TSAs when leaving Boston

Just got off the Glory in Boston on Tuesday. I have knee replacements, so I am used to the very touchy pat down and do not have a problem.

As a former flight attendant, I am always very high on security and do not normally have a problem. Boston TSA was ridiculous or at least this one guy and wanted to let you all know if are leaving out of Boston. I made one mistake and thought that a jar of jelly(solid form) was OK. I admit, I now realize I was wrong but what happened next, to me, was too much. I was told(men do not run into this much, so mainly for the ladies) that we have to put anything in those quart bags that can be :drank, spread, sprayed, or poured. I did not realize they included 'spread' as everything from my lip color to a jar of night cream. That includes everything from Vaseline to my hardback book 'Jesus Calling'-yes, my religious daily Christian reading was pulled out of my bag and put back through security.

So, what I am trying to say is be very careful what you pack when you go out through Boston(and maybe other cities but NEVER saw this extreme before as in Boston) that may be questionable(in my case, it was a jar of blueberry jelly), as they will then go through your luggage and every container you have in your bag plus any religious books you might have.

**For those you have a habit on CC of putting people down for their comments, please resist on this thread. I am not looking for your negative thoughts, I am just trying to help those you might be flying out of Boston and make them aware (in my opinion)of over-zealous Boston TSA agents, a kind I have never run into and I am extremely well traveled.

**Hope this helps anyone flying back out of Boston. Thank you.

JMHO but maybe, just maybe TSA in Boston is a little "over the top" because of the Boston Marathon Massacre? I understand what you are saying completely, but I do wonder about them checking your religious book. I will be flying with a knee replacement for the first time in September so I am interested in how it works for other people.

They asked that items required to be in the quart bag be in the quart bag. Someone did not follow the rules and were subjected to extra security. Their book was sent back through as a precaution. TSA did their job and I hope that any airport I fly through has people just as diligent. TSA can, and will, pick random bags to search and those that disregard the guidelines are most likely to be the subject of these searches. The only 'warning' people need is to follow the easily accessible TSA guidelines available for anyone flying through US airports these days. A jar of 'jelly'....yes, I can see the issue.

I have come to accept all the security hassles with traveling. It's a pain in the rear but in some very small way they are trying to keep us safe, I think.

The big problem is the inconsistency of TSA and it's officers. I have traveled a lot in the past 10 years and it's sad that you get different levels of scrutiny at different airports. They ignore things at one airport, but confiscate them at others. Some airports children do not have to take off their shoes, but other's its required. Some airports freak out if you have your toiletries or medicines in a ziplock back larger than quart size, others don't seem to care if you put it all in a clear kitchen trash bag.

Granted most of the restrictions are just dumb, I can't take a 12oz bottle of shampoo on an airplane, but I can take 5 3oz bottles...yep that makes sense.

These days when I travel, I just expect the worst. TSA just loves me and my kids. I pack anything thats liquid/gel/cream, medicines or anything even close in a big ziplock bag and put it on the conveyer. The boys and I strip off our shoes, put our laptops, cell phones, video games, iPod's, camera, and anything else with a battery into separate bins (between the boys and I we could power a small country with all these electronics) and put it all on the conveyer belt to be x-ray'd. God forbid we try and put several electronic items in the same bin!

I have come to accept all the security hassles with traveling. It's a pain in the rear but in some very small way they are trying to keep us safe, I think.

 

The big problem is the inconsistency of TSA and it's officers. I have traveled a lot in the past 10 years and it's sad that you get different levels of scrutiny at different airports. They ignore things at one airport, but confiscate them at others. Some airports children do not have to take off their shoes, but other's its required. Some airports freak out if you have your toiletries or medicines in a ziplock back larger than quart size, others don't seem to care if you put it all in a clear kitchen trash bag.

 

Granted most of the restrictions are just dumb, I can't take a 12oz bottle of shampoo on an airplane, but I can take 5 3oz bottles...yep that makes sense.

 

These days when I travel, I just expect the worst. TSA just loves me and my kids. I pack anything thats liquid/gel/cream, medicines or anything even close in a big ziplock bag and put it on the conveyer. The boys and I strip off our shoes, put our laptops, cell phones, video games, iPod's, camera, and anything else with a battery into separate bins (between the boys and I we could power a small country with all these electronics) and put it all on the conveyer belt to be x-ray'd. God forbid we try and put several electronic items in the same bin!

And thus I have no problem with diligence.

If you do (or even a bottle of water) they will confiscate it, as it might be something dangerous, and drop it into a bin directly behind them. It will then sit there for possibly hours just waiting for it 'to do' whatever it was supposed to do when on the plane. In theory the plane will then be safe to take off....the airport?...not so much. :cool:

Boston and it's two regional airports are all ridiculous when it comes to security.

