Possibly no more TSA at MCO

[eeyoresmom]

MCO may fire TSA and have private security soon. Issues quoted as reasons for the potential change are long lines at security and customer dissatisfaction. Count me as one of those dissatisfied customers. I fly through MCO around 8-10 times a year as well as airports around the country and IMO the TSA agents at MCO are the worst. Rude, inefficient and unprofessional. Maybe they thought because they are government employees they had job security.

 

[DebbieB]

MCO may fire TSA and have private security soon. Issues quoted as reasons for the potential change are long lines at security and customer dissatisfaction. Count me as one of those dissatisfied customers. I fly through MCO around 8-10 times a year as well as airports around the country and IMO the TSA agents at MCO are the worst. Rude, inefficient and unprofessional. Maybe they thought because they are government employees they had job security.

Not happening.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-orlando-airport-tsa-resolved-20180418-story.html

 

[MrPTato]

They posted that they were keeping the TSA...came out Thursday I think.

 

[DVC-Don]

Lines would be the same with a private company anyway. They'd have to screen to TSA standards and the layout at MCO for security is the main cause for the backups. I also fly in and out of MCO 7 or 8 times a year and have not run into these "Rude" officers. I have however run into rude and confused passengers who have no idea on what not to pack and get into arguments with officers over trying to keep their bottles of water or soda.

 

[eeyoresmom]

ugh. So so sorry this isnt happening. At least TPA isnt that far away.

 

[OKW Lover]

Not happening, see this story:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/orlando-international-airport-decides-not-to-replace-tsa/

 

[keishashadow]

Lines would be the same with a private company anyway. They'd have to screen to TSA standards and the layout at MCO for security is the main cause for the backups. I also fly in and out of MCO 7 or 8 times a year and have not run into these "Rude" officers. I have however run into rude and confused passengers who have no idea on what not to pack and get into arguments with officers over trying to keep their bottles of water or soda.

100% agree, exactly my experience @ MCO.

There used to be a phrase bandied about on this board, something akin to there is no pixie dust on the transportation board. Ditto for MCO security lines. Best you can hope is to make it through as quickly as possible.

The layout is def an issue @ MCO, glad they are working on that. A few trips into MCO this year with one leg on SWA & another on Spirit has me convinced that Terminal B agents are far crankier.

Yes, it’s their job, but it has to be difficult in general to maintain a professional, empathetic attitude. They aren’t exactly making big bucks standing there day in & day out, herding the often clueless...not to mention then dealing with the ire of the rest of us stuck behind them.

 

[bumbershoot]

MCO may fire TSA and have private security soon. Issues quoted as reasons for the potential change are long lines at security and customer dissatisfaction.

People seem to forget that airports have always had security and lines. Get rid of one group you’ll still have another.

I also fly in and out of MCO 7 or 8 times a year and have not run into these "Rude" officers.

Lucky! Can I travel with you???

 

[MillauFr]

Lucky! Can I travel with you???

You just need to stop at Universal and buy a vial of the liquid luck at one of the Harry Potter stores. I always drink it right before getting to the airport and it has worked for me every time. All the security guard are nice and no lines.

 

[Ben E N]

Yes, it’s their job, but it has to be difficult in general to maintain a professional, empathetic attitude. They aren’t exactly making big bucks standing there day in & day out, herding the often clueless...not to mention then dealing with the ire of the rest of us stuck behind them.

TSA agents everywhere have to deal with that. No one is saying they should give us all free massages, but I always seem to run into power hungry, lazy and rude ones at MCO. In my experiences, it's a lot of little things that add up. Instead of saying "You need to go into that line" it's "You! Get into that line!" Unneeded rudeness and powergrabs like that make the experience less pleasant for all. My favorite was last year when I went through the x ray. The guy running it didn't think my pecs could be real and felt my chest up in front of the whole line just because of his strange suspicion.

 

[DriftingInStars]

MCO may fire TSA and have private security soon. Issues quoted as reasons for the potential change are long lines at security and customer dissatisfaction. Count me as one of those dissatisfied customers. I fly through MCO around 8-10 times a year as well as airports around the country and IMO the TSA agents at MCO are the worst. Rude, inefficient and unprofessional. Maybe they thought because they are government employees they had job security.

Agree. I don’t fly that frequently but every time we’ve had issue. From telling us we can’t have sippy cups for ours kids. As we (agent and I) are walking to dump it out and I inquire why it was ok on the way the lady said and I quote “Well you didn’t say you had kids”. Oh, I have sippy cups and tiny humans with me that I am frantically caring for. I didn’t know I had to verbally tell you it was for them.
Last time, we had been exempted from the extra screening. Get to the line and the ticket wouldn’t scan. It said it right on the ticket! Guy made us go all the way to the other side of the lines (kids in tow) and the new guy questions why we are there and says there is no reason for us to go through all this. Too late!

