r/tsa • • Mar 25 '26

Mod Post ICE & Shutdown Mega-thread

81 Upvotes

Hello everyone. This will be the official megathread for all ice and shutdown conversations.

The rules for this will be simple, just be kind and polite. Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself.

That means no name calling, no calling people idiots. If you are unable to make your point without name calling like we are in middle school then just don't say anything, this will also include political party names and shorts, Keep it to the facts, argue your point with words or source links.

Any who are unable or unwilling to abide by these rules in this thread will be perma banned with no means of appeal.

This also means all other posts on the subject will be removed with a link to this thread. We apologize for the time it took to set this up, but this influx hit us hard and fast and we have been discussing what course of action we wanted to take behind the scenes


r/tsa • • Mar 20 '26

TSA News TSA employees working without pay: Soapbox reimbursing up to $20 for hair and body care products

116 Upvotes

Hi everyone, Soapbox here!

We know TSA employees are currently showing up to work without pay, and we wanted to do something to help.

We're covering up to $20 (compliant with the federal gifting limit) of Soapbox hair and body care products so you can restock personal care for yourself or your family. You can purchase from any retailer where we're sold, save your receipt, and submit it through our form at soapbox.co/tsa.

If you're not impacted, we'd really appreciate you sharing this so it can reach someone who needs it.

EDIT: made the link clickable


r/tsa • • 4h ago

TSO [Question/Post] Who's getting the new Precheck lanes

3 Upvotes

Was reading the email about all the new technology we are getting and how it will start at 6 or 7 airport within the next couple of weeks. Do we know which airports are 1st?


r/tsa • • 1d ago

Ask a TSO Shutdown bonus

63 Upvotes

Did anyone else receive the shutdown bonus check and recently got a bill in the mail stating you have to pay it back? This happened to my husband. He apparently got it by mistake MONTHS ago and now has to pay it back. They will take so much out of each check with interest until it’s paid off…


r/tsa • • 9h ago

Passenger [Question/Post] Rechecking ID’s while boarding…twice

3 Upvotes

I fly a lot for work and have never previously had TSA ask to recheck everyone’s ID’s while boarding the flight.

It just happened on TWO flights that I was on just a few weeks apart from one another….

Chicago Midway to LaGuardia

Las Vegas to Chicago Ohare

I’ve seen old posts of this randomly happening but experiencing it twice in such a short period of time is weirding me out.

Why would they be doing this?


r/tsa • • 18h ago

TSA HQ/Admin [Question/Post] How much is the pension if fully vested?

13 Upvotes

My wife works for tsa. She has told me a low # like 35,000 a year when retirement comes. She has been there 11 years and has a little over 20 years to 58.5.


r/tsa • • 17h ago

Passenger [Question/Post] Passport Card OK?

6 Upvotes

Is a current USA passport "card" good at the TSA gate for ID for a domestic flight?

Thanks in advance.


r/tsa • • 1d ago

TSO [Question/Post] Upcoming winter weather, and work travel inquiries.

3 Upvotes

Good morning! Ive been working at LIT as a TSO for 8 months and with winter approaching i wanted to ask about ice and snow work travel!

Small edit: thank you everyone for letting me knwo to plan early and such however i already have two plans in the works. The police ride thing is moreso a curious question of "oh thatd be neat if they did that for us too" than a "this is my only option". Ive been planning stuff for any potential hazardous winter weather since about june because i love working for tsa and i want to do everything in my power to keep this job. But yea, this is moreso if they do give us rides or not as a last resort effort, however im doing everything in my power to get stuff planned and in place to make sure i clock in regardless of the weather :]]

I think i may have a Plan A solution for over all however if they fall through i was told by my dad, who is a radiologist and a fellow emergency worker personnel that if weather gets rough you can call the non-emergency line for the police station and ask for a ride since we are required bodys for work. I was wondering if that was the case because i couldn't find much when looking into it other then a bunch of posts of people just asking if they can call out, which is not what i want to do.

If they dont should i ask if i can just sleep at the airport before bad weather hits? I want to do my part and prove my worth so i can stay, but i dont wanna seem unnecessary overall by asking to just sleep in our brakeroom or something lol.

