TSA at Portland airport (Bangor, Augusta: how much, house, live) - Maine (ME) -Portland, ME metro area - City-Data Forum

yellowdog · 09-09-2010, 09:03 PM

I've been lucky enough to travel a lot in the last ten years or so, and without fail, the worst security at any airport has been in Portland. I've been there seven times over the last five years, and every time they seem to be the rudest TSA employees I'ver ever come across. I don't know if this is because of the 9/11 hijackers coming through there, or what, but they act like they are the Gestapo. Even at JFK in NYC they are much nicer.

At the jetport, they practically roughed up my 71-year old mother because they were frisking her and got mad at her because she couldn't stand on one leg because she recently had her knee replaced. She actually exited the security booth in tears.

Just this week, my wife had strawberry jam from Jordan's Pond House in Bar Harbor. She wasn't even thinking that it wouldn't be allowed through. The female TSA employee said she would have to go back downstairs and check it, or she would have to throw it away. Even though my wife felt bad about it, she had a long day and told the employee that she could just throw it away. There were no hard feelings on our part. Rules are rules, and we understand. But then the TSA employee holds it up and very smugly says, "well, okay, then it's going in the garbage", and she turns for the garbage before turning around to look at my wife, and very rudely said, "in the garbage it goes", and tossed it away. It was so unprofessional that I really wanted to say something, but I figured it was a battle I couldn't win.

Again, I can see throwing it away because that's the rules, but there is no need for immature theatrics, and for treating my wife like a child. Then as my wife walks away, the woman tells another employee, "well, I gave her a chance, but she wanted me to throw it away, so I threw it away. I wasn't lying". It was ridiculous. My wife never even had an attitude. Quite frankly, she is the nicest person alive. So the whole thing just left such a bad taste in my life. And this happens every time there. They are always snippy and rude to everybody in line.

I love Maine. It's my favorite place in the world, even though I've never lived there, and one of the reasons is because the people are so amazingly nice. So this is the only thing about Maine that makes me feel bad about the state.

So I'm just curious if this is this something that is well known in Maine or has this just been my experience?

mainerwoman · 09-09-2010, 09:15 PM

After 7 bad experiences, and if JFK in NYC is better, I would avoid that jetport. Fly into Bangor or into Manchester Nh. or into Augusta.

Kiwiluver · 09-09-2010, 10:29 PM

Most of these people, along with the US Border Patrol would work at Wal-Mart at best (not that there is anything wrong with working there, just not as good benefits with no power over another human being) if these jobs didn't exsist. I work for many years in the mental health field in corrections. The same applies for chain-gang guards. I was hasselled on a regular basis coming in and out of prisons, even though I had been doing so for years and was actually a very high pay grade. This behavior was encouraged by their superiors. The "officers" felt I was "babying" inmates, and treated me accordingly.They can be that way, so they are. The little man with the title complex. I was flying out of the Albany, NY airport, leaving my Daddy's funeral with his folded flag. One of the TSA guys asked me what branch he was, I replied "Navy" he then told me I was going to unfold Daddy's flag because navel tradition dictated a bullet be folded in the corner of the flag. I told him,"I don't think we will be doing this today" at which time a crowd gathered, he relinquished and x-rayed it. I appreciate them keeping us safe, if that was the case, fact is they get their jollies treating folks like you described. It is sad. I travel quite a bit and see this over and over, grin and bear it and travel prepared. The rules are posted on their website. I wear flip flops, if I do carry my laptop, it is out, no liquids except insulin, check my tolietries. no lighters (I do enjoy a fine ceegar in the company of proper gentlemen on occasion) use stick matches, cash in pocket wallet in basket (phone, keys,ect) don't give em a chance to harass you. I flew out of Burlington Vermont the day the "no liquid" policy went into effect, you shoulda seen all the maple syurp in the trash (I wonder how much the TSA folk took home that day.

Maineah · 09-10-2010, 07:32 AM

I'm not a frequent flyer but my wife is. She warned me about the PWM TSA people before our trip to California in May. I tend to joke around when nervous and yes taking off my belt , holding my pants up with one hand while kicking off my shoes and making sure the stuff in my pockets were in the proper baskets all while trying to "move the line along" tends to make one a bit tense. She told me not to even attempt to be joking with the PWM TSA people as they have absolutely no sense of humor. I put cash in the basket and was barked at by some guy to put it in my pocket. I was pushed out of the way at the end of the line by another while I was attempting to "get dressed" again after retreiving my belt,shoes,wallet, cell phone,rain coat, and carry on bag. She wasn't nice about it either. Expecting the same treatment when we left San Francisco for the trip home I was pleasantlly surprised that we were not rushed in any way. The TSA people explained what was going on and said Please and Thank you when asking us to do something specific.

dmyankee · 09-10-2010, 10:44 AM

Like Mark Steyn says, the poeple harassing you at the airport were taking in your bags for tips 10 years ago. The popular motto for the TSA is "Thousands Standing Around."

flycessna · 09-10-2010, 03:27 PM

I have travelled quite a bit on a regualr basis and I honestly see no difference anywhere I have been.. some are jerks, some are professional??

