Cautiously optimistic

I never would have believed it if I hadn't been seeing it with my own eyes, but it seems, at least to me, that the TSA is finally getting its customer service act together, based on my three trips and six interactions with airport security in the last month or so.

The agents are noticeably more polite and pleasant to deal with, and they no longer bark conflicting orders at the tops of their voices to elderly ladies already struggling with bending over to take off their shoes. The former tactics of threats and intimidation have seemingly been replaced with communication and patience. As a result, the lines appear to be moving faster, and the mass confusion seen on previous visits seems to have been greatly reduced. One caveat: I have yet to go to a huge airport such as LAX, O'Hare, or JFK, so I can't vouch for any such improvements at those places.

We have previously commented on several incidents that highlighted the TSA's total lack of competence, so it's only fair to note when they improve, as well.

Who would have thought it - treating people like humans instead of cattle pouring through a chute can actually pay dividends. Kip Hawley seems to be finally rounding into form, after a disastrous first few years on the job. Now if they could only improve on their abysmal failure rate in detecting the dangerous items that necessitate having the TSA in the first place, then they'll really be cooking with gas.


UPDATE: It would seem that airport "security" still has a ways to go, particularly in St. Louis, where a homeless man slipped through a checkpoint and went to sleep on a regional jet. That won't reflect well on that abysmal failure rate.