Airport Security - Martina Navratilova Gets to the Heart of the Matter

[raviepoo]

The question and answer below come from an interview with tennis goddess Martina Navratilova which took place right after she and her partner were eliminated from the Australian Open women's doubles competition by Venus and Serena Williams. I'm posting it here because I completely agree with her. The only places where I have not had the impression that the airport security folks are on a power trip have been outside the continental United States. The ones in the Miami airport are positively Nazis.

We need to know that our airlines are secure. But I always feel degraded and kind of dirty when the security folks look in my direction.

It's all about attitude.

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Q. What do you like about the Australian Open?
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA: Almost everything. The people are just fantastic, you know? It's a pleasure to be here in Australia, period. The attitude, for example, being at the airport, going through the security, in the States it has become a nightmare because people have such an attitude about having the power over you. Here, it's been absolutely a pleasure, even at the airports they do it with a smile.
And that's a reflection of the country, I think. Just the whole attitude here is live and let live. It's been a pleasure to be here.

 

[colonelchuck]

I have flown quite a bit since TSA took over and have been generally impressed with the professionalism of the operation. They are doing a "no fun" job and seem to be doing OK.

Watching what happens at the screening area, you get the idea that your experience will depend on how you approach it. Those that come in expecting to be pissed off usually end up that way. Those who recognize that it is a difficult job and do their best to help out get treated very well.

We had a fellow here in Portland who "lost it" when his pregnant wife got upset when a women TSA agent checked out what was under her smock. Needless to say he met a bunch of the airports finest who had absolutely no sense of humor.

I didn't really appreciate how much I appreciate the checkers until I got on an airplane in LA a few weeks ago and sat down. Coming down the aisle behind me was a gentleman looking very much like a dedicated member of the "Taliban (yes, I'm profiling and I feel really bad about it). Behind him was his appropriately dressed wife. Both had on baggy clothes. In spite of my liberal Cal Berkely education, I found my self hoping that the checkers had done a real good check.

Guess that describes the times we live in.

:bonk:

 

[raviepoo]

And I have flown a lot and had a lot of exposure to 6$ an hour, illiterate security nazis who like to pay scuba gear without knowing what they are touching or how they might possibly destroy it. I find it kind of amusing to note that most of the old school airport security staffers who applied for TSA jobs did not pass the necessary tests to be eligible for hire.

I agree that the TSA folks are a big step forward, and far more professional and courteous than their predecessors.

 

[Jonathan]

I have to disagree - I know everyone complains about US immigration but I've never had any problems, the one place I felt unwanted was when I arrived at Sydney after a 10 hour red eye....

maybe that's because I'm British!

 

[Scuba Jim]

As they old story goes:
Australian immigration official: "Do you have a criminal record?"
British tourist: "I didn't know I needed one to get into Australian nowadays"

Oh dear, the old ones are the best! :bonk: