> My biggest challenge over the years was remembering what to do in each place as the security people at the airports had a tendency to get upset if you didn't do it their preferred way.
For as much as I complain about security theater and think they’re mostly useless, this is genuinely my biggest issue with TSA. It’s wildly inconsistent, there’s insufficient signage, and they act like you’re an idiot if you haven’t correctly guessed what today’s rules are.
Two weeks ago in San Diego, the security line forked into two conveyor belt lines. I walked past the first option (the second had a shorter line), and as I did, the guy stationed there was loudly shouting to the whole line that all electronic devices bigger than a cell phone must be removed from bags. I proceeded to the second line, where I got scolded for taking my laptop out of my bag. I gestured to the other guy and said "he told us all electronic items bigger than a cell phone should be removed." The response? "That's that line, this is this line."
This is my biggest complaint too. The entire idiotic process would be a lot more efficient if they just had consistent expectations and a consistent process so we could all just comply without having to clarify things or being told we're doing it wrong.
Also, could they please give us a reasonable place to move our stuff to while we put our shoes on so we're not holding up the line?
For as much as I complain about security theater and think they’re mostly useless, this is genuinely my biggest issue with TSA. It’s wildly inconsistent, there’s insufficient signage, and they act like you’re an idiot if you haven’t correctly guessed what today’s rules are.