While I agree with you about the TSA, United has its own ways of making unpleasant travel memories.

Amy - a few weeks ago Delta sent me survey - wanting to know why they don't "see me as often" and on the rare times when I do fly, what did I think of their airline etc.
I explained that I had always liked them and flown them when possible. Explained they did a nice job etc.
But now - no matter how well they do, how safe and on time, how nicely they treat their biz class passengers, delightful the air hosts, food, entertainment, Crown Room, et al - that the experience is always a nightmare no matter what --because it always begins as if I am a criminal being processed into jail; there is always a liklihood that my valuables will be stolen while they are removed from my sight while I am being pointlessly interrogated and groped - and there is often further liklihood that I will somehow be humiliated in front of colleagues or in public - "are you wearing a maxi pad m'am?" - etc.
Further, my "travel experience" also now always begins -wastefully - with me having to plan the best way to dress strategically for a govt fondling, as well as the usual ruminations about what possessions or food could be randomly confiscated; then fitting everything I need into the one tiniest bag possible to limit potential for problems, in addition to the usual whittling down of every cosmetic into the mind-numbing magical Baggie filled with magical 3.4 ounce bottles. Seriously? What productive person actually has this kind of time? (The hours frittered away on this nonsense and standing in line alone, probably amount to billion$ not invested in our nation's economic prodoctivity and economic growth).
So the point, aside from the waste, is that we have the destruction of a business model - a scenario in which nothing a company does well can possibly mitigate these forced trespasses upon the customer by a third party.
I responded to the airline by asking them - Why on Earth would anyone part with their money to be treated this way? Does any of what I describe sound even remotely like a "luxury adventure to be cherished?" Or useful to 'securing' anything?
Why would any thinking human being sign up for such an experience if it was possible to avoid it?
Most shocking - customers actually have to explain why they're staying away?

I just received a postcard inviting me to apply at our local airport to join the TSA. They sent the postcard to me, but my husband didn't get one. So I googled it and found a short thread where some guys were commenting on their wives getting these cards, too. I would think they were trying to build a kinder, gentler TSA except for experiences like Amy's.

I gotta tell ya, if I was unemployed, and didn't mind joining the fascists, I'd be real tempted. Good pay for my neck of the woods, federal benefits, etc.

But I've never taken a job that makes me feel ill (and I've butchered crabs on a seafood processing boat)and I don't intend to start now.

They wouldn't hire me anyway. I don't even like hugging people I know, let alone groping strangers. And the idea of searching a friend or relative is too horrible to contemplate. I wonder if they even allow that. That could be a way of passing something illegal along. Hmmm.......nah, I'm sure that would never happen.

The song goes "Stop, don't touch me there...that is my no no square"

There's a video on Youtube. My nineteen year old coworker showed it to me. Yes, they show this vid to children.

@Deb
Well stated; did you get a reply?

P.S. I will be quoting liberally from your post!

And that's why you'll never find me at an airport. However, I'm sure those TSA VIPER teams will eventually get around to setting up at highway rest stops and oases. If I'm at one when they come around, I'm sure they'll want to feel my junk, in case my prostate is wired to explode.

Hey Amy - yes Delta did write back - we actually went back and forth a few times. Seems some of the people at the airlines recognize this is destroying their business, let alone the ancient notion of "the romance of travel." But they appear powerless and paralyzed. . . . And I agree about the VIPR teams. If some group somewhere does not start standing up to this, these thugs will be on every street corner. I am envisioning a time when a mall cop will be stationed in my kitchen to process me so I can get to my living room - ya know, for my own safety . . .

With the proliferation of open carry states and concealed carry, and if they do more VIPR checkpoints it will eventually happen. Some young TSA idiot who is drunk on the "power of the TSA" will be blown away by a person legally carrying. Or the opposite -- some person will be pulled out of his car and beaten for not complying with with the TSA who has no police powers.

> The song goes "Stop, don't touch
> me there...that is my no no square"

Well, call me a fogey, but I still go for the old torch song from Tubes:

There's the smell of burning leather

as we hold each other tight...

> The song goes "Stop, don't touch
> me there...that is my no no square"

Well, call me a fogey, but I still go for that classic ol' torch song from Tubes:

There's the smell of burning leather

as we hold each other tight...

At this moment of surrender, darling

if you really care...

Crid, you beat me to it

As the rivets rub together
dashing sparks into the night

Great song.

At this point in my life there is no place where the desire to fly to get there is greater than the desire to avoid airport/TSA intrusiveness.

I'm doing road trips now. And fewer of those with the price of fuel these days. I'm letting my boy pick the next destination as a graduation present. High school is over , baby (as of yesterday).

Hubby and son used to fly to Texas every year to visit relatives but have stopped. We told them to come visit us instead.