Another open letter to the TSA

This time with less swearing.

Dan (from the comments on the previous entry) was right. Instead of just ranting about it here, I should tell the TSA directly about my experience. So I did.

Here it is, in all of its semi-polite glory:

- - - - -

I went on a trip to NYC on 3/19/09 with my family which includes 1 husband, 1 7.5 year old and a pair (2) 18 month old b/g twins. Since the changes to security, we were required to check any luggage that had liquids in it (e.g. contact lens solution) or buy wasteful miniature versions of same (because of a FAILED attempt at a chemical bomb). We also have to carry on 2 children, 1 booster seat, 3 carry-on bags, jackets for all of the above, 2 blankies, 2 umbrella strollers and ourselves. This makes for a LOT of gear to have to cart through the airport.

This is us, a family of 5, traveling light.

To be stopped during the screening process and have to remove our SHOES because of a SINGLE (failed) instance (of a bomb in shoes), seems ridiculous. Having to remove the shoes of my 18 month old twins is even MORE ridiculous. On top of THAT, having to take away their comforting blankets AND jackets so that those can also be scanned as I carried my shoeless, screaming twins through the metal detector was infuriating.

To make it THIS HARD to get through security puts a chilling effect in place for families that may want to travel. Making it as stressful as it was has ensured that I will NOT be flying and taking my family anywhere again, until such time as either a family member dies or these rules - put in place during a different administration for feel good measures ONLY - are removed.

I feel certain that I am not the only mother that feels this way, either. Considering that the economy of many of our states depends on tourist dollars, making travel harder for no appreciable increase in security is a waste of US taxpayer dollars and time.

I would really love to see these useless measures be removed from the security screening taking place in US airports. Replace it with something that actually WILL increase security.

Oh and you might as well get rid of all of the National Security signs that detail the current colorful state of our threat level. No one pays any attention to those signs anymore. It has become so much background noise. I shudder to think what it costs, nationwide, to pay people to go around and update all of those signs/monitors/etc.

Thank you for your time.

- - - - -

Do I think anything will come of it?

Naaaah!

However, should you happen to have something to tell the TSA about your own experience, rather than bottling it up inside (Stress is bad for you, you know. Let it out!), you should let them know directly. Perhaps if we all said something about the ridiculous security measures currently in place, perhaps then something would change.

Here's the link to their Contact page. Thanks again Dan!