TSA tactic in practice since 2007 shocks frequent flier

You’re subject to a TSA search no matter where you are in the airport.

That’s a revelation that’s taken many by surprise since a video in an Ohio airport surfaced. As shown, passengers at the gate have their drinks inspected by TSA.

Gate screening is TSA’s “safety net.” If they miss someone or something, they hope to catch it before it gets on the plane.

Frequent-flier Luke Burbank wasn’t acquainted with the procedure and was flabbergasted. Already upset with overbearing security measures, it seemed like just another step too far.

Listener Amanda from Bonny Lake had experienced one of these checks before:

My husband and I don’t fly often but a few years ago we were taking a trip to Cancun. We had made it through security and were sitting, waiting to board when two TSA agents came up to where I was half-napping thanks to my airplane Xanax. They said we were randomly chosen for a search. They went though my purse, our carry-ons, and swabbed everything, including our Starbucks. Since we are not frequent travelers I only just learned this was out of the ordinary! Anyway this was approximately 2008 so it’s been going on a long time.

Still, Luke is upset “billions of dollars” spent on TSA gets priced into our plane tickets, and for what? His primary example of the TSA run amok was a trip to Midland, Mich.

There were seven people flying and eleven TSA agents. “They have too many people, there’s not enough to do, and they’re not catching anybody, because none of us are terrorists.”

For Dave Ross, the “security theater” of TSA seems to be enough to keep the terrorists from trying and that’s good enough for him.

“Two times a year, I’m willing to sit in bizarro-land and let the people in blue tell me what to do.” If he doesn’t want to fly, he won’t, but at least he knows someone is looking out for their safety.