But I had a friend that did that job as a supervisor for the past 7 years and believe me the job sucks! He was dragged through the mud and repremanded for the stupidest things you could ever imagine. And most of the time it was because he was using commen sense and basing decisions like you or I would. Like when he let a 80 year old man board a plane after they discovered he had a swiss army knife in his pocket.. ( you know like the kind some people carry with them their whole lives)he still kept the knife and had it shiped back home which is way above and beyond what I would have expected but the TSA didnt see it that way.. I think he got suspended for 2 days for that incident. The TSA wants robotic rejects who cant think for themselves.. So either you quit or you go with the flow.

Who in their right mind wants to take a jar of jam from someone. Yes its important work... but lets face it.. its tedious and they get zero respect..

I try and take people at face value but with a grain of salt too.. you never know whats going on. She might have just been dragged through an internal investigation because someone complained she kept something that was left behind (like the Jam)??

dmyankee · 09-10-2010, 07:41 PM

"Raise your hands where we can see them, and step away from the jam!"

lifetimeliguy · 09-10-2010, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellowdog

I've been lucky enough to travel a lot in the last ten years or so, and without fail, the worst security at any airport has been in Portland. I've been there seven times over the last five years, and every time they seem to be the rudest TSA employees I'ver ever come across. I don't know if this is because of the 9/11 hijackers coming through there, or what, but they act like they are the Gestapo. Even at JFK in NYC they are much nicer.

At the jetport, they practically roughed up my 71-year old mother because they were frisking her and got mad at her because she couldn't stand on one leg because she recently had her knee replaced. She actually exited the security booth in tears.

Just this week, my wife had strawberry jam from Jordan's Pond House in Bar Harbor. She wasn't even thinking that it wouldn't be allowed through. The female TSA employee said she would have to go back downstairs and check it, or she would have to throw it away. Even though my wife felt bad about it, she had a long day and told the employee that she could just throw it away. There were no hard feelings on our part. Rules are rules, and we understand. But then the TSA employee holds it up and very smugly says, "well, okay, then it's going in the garbage", and she turns for the garbage before turning around to look at my wife, and very rudely said, "in the garbage it goes", and tossed it away. It was so unprofessional that I really wanted to say something, but I figured it was a battle I couldn't win.

Again, I can see throwing it away because that's the rules, but there is no need for immature theatrics, and for treating my wife like a child. Then as my wife walks away, the woman tells another employee, "well, I gave her a chance, but she wanted me to throw it away, so I threw it away. I wasn't lying". It was ridiculous. My wife never even had an attitude. Quite frankly, she is the nicest person alive. So the whole thing just left such a bad taste in my life. And this happens every time there. They are always snippy and rude to everybody in line.

I love Maine. It's my favorite place in the world, even though I've never lived there, and one of the reasons is because the people are so amazingly nice. So this is the only thing about Maine that makes me feel bad about the state.

So I'm just curious if this is this something that is well known in Maine or has this just been my experience?

Even at JFK ? What kind of a statement is that ? I go through there often, the TSA people are no different there than any other part of the country. Most are professional. Some are not. This also happens in Des Moines.

yellowdog · 09-16-2010, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lifetimeliguy

Even at JFK ? What kind of a statement is that ? I go through there often, the TSA people are no different there than any other part of the country. Most are professional. Some are not. This also happens in Des Moines.

What kind of statement is that? Pretty obvious. I lived in NYC for seven years and just moved away. They have to be on guard even more at NYC airports because they are bigger and are a bigger target. Yet they are a million times nicer and more professional than the Portland TSA.

bangorme · 09-16-2010, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellowdog

What kind of statement is that? Pretty obvious. I lived in NYC for seven years and just moved away. They have to be on guard even more at NYC airports because they are bigger and are a bigger target. Yet they are a million times nicer and more professional than the Portland TSA.

Sorry that you have had problems with TSA in Portland. I fly through there all the time and have yet to have a problem. Could it be just me, or ...