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Comment by nucleardog | Hacker News Reader

I've often thought that having a standardized checklist on a big board in the security line would be a big help.

    Laptops: In/Out
    Liquids: In/Out
    Shoes: On/Off
    Etc

Because yeah, it's really annoying getting treated like I'm the dummy by some agent that's only ever known this airport's rules... because this airport has rules entirely different than every other one I've flown through in this decade.

Recently had to fly with some splints and crutches and stuff and that was a whole extra set of fun difference in airport rules. First one really wanted to rub their explosives swab on my finger that was held together by exposed metal pins and had exposed subcutaneous tissue. They were a bit put off when I asked for alternate options.

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My first act as a TSA agent would be to beg, borrow, or steal a whiteboard for this purpose. They seem very content to explain it to every passenger almost individually though. Which of course slows everything down as someone has to ask every minute whether an iPad is a big or small device. I wonder if there's some weird bureaucracy rule that prevents them from writing their own signs.

Doesn’t work. I was in a queue at SXF airport once. Everybody in the queue passed at least 5 whiteboard-sized posters explaining in detail that you need a 1 litre bag and what’s supposed to go in there. Also, what things you need to present at the check. Those same posters lined the walls of the hall. Yet basically every second person acted completely surprised when the security officer asked for their 1 litre bag. It’s as if those people forgot their brain at home and were all on autopilot.

Might be in part because multiple times I've seen signs/poster etc only good the agent to contradict it once you get there, adding or removing requirements. So you stop trusting it.

A whiteboard I might trust because it was likely handwritten that morning

No, from the conversations I overheard these people have never heard of those 1-litre bag rules for flights in the EU. So, they clearly haven't even looked at all those posters.

Does in/out mean in the tray or out of the bag?

Easy fix:

- Laptop: In Tray / In bag

- Shoes: Wear / Remove

I’m sure we can come up with clear wording for such a sign lol.

In polyglot Europe, all this stuff should be in pictograms... but isn't.

Reading here the x-ray machine model or type might be a true technical reason why there are seemingly always different rules. Even same airport, different terminal canbe different due to different build year and machines. What I don't understand is why people simply don't pay attention? By the time it's my turn I have seen the 3-10 people in front of me go through the motions, so I naturally preempt and prepare based on what I have observed. Not a guarantee for no issues but a solid step to not mess up completely.

- Belt/Watch: leave in unless it has enough metal to trip the metal detector, then take off but we’ll yell at you for holding up the line/losing your pants.

Also: here’s a list of things we are constitutionally not allowed to require, but if you choose to opt out you have a random 1:1 chance of being selected for an invasive “enhanced” screening.

Also: here’s where you can pay your bribe^H^H^H^H*Hfee to be prescreened so the whole process is easier for you unless we decide we you should be on the list that we randomly select for “enhanced” screening. Then your children get to watch a large man put his hands all over your body in ways that they’ve been told to never let a stranger touch you. And if you speak up, we’ll do it you your minor children too.

In/out of the bag, all items have to be in a tray (at least, in every airport I've flown in

Usually airports use signs with both graphics and text for this. Removes the ambiguity unless you mistake the image of a bag for the tray and vice versa.

Which leaves me confused with GP's suggestion. Every TSA line I've been in already has these signs. Are airports in other countries worse about their signage than TSA?

There isn't a standard design for the signs, so each country designs their own. (If they exist.)

There was zero signage at the last few American airports I flew through. Four airports in 2 weeks and they all had different rules, and felt the need to yell at you for not knowing their nuances.

To me, it's not even about having different rules (which itself is stupid). It's the constant annoyed yelling. Like, can you at least pretend you don't hate yourself, the general public, and your job, for the duration of your shift?

If I worked retail and treated customers like the TSA treats passengers, I'd be fired the first day.

My personal experience would strongly disagree with "usually" here. While I can't really be sure I've never seen one, none come to mind on my travels across US/Canada/Mexico/East Asia (though I've really only been within Canada the last couple of years).

I also go through the trusted traveler line, and the rules there are _usually_ different (but not always!) and I definitely don't recall seeing any sign specifically addressing the rules for that line at any point. Except maybe one at the start clarifying _who_ can use the line (though on that one I've also had the TSA agents go ahead and explain the rules entirely different than the sign they were standing in front of so...).

Yes, mam.

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