer Service and Sippy Cups”

    1. Tiffany on June 16th, 2007 10:17 pm

      I am a TSA employee and in response to the video I saw nothing wrong. She purposely dumped the contents out of the cup and the person that detained her was not a TSA agent but either DOA agent or police. The uniform was totally different. I do admit that there is a bit of inconsistency within the organization but if we we’re all consistent or if everything were done in such a uniform manner then that would make us as an American people vulnerable.

    2. Marianne on June 17th, 2007 9:19 am

      You mention that this video is selective, and what is the TSA hiding (their treatment of her prior to the incident?). The video is pretty clear that she opens the cup & pours its contents on the floor. What behavior on the TSA’s part would justify that action? There are ways to handle situations calmly, rationally, professionally. I imagine that, as a former Secret Service agent, Ms. Emmerson would have been trained to exhibit such self-control. It does not show in this video.

    3. David on June 17th, 2007 9:23 am

      That’s right. Without seeing the whole video making unfounded statements about her actions is completely inappropriate. Why is the TSA selectively releasing only a portion of the incident?

    4. Marianne on June 17th, 2007 9:26 am

      Another comment. “there’s no scientific evidence of any likelihood of liquids and gels being mixed on an airplane to make a bomb”. Let’s say there’s a traffic light at a local intersection. You feel that there should not be a traffic light at this intersection, as the level of traffic does not require a light. You file a case with the municipality, perhaps they remove the light. But in the meantime, don’t you have to respect the rules of the traffic light while it is there? If you decide to go through the red light, are pulled over and given a ticket, do you deserve that ticket?

    Leave a Reply