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[science_expat]

Today I was asked to take a plastic Bic pen from my breast pocket and send it through the x-ray.

Others?

[dr_strangelove]

I had a tube of toothpaste confiscated even though it had been squeezed down almost all the way because the original tube had held more than 3 oz of toothpaste.

[j_source]

I forgot to take my mascara out of my carry-on.  He found it, opened it, verified that it was, in fact, mascara and not plastique and threw it away anyway.  WTF?  That's just punitive.

[voxprincipalis]

I was asked to take off my very thin cardigan, under which I wore only a camisole, and was then visibly ogled by the entire (male) security team, who did not let me put my cardigan back on until I was out of the security area. Their rationale was that I was not allowed to wear any layers. Meanwhile, several other people got through with sweaters and suit jackets just fine.

VP

[figee]

I was made to remove layers and hiking boots a few years ago.  This was fine (almost immediately after 9/11) BUT it was during an international transfer, so I'd already gone through security once with the Brits, and the American security stopped me again.  This was in an airport lounge immediately before boarding my flight to the states, so everyone saw.  And then my ticket was changed, so I was put into a different seat, beside the Bosnian Muslim refugees.  I kid you not.  Obviously in the 'marked row', where all the trouble was going to start.  FFS.

[sugaree]

I was asked to remove plastic flip flops - not a big deal, but really? A bomb in a 1/2 inch of foam rubber sole?

Recently, I forgot that I had a bottle of flavored olive oil in my carry on (more than 3 oz). Of course they pulled it out, and I was sad, but accepted my mistake. I told the screener she should take the bottle home (it was sealed and everything) so it wouldn't be wasted, but nope. She had to throw it away. (I like to think she fished it out of the trash later and took it home anyway). It was so tasty!

[doctor_torrseal]

I was asked to take off my very thin cardigan, under which I wore only a camisole, and was then visibly ogled by the entire (male) security team, who did not let me put my cardigan back on until I was out of the security area. Their rationale was that I was not allowed to wear any layers. Meanwhile, several other people got through with sweaters and suit jackets just fine.

Many years before 9/11, there was a Saturday Night Live sketch with Sharon Stone going through airport security that was a lot like this.

Most of the incidents on this thread sound like random screener crankiness, but this one is worth a formal complaint letter to TSA.  It may sound unlikely to produce results, but most big organizations have some kind of complaint tracking system and it would be worth making them open a ticket.  If only so it's there when the next victim writes a complaint letter.

[dr_stones]

The single most obnoxious behavior I've encountered by a TSA screener was in a regional airport of a large city (big city, not a hub).  As Roy the Screening Guy is looking over my plastic bag, he starts talking about how the Asian guy before me (who had taken a while to clear because neither he nor Roy have much of a command of English) was carrying porn, and it was "white American porn ... I mean, you'd think he'd get some Chinese porn? Why is he lookin' at American women, knowhatImean?"

I told him I didn't, asked for his supervisor, and we had a little talk about decorum.

I drive a lot these days.  And maybe, if I find some Chinese porn, I'll send it to Roy.

[hollow_man]

1) The majority of TSA screeners would probably be working in fast food if not for TSA.

2) The whole song and dance is a farce that adds little security. The system can be defeated by anyone. It's performance art.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/10/20/airline.scare/

[science_expat]

My experience was in the UK.

For my best TSA story - how about the whiskey they stole from my checked-in bag?

The whiskey was purchased duty free in Heathrow and decanted into two plastic water bottles in San Francisco to reduce weight. Both bottles were in a zip lock bag (to minimize spillage) in my checked luggage for a flight to Seattle.

In Seattle, I found that my suitcase had been opened and one of the two bottles removed for being suspicious. Tasting suspiciously good, methinks. And I still can't understand why they didn't steal both bottles....

[locutus]

1) The majority of TSA screeners would probably be working in fast food if not for TSA.

2) The whole song and dance is a farce that adds little security. The system can be defeated by anyone. It's performance art.

This about sums up why airport security is so frequently absurd.

[yemaya]

For my best TSA story - how about the whiskey they stole from my checked-in bag?

A TSA agent stole an expensive strapless bra out of my sister's checked-in bag.  I kid you not.  Sis discovered it as she was getting ready for a family party and had to make a detour to Kohl's or something enroute.  By the time she arrived at said party, a much more risque version of the story was going around which had my sister wearing the bra at the time it was stolen.

[_touchedbyanoodle_]

My husband's ipod charger and prescription sunglasses were stolen out of his checked bag on our last flight. I tried to find some means of filing a claim, but alas, this cannot be done*.

*I'd happily take a correction on this.

[notaprof]

It's about to get worse, they are installing new machines that take a full body xray of every person going through security.  LAX is to be one of the first places to have them or may already have them (I missed the first part of the news story).  There have already been protests against the use of such machines and the response so far is to have fig leaf areas to protect passenger privacy!  It would have made it easier to notice yemaya's sisters strapless bra while she was wearing it though and perhaps caught the attention of theiving TSA guards.

I keep forgetting the requirement to remove all layers and like Vox have had embarrassing times passing through security because of the skimpiness or sheerness of a top I would never wear alone without a sweater or jacket.

[yemaya]

It's about to get worse, they are installing new machines that take a full body xray of every person going through security.  LAX is to be one of the first places to have them or may already have them (I missed the first part of the news story).  There have already been protests against the use of such machines and the response so far is to have fig leaf areas to protect passenger privacy!  It would have made it easier to notice yemaya's sisters strapless bra while she was wearing it though and perhaps caught the attention of theiving TSA guards.

Yeah, those should be illegal.  There's no proof that such an invasive scan is really going to do squat for security and it leaves far too much room for abuse.