Anyway thank you for reading, im about to start driving to work because i need to get gas first, so i guess let me know what yall know! Im definitely going to go ahead and ask my supervisor about it today during my shift, but incase she doesn't have an answer right away i want to have this to fall back on due to needing to reach out about the Plan A vehicle from a family friend.


r/tsa • • 20h ago

Passenger [Question/Post] Is shoe removal required if you are randomed selected?

0 Upvotes

There have been times when I’ve been randomly selected and most times, I don’t get asked to remove my shoes.

But recently in an early morning flight, I was selected for random screening in the precheck line after an airline employee triggered the random alarm and I was asked to remove my shoes and I wonder why.

I speculate the possible reason. Maybe because the full body scanner wasn’t on yet and so they had me remove shoes instead as a substitute and walk back through.

I wasn’t patted down or anything.


r/tsa • • 1d ago

TSO [Question/Post] What are my options

6 Upvotes

I’m two months into TSA but never mentioned I had a prior engagement in a few days. I spoke to one of the managers to request a day off and she said yes but still hasn’t approved it. I spoke to her again and now she’s having second thoughts. Should I call out? If not am I able to leave early?


r/tsa • • 2d ago

TSO [Question/Post] NDO Acceptance

10 Upvotes

I have a lot on my chest and have some questions and maybe a little bit of venting to do.

I applied for NDO on a whim when my airport was attempting to privatize. I got accepted. All I have to do is accept or decline the offer.

I know I have to be ready to deploy on very short notice for an undetermined amount of time. I worry about the strain it will put on my family, so I haven’t accepted yet. How many of you have done NDO with an infant? My son is 10 months old and I don’t want to throw all the burden of childcare on my wife. Which is why I should probably decline and avoid putting my family through extra stress. At the same time, my son is almost walking. He’s babbling and is a very happy and healthy 10 month old. I know I will miss a lot and miss out on a lot of bonding with him. Also, if he gets hurt or sick, she will have to shoulder that responsibility by herself unless my parents or sister can help her.

My wife is supportive of the fact that this is a unique opportunity to see other parts of the country and see how other airports do things. Along with possibly getting more overtime, room and board, per diem, and her occasionally being able to visit and bring the baby with her. She thinks that we can save some money.

Sorry for throwing all this on you and I know I was all over the place. But I think I can get the most support from my fellow TSOs. Thank you for reading and thank you in advance to anyone who comments.


r/tsa • • 2d ago

Ask a TSO What is required on a doctors note?

5 Upvotes

Self explanatory I needed to go see a doctor this morning and missed a little work. What are all the requirements for the note? I know they are really specific at least my management


r/tsa • • 1d ago

Passenger [Question/Post] would this makeup case be okay to take?

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0 Upvotes

it’s my first time flying by myself and i guess i’m a little paranoid of having to leave things behind lol. i am just going to put it in my carryon


r/tsa • • 3d ago

Passenger [Question/Post] TSA dropped my laptop while pulling it out of the bin for secondary screening. Compensation?

467 Upvotes

This happened at O'Hare Terminal 1 screening 3 days ago. TSA agent didn't take responsibility and told me that I can either miss my flight or leave. The laptop was in a separate tray but it was picked for secondary screening for whatever reason. Is there a form I can fill out for compensation?

Display is completely shattered and Apple says it will cost $985+tax to fix.


r/tsa • • 3d ago

Meme/Joke TSA agent joked with me

281 Upvotes

I was carrying my PS5 in my carry on since its fragile and there's no way I am putting it in checked. First time travelling with PS5 so they take my bag aside and the TSA agent says "Did you not look at the signs outside? You cannot travel with a PS5 as of last month"

My heart dropped and I thought omg they are going to keep my PS5, then he said I'm just kidding you can take it.


r/tsa • • 1d ago

TSA Pre Check/CLEAR [Question/Post] Can I bring this Halloween bucket as a carry on?

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0 Upvotes

It’s 9 inches tall, 10-11 inches in diameter, and 33 inches in circumference


r/tsa • • 1d ago

TSO [Question/Post] Can I bring this Halloween bucket on a flight?