 

[goofy4tink]

Interesting...I fly in and out of MCO a lot. I've had one experience that wasn't wonderful. And after thinking about it, the TSA person was 100% right. I've watched them deal with clueless and rude passengers though. There are so many inexperienced travelers using MCO..they don't listen to the instructions they're given. They have no idea what to do, even though they've been given instructions. They take their time divesting themselves of their shoes and jackets. They argue with TSA.
I've always tried to adopt a cheerful, friendly attitude. And I've been met with that same attitude on the part of the TSA.

 

[Ben E N]

Interesting...I fly in and out of MCO a lot. I've had one experience that wasn't wonderful. And after thinking about it, the TSA person was 100% right. I've watched them deal with clueless and rude passengers though. There are so many inexperienced travelers using MCO..they don't listen to the instructions they're given. They have no idea what to do, even though they've been given instructions. They take their time divesting themselves of their shoes and jackets. They argue with TSA.
I've always tried to adopt a cheerful, friendly attitude. And I've been met with that same attitude on the part of the TSA.

I'm sure its a select few agents working on select days. If there are 100 different agents working, and only 7 of them are real crabs, then 93% of the people are going to have a fine time, and 7% of them will have bad memories of their experience. I have travelled into and out of MCO around 15 times in the last 10 years. I only had one issue in my first 8 trips, then about 6 issues in a row, and now this past trip I had no issues again. When people observe these agents, its not like they are looking at how every one of them is interacting with every person, so it is very much so a "your milage may vary" sort of situation.

 

[keishashadow]

TSA agents everywhere have to deal with that. No one is saying they should give us all free massages, but I always seem to run into power hungry, lazy and rude ones at MCO. In my experiences, it's a lot of little things that add up. Instead of saying "You need to go into that line" it's "You! Get into that line!" Unneeded rudeness and powergrabs like that make the experience less pleasant for all. My favorite was last year when I went through the x ray. The guy running it didn't think my pecs could be real and felt my chest up in front of the whole line just because of his strange suspicion.

That’s an wild story you shared but at least it sounds like you got that free massage!

 

[Ben E N]

That’s an wild story you shared but at least it sounds like you got that free massage!

I have to admit to being a little cheeky with him. I said "you just can't believe they're real" and bounced them like the Rock does. Glad I didn't end up getting detained.

 

[Nohal]

MCO is the reason I now pay for pre-check

 

[rg35]

MCO and LGA are both terrible...it's one of the reasons why we have driven down from NYC the last 3 years.

 

[KPeterso]

MCO is the reason I am getting pre-check. That last visit was terrible. They closed the line behind my friend and I, and then held people for a bit. Next thing we know, they have opened more scanners and were taking ALL the people that had been held behind us. We asked if we could go to that line and were told that we were assigned to the line we were in. Took us well over an hour to get through security! And people 50-60 people behind us got through faster. We barely had time to grab food (not eat it, but grab it) and go to the bathroom before our flight started boarding. And we were there close about 2.5 hours before our flight, and we really wasted no time going to security (stopped to check bags and go to the bathroom, and that was it before security). My pre-check appointment is next week.

 

[Ben E N]

MCO is the reason I am getting pre-check. That last visit was terrible. They closed the line behind my friend and I, and then held people for a bit. Next thing we know, they have opened more scanners and were taking ALL the people that had been held behind us. We asked if we could go to that line and were told that we were assigned to the line we were in. Took us well over an hour to get through security! And people 50-60 people behind us got through faster. We barely had time to grab food (not eat it, but grab it) and go to the bathroom before our flight started boarding. And we were there close about 2.5 hours before our flight, and we really wasted no time going to security (stopped to check bags and go to the bathroom, and that was it before security). My pre-check appointment is next week.

Thanks so much for posting this comment a few months ago. Reading it at the time but the idea of paying for Pre-check in my mind. I convinced my wife to pay $85 for it, and my credit card covered the cost for me. She was convinced it was a waste of money until we went to MCO yesterday. The pre-check line took all of 3 minutes, while her brother and sister in law had to wait in the normal, unpleasant line for over 35 minutes. Considering we have 3 more flights into and out of MCO planned over the next year, that money feels very well spent.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

MCO may fire TSA and have private security soon. Issues quoted as reasons for the potential change are long lines at security and customer dissatisfaction. Count me as one of those dissatisfied customers. I fly through MCO around 8-10 times a year as well as airports around the country and IMO the TSA agents at MCO are the worst. Rude, inefficient and unprofessional. Maybe they thought because they are government employees they had job security.

Or because it's an INCREDIBLY badly managed airport? The TSA agents are not any worse there than anyplace else. but the lines are horrid due to the poor management of them by the airport. (I have suggested to an airport manager that he ask Disney for advice on lines... or he could see how other major airports do it, but no, he's an 'expert'

While I despise the Thousands Standing Around I am not convinced that MCO management could do any better based on other things I have noticed at this airport!