BOS must be a training facility. They are soooo sllloooowwwwwww and often send bins back through a second, third, and even fourth time. Seriously, if you can't find it on the first pass through, you shouldn't have the job.

MHT is just ridiculous. They have hassled me about a corkscrew (specifically allowed), a pair of safety scissors with a 3/4" blade (specifically allowed), and an empty--yes EMPTY--water bottle.

PVD has a serious problem. I have documented this several times and contacted the TSA, and nothing has been done. Your chances of being sent through the digital strip machine are tripled if you are a female. Your chances of being selected for a pat down screening are 80% if you are a female between the ages of 16 and 26 and have a nice figure.

I've sat at the gate directly adjacent to the security area and kept count, I have 16 hours of data taken on 12 different occasions. Yes, I'm making some serious accusations.

Most polite TSA: OAK, IND, and ABE.

I travel frequently. If I am checking a bag, everything possible goes into that bag and I carry no liquids at all in my carry on bag, 3,1,1 bag. Nothing.

If I am going carry on only, I severely limit the items in my 3,1,1 bag.

The TSA is a fact of life. Living with it is part of travel. I make it as easy for myself as possible.

I travel frequently. If I am checking a bag, everything possible goes into that bag and I carry no liquids at all in my carry on bag, 3,1,1 bag. Nothing.

 

If I am going carry on only, I severely limit the items in my 3,1,1 bag.

 

The TSA is a fact of life. Living with it is part of travel. I make it as easy for myself as possible.

Pre-Check is your friend!!!!

(If you're at an airport that has it...)

I have worked behind security in all three NY major airports. TSA and enforcement is different in each airport. Heck it is different in each terminal as well.

For example I am 6'8" and when required to go thru the body scanner actually the Millimeter Wave Scanner (that's the one that spins) my head is out of the scanner coverage area. At EWR at one terminal they require to touch my head (even had a short or is that vertically challenged agent stand on a chair, I should have called OSHA). I don't have have thick or long hair heck they saw my bald spot which at my height only my barber sees ;)

At LGA I'm waved thru, and at JFK BA Terminal I have to get extra screening.

So what is the standard?

From Saturday Night Live "TSA our business is to touch your business".

TSA is a dog-and-security show only. It adds nothing to security that the old method did. I mean, what do you expect when you advertise for employees on the top of pizza boxes?? Pedophiles and felons have been hired - what happened to the due diligence of a background check?????

You can't take that bottle water onboard because it might contain some terrorist binary substance that, when combined with 4-5 other bottles from your friends IN A STABLE LAB setting might produce a boom. Yet, the bottles are tossed into a trash can and sit there all day long. Food items deemed suspect (remember the cupcakes confiscated because they were done in a jar and had lots of icing) goes to the lunchroom....

TSA clerks make up rules to suit themselves depending on the day of the, phase of the moon...

Sorry. TSA justs wastes money.

. I will be flying with a knee replacement for the first time in September so I am interested in how it works for other people.

You won't know until you get there, if you will need a secondary search. I went through 5 airport security entries my last trip. 4 in the US, 1 in Canada. I have a lot of hard wear (significantly more than knee or hip replacements) and it set off the screening only once. I waked through the metal detectors, without incident the other 4 times.

It doesn't help that we're in the Summer travel season where more inexperienced pax are flying & thus slowing things down overall. Last week going through security at IAD was painful, on a Tuesday afternoon (granted in a holiday week). The TSA agents at the ID check were quizzing most pax more than normal, especially children.

A typical interaction:

What's your name? Bobby (when boarding pass says Robert)

What's this lady's name (pointing at parent)? Mommy

Where are you going today? On the plane!

My hands were swabbed prior to the baggage screening, that's a new one for me.

Being the departure point for one of the 9/11 aircraft, BOS seems to take everything to the absurd max. IMO, that's a big reason for the repetitive scanning/ID checking at BOS.

Being the departure point for one [sic] of the 9/11 aircraft, BOS seems to take everything to the absurd max. IMO, that's a big reason for the repetitive scanning/ID checking at BOS.

I've only flown once out of BOS since those 2 9/11 flights & don't recall a delay. Though I would not attribute same excuse to our experience at IAD, also a 9/11 departure point, (post #12) but rather to TSA over exuberance or generally putting on a show to the 'don't get out much crowd'.

P.S. OP (former FA): on my last trip: ATL-DCA; IAD-ATL yet again my favorite bottle of face lotion that's 4 oz made it thru in my plastic baggie w its 3 oz friends...it's on a TSA experiment tour until someone takes it out. :eek:

Yes...got my three departure points and four flights confused. My error.