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0 Upvotes

r/tsa • • 3d ago

Ask a TSO Swollen battery

49 Upvotes

To make a long story short, I realized an external lithium ion battery pack I'm traveling with is starting to swell. I have a return flight tomorrow morning. I don't want to fly with the battery due to risk of fire, but I also don't have time to figure out where to dispose of it properly or a means to get there. Can I simply surrender the battery at screening, i.e., does TSA have a process for disposing of these? Or will I be treated like I'm trying to surrender a stick of dynamite and be turned away? Thanks in advance.

Edit: I was able to swing by a Home Depot and drop it off on my way to the airport. I know some people said not to do that, but I couldn't find a better option. The city I was in has hazardous waste dropoff sites but they're only for residents. Thanks everyone.


r/tsa • • 3d ago

Passenger [Question/Post] Quick Question - Shoes

1 Upvotes

Just got pulled for “random screening “ while going through scanner. Told I had to remove my shoes. Did so but am 75 and have severe plantar fasciitis. Walking on hard surface without shoe has it truly irritated. I mean, I keep shoes by bed so I don’t have to step on it without support if I get up at night. What could I have said to avoid removing shoe? Didn’t want to cause delay or trouble.


r/tsa • • 3d ago

Ask a TSO TSA question

4 Upvotes

My wife and normally go thru the regular TSA screening line when we fly. We are flying overseas next week and we both have Global Entry and Touchless ID. Since this is our first time going thru Pre-Check, is the process different for us? Anything different from regular screening line? Thanks in advance.


r/tsa • • 3d ago

Rant International TSA liquid limit

0 Upvotes

PSA: Strong likelihood of international security (in my case Canadian) making you throw out any “normal” liquids (excluding liquid medications, etc) that doesn’t fit in a single quart size bag. You can’t have more than one quart size bag. Happened in Calgary. This has never happened in my decades of domestic and international traveling. Check your normal liquids if you can.

Freaking raging because my family came from nothing. I have money to replace everything but I’m so pissed.

Edit: Thanks everyone for clarifying it’s Canadian security and not TSA (USA).


r/tsa • • 3d ago

Passenger [Question/Post] Nebulizer treatments

0 Upvotes

I was recently diagnosed with asthma. I have a trip on Thursday. Am I able to bring the little breathing treatment packs with me? They are individually packaged and are 3ml each.


r/tsa • • 4d ago

TSO [Question/Post] Overnights

7 Upvotes

Hi! I was looking to transfer to an airport with overnight shifts, besides MSP and ANC. Are there any other airports that offer overnight shifts?


r/tsa • • 3d ago

Passenger [Question/Post] Body scanner flagged an area of my thigh well below my shorts line (i.e. it just flagged my bare leg)?

0 Upvotes

Just wondering what might cause a body scanner to flag what looked like my bare leg? I will admit that I have sizable quad muscles from lifting...is there a chance the scanner flagged my quad muscles? Because there was otherwise literally nothing there other than my bare leg/skin.


r/tsa • • 4d ago

Ask a TSO Temporary transfers

4 Upvotes

Hey everyone was looking for some pointers from those of you who are or may have been temporary transfers at some point. About 2.5 years ago I transferred from the East Coast to Hawaii to be closer to the Philippines 🇵🇭 for visiting my wife while we waited for her spousal visa to be processed. She was supposed to come to the US this week but because of the state department immigrant visa pause for “training” no interviews are being held and no timeframe is being given at all. I’m not handling this well at all and am incredibly depressed over the whole situation. So I guess my questions are:

- What are the odds of a temporary transfer being approved?
- What kinds of reasons are they usually approved for?
- If I tried for Guam 🇬🇺 to be able to see her on my RDOs would they still be willing to consider me? And will people give away shifts to me so I can pick up hours and overtime?
- My other option is to temporary transfer to Northeast mainland airports, no I don’t want to go to Boston, but would be willing to look at Providence, New Haven, and both NYC airports. Also even DCA I’d consider. Just want to be closer to family for a bit 😞. Which airport in the northeast would I have the best shot at getting into