Originally Posted by Poltergeist
As for the 'numpty' title would those who use it refer to pilots using the same name?
It's an appropriate term, used to describe anyone that fits the bill- security, flightdeck, cabincrew. Security staff appear to have the majority, though, and it serves only to make the good ones stand out. The majority of staff might on the whole be at least good at their job, and often much better. Recruiting the lesser quality fools, though, simply drags the whole process down.
examples of stuff that is just plain stupid.
Liquids in sealable bags.
1)Staff search. If you forget to put it in an easily accessible location for the screener to access it, most accept this, but there's a number (and they are repeatedly the same people) that will subject you to a tirade of abuse or patronising comments.
2) The process would carry more weight if it weren't treated as a commercial exercise by certain airports, where they are sold to people whose current sealable bag doesn't meet the exacting requirements of the person screening the fluids.
Treatment of customers
Verbal and physical manner approaching aggressive handling, by folk who do not have the patience, skill or training to deal with international customers. The old stereotypical activity of shouting louder to make a non-english speaker understand might be funny on Fawlty Towers, but simply adds stress to an already undignified process.
Sometimes, this treatment may be a foreigners first impression of the UK (or the US) and only serves to reinforce any negative preconceptions.
Treatment of property
Staff search. Having personal property handled with little or no consideration whatsoever. Damage has happened, and it is often not possible to identify at what point in the 'process'
Having personal property searched without any effort to ask first, discuss what was to happen, without waiting for it to be done in controlled manner. Object, and find yourself in the situation of having to defend yourself.
Staff search. Inappropriate touching. I watched a colleague go from disgruntled by heavy handed attitude, to point of resigning by telephone. Simply by having to repeatedly being subjected to such treatment. (fortunately, in this case, that particular security person hasn't been seen in a while)
Staff search.
A US airline's crew, UK airport. cursory glance at crew passes, Courteous handling.
Local crew. Each and every member of one aircraft crew, flightdeck and cabincrew, being subjected to an extended search of every item, with instructions being barked out.
TSA staff/priority route at a new york facility
A huge guy, obviously in awe of similarly proportioned gangsta/rappers, with mannerisms copied straight from some B-movie style prison drama.
Many airports facilities have adapted poorly to increasing measures. However, much more effort is made to make them into shopping malls than into pleasant and secure places to travel from or to.
Legislation is seemingly made by people with limited understanding of the nature of the problem, or how it can be implemented.
The result of that legislation is increased security staffing requirements.
A problem is that those staffing requirements are filled by too broad a cross section of people, who are further disadvantaged by inconsistent standards, exacerbated by often inadequate facilities.
As flight crew, the ramifications of a confrontation with these people can be quite damaging.