Have a laugh on TSA!

[RotorheadTX]

Passing through the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport today I had a hysterical incident with TSA.
In my carry-on bag was an Airwaves set destined for Scooterman that I found at Scale Model Supplies.
A simple set for the EB-66, consisting of a resin tailcone, some white metal pods and antennae, and a P/E fret.
They X-rayed the bag once, then the set by itself, then insisted on opening the box for a visual inspection. 
I told them on each go-round it was model airplane parts... and could not stop laughing. It made my day!

[scooter]

They're a bunch of....

I was going through PHL last summer on a TDY out to Kansas.  First Soopertroooper yelled at one of my fellow squadron mates and I when we got near the security gate, telling us that since we were military we didn't need to get in line.  Mind you, we were wearing civilian clothes, but had issued military bags with us.  She could have flagged us down as we passed her to get to the end of the line.  The 2d was going through the actual checkpoint, when I'd forgotten to take my RFID blocking passport wallet out of my pants pocket.  So, of course it set off the metal detector, twice.  When I realized it, they had to wand me...even though I was showing them a military card.

And, since my Guard unit is co-located on a civilian airport, and the FAA Tech Center, they somehow have search authority on the ANG side of the airport.

Your US tax dollars at work... 

[PR19_Kit]

Ah yes, Minneapolis/St Paul Int., the native home of the 'I don't understand modelling' Customs agent.

Not exactly aircraft Whiff modelling, but definitely model railroad Whiffing. When I was en route to an NMRA Convention in Twin Cities, cunningly disguised as a 'Customer's Project Progress Meeting' at my employers head office in Eden Prairie, I had a small box of my own N Scale US railroad models with me. These were a mixture of original US made, Japanese made and European made locomotives, box cars and passenger cars, all painted in my own road's imaginary 'Pinetree and Western Railroad' scheme. I'd gone to some lengths to get them checked out of the UK Customs to ensure that I didn't have to pay duty when I took them back home and this required the US Customs to stamp the paperwork, both incoming and outgoing from the US. I took this lot to the Customs Agent, and flumoxed him totally! 

After a condsiderable amount of questioning he summarised the situation by saying 'So you wannna temporarily import an original Japanese model that'd been via the US and imported into the UK, and is now on it's way BACK into the US and you're going take it all home again afterward?' I assured him that was exactly what I wanted to do, and he replied 'Why would you wanna do that?' obviously trying to attach some subversive intentions to my request. He then said he'd have to call a Supervisor, and after a while another Agent came over and asked what the problem was.

I showed him my models and paperwork and he said 'Hey, great, are you going to the Convention at the weekend? My layout is on the Tour on  Sunday, I'd love to have you run those for me there'.................... 

No problems at all after that of course.

[Maverick]

I had a similar incident a few years ago at Melbourne Airport with some handcuffs.  I was a Prison Officer flying up to Mildura (a large country town) to escort back a prisoner who couldn't be moved by vehicle back to Melbourne.  The local rent-a-cop (Chubb Security - and anyone from here kinda knows what they're like) informs me that I'm not allowed to take them on the plane.  Here's me, uniform, equipment belt and police ID and they think they need to ask?  I asked him in return, if he thought an unrestrained prisoner on board one of his aircraft sounded like a good idea.  At that point, he complied, but asked me to put them somewhere where they couldn't be seen (I always carried on pair in a pouch and another tucked through my belt).

Whilst I realise everyone's got a job to do, common-sense seems to be somewhat of a non-requirement for these sort of roles.

Regards,

Mav