I've only flown once out of BOS since those 2 9/11 flights & don't recall a delay. Though I would not attribute same excuse to our experience at IAD, also a 9/11 departure point, (post #12) but rather to TSA over exuberance or generally putting on a show to the 'don't get out much crowd'.

 

P.S. OP (former FA): on my last trip: ATL-DCA; IAD-ATL yet again my favorite bottle of face lotion that's 4 oz made it thru in my plastic baggie w its 3 oz friends...it's on a TSA experiment tour until someone takes it out. :eek:

LOL--Love it!!

OP, I so agree with you. Boston is the pits to clear security in, and it's the place I have to use most often when flying overseas. :( I must have run into that same TSA agent when I went through a few years ago: he had me in tears (not an easy thing to do, btw) from screaming at me because I had my passport in my hand when I went through the machine!

Ooo. Sorry. But can't you correct me without screaming??? Since my carry-ons had already gone in another direction, what was I supposed to do with it, anyway???

Hate Boston airport now, and dread it every time I have to use it.

Pre-Check is your friend!!!!

 

(If you're at an airport that has it...)

And people complain about "a culture of bribery" in other countries. For $100 precheck allows you buy your way to what really ought to be normal screening.

And people complain about "a culture of bribery" in other countries. For $100 precheck allows you buy your way to what really ought to be normal screening.

Enrolling in Pre-Check is free.

Enrolling in Pre-Check is free.

No, it isn't. If you have status with certain airlines (Delta for sure), you may be "invited" to enter information to be considered for the random Pre-check.

There is Global Entry, which is the one that costs money. You have to go through a security check, and an interview with a CBP officer. If you pass, you get your Global Entry number and ID card. Put that in with your personal information when you register for your flight.

Global Entry also allows very expedited passage back into the US at Immigration checkpoints at certain airports. You go to the kiosks instead of standing in line. Enter your data, do the fingerprint check, and you're off.

No, it isn't. If you have status with certain airlines (Delta for sure), you may be "invited" to enter information to be considered for the random Pre-check.

There is Global Entry, which is the one that costs money. You have to go through a security check, and an interview with a CBP officer. If you pass, you get your Global Entry number and ID card. Put that in with your personal information when you register for your flight.

Global Entry also allows very expedited passage back into the US at Immigration checkpoints at certain airports. You go to the kiosks instead of standing in line. Enter your data, do the fingerprint check, and you're off.

I have Global Entry, I know all about how it increases your chances of Pre-Check. However, even before I had Global Entry, I was able to enroll in Pre-Check through both American and United, for free, and without being approached by either airline. It was about 50/50 as to if I actually was granted Pre-Check "capabilities" when I approached security, versus 95% now that I have Pre-Check. However, that doesn't change the fact that Pre-Check can be completely free...but paying does increase your chances. That's what I was getting at.

I have Global Entry, I know all about how it increases your chances of Pre-Check. However, even before I had Global Entry, I was able to enroll in Pre-Check through both American and United, for free, and without being approached by either airline. It was about 50/50 as to if I actually was granted Pre-Check "capabilities" when I approached security, versus 95% now that I have Pre-Check. However, that doesn't change the fact that Pre-Check can be completely free...but paying does increase your chances. That's what I was getting at.

You must have status at both those airlines. TSA joined with some airlines to offer their elite fliers the Pre-Check. Think about it, though - if you fly enough to qualify for elite status, you have paid enough of money to the airlines, and given up your time... The deal is you have to be invited - not too many Kettles will have that happen ;-)

You must have status at both those airlines. TSA joined with some airlines to offer their elite fliers the Pre-Check. Think about it, though - if you fly enough to qualify for elite status, you have paid enough of money to the airlines, and given up your time... The deal is you have to be invited - not too many Kettles will have that happen ;-)

I have high status with AA and minimal status with UA. And sure, you make a good point. But I stand by my claim that Pre-Check is free ;)

Was in BOS about a month ago. Used Pre-Check. Sailed right through. No line at all. Guy checking IDs and boarding passes was even kind when I accidentally pulled up my DFW-BOS boarding pass from instead of my BOS-DFW one.

easy peasy.

My wife and I flew from BWI to Montego Bay, Jamaica last week. First flight in 12 years and TSA at BWI wasn't bad, I made it through in about two minutes, my wife is disabled and they patted her down and they were extremely nice even as I was joking about getting a early massage.

It is ridiculous about the 3oz bottles. The first store you see from the security check point is a Bath and Body Store where you can buy big bottles of new stuff after you have to throw away what you had in your bag. I wonder if the TSA get kick backs from them:)LOL.