A complaint letter to the Spokane TSA - Please Read

Transportation Security Administration
Spokane International Airport
9000 W. Airport Dr.
Suite 204
Spokane, Wa., 99224

Dear Sir or Madame:
We recently went through your airport on our way to Seattle and were very upset with the way we were treated by your agents.
My husband and I are frequent travelers and are very aware of the rules and regulations regarding carry on luggage. This time was a little bit different. We were traveling with our 6 month old daughter, so we had 24oz of pre made formula, and also I have a health issue that requires me to use injectables.
On July 1st we were traveling on United and had to change to Alaska when we got to GEG. We had to go through security again. I knew about the requirements for the injectables and the formula. I had asked the agent not to put them through the X-ray machine. They did anyway. One agent was inspecting the injectables (that were manufacture sealed and in Ziploc bag with the prescription information). She almost opened them had I not spoke up. They are packaged in a sterile manner and are about $1000 apiece, I had 4. She was asking someone if she had to open them. She clearly had not seen anything like this before. I asked her politely not to open them, that they are in sterile packaging. The lady standing in front of me said very rudely " you don't have to tell us how to do our job." The agent inspecting the injectables did not open them.
The agent that made the above remark had the formula and said she had to open it. I complied because I didn't know the official rule. The formula was in a manufacture sealed bottle which had not been used. I let it go because our next flight was only an hour, and the formula would still be good. Had I been carrying several sealed bottles with me and had a longer flight they would have all gone bad, they only are good for an hour once opened. Then how do I feed my 6 month old daughter. At every airport that I had been to that day, GEG was the only one that felt the need to open the formula.
On July 7th we had to go back through GEG via Alaska and Delta. Again we had to go through security. This time I only had 1 bottle of premade formula, manufacture sealed. I handed it to the agent she turned around and did something with it. She handed it back to me. I asked her if she had to open it and she said "no, we never have to open them, we have a mechanical sniffer."
I expected a much more consistent level of service from an agency that is part of Home Land Security. "I respect the individual needs of each traveler, carrying out my duties with dignity, courtesy and integrity." This is posted on the TSA website, and does not clearly represent the service that I had during my trip through Spokane.

I hope this letter will serve you for informational purposes and is useful in the training of new on coming agents and a refresher guide for the ones who are currently holding a position.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Romer


P.S. I will let you know what becomes of it if anything.

I know...its all about Baby

Hello All,
I know the first few posts seem to be nothing but baby this, and baby that. I apologise. I will be moving on to more specific travel information. We had just taken our first trip with our 6 month old and i wanted to try to help any other first time parents traveling with an infant.

My Review of Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe Stroller - Rittenhouse

JustStrollers.com

Get ready for some serious fun with your child by packing up the Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe Stroller - Rittenhouse. The no-nonsense monochrome color scheme is perfect for the fashion savvy parent who wants to look good for the extremely long life of this durable stroller. The welded aluminum fram...

Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe Stroller - Rittenhouse

is bulky and heavy....but I really liked

romerje Cincinnati, Oh 7/13/2009

 

4 5

Pros: Easy to Set Up, Easily Stowed, Easy To Steer, Durable, Sturdy, Comfortable

Cons: Bulky, Heavy

Best Uses: Air travel, Newborn, Infants, Toddlers, Preemies, Long Trips, Short Trips

Describe Yourself: First Time Parent, Medical Professional

I purchased this even though we already had one. I really like the product. it is bulky and heavy...but it was easy to take down and pop up. once you get use to all the levers it is easy. I liked it because the seat layed flat (safety 1st does not for any stroller) and the canopy has several positions. and there was more cushion on the seat and sides. We used it on our trip to Seattle. It was so easy to manuever through the airport. It steers very easily and pushes very easily...you could hold one child with one arm and push this stroller with ease with the other. (not so well with the safety 1st strollers). I really like the black and white...it can be used for boy or girl....but the draw back with the black that in the 105 degree parade we were watching it got really hot if you put the canopy all the way down. nothing was hot enough to burn your child, but the poor thing would be sweating if you left them in there the whole time (there is plenty of ventilation). We parked in the shade and minimized the stollers time in the sun. But I still really like it....I bought it because I really liked the pumpkin seat but we didn't need it anymore...so we just got the stoller and then when we have our second child the pumpkin seat will clip right onto the stoller.

Graco Quattro Tour - Rittenhouse

: Picture of Product, Using Product

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Baby is sent through Xray machine at LAX

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-baby20dec20,0,4869996.story

Please read the following link from the LA times...this is very interesting about airport security.

Traveling with Baby? What to pack, ship, rent, carry on and Costs?

Hello Everyone,
My hubby and I just got back from our trip to Seattle with our 6 month old daughter. We are both experienced travelers, but I feel that traveling with an infant, we went straight back to square one.

There were so many things to think about before traveling...what to pack, ship, carry on, and rent, and then of course...how much is this all going to cost me?

Getting through the airport can be fun.....if you have a partner to help you it sure makes it easier. but if you don't....try to take a stroller that is really easy to open and close (one handed would be good) I have reviewed one on my blog that i used. My daughter is 6mos so she couldn't walk through security ...I had to carry her. It is a little more challenging but do able. Try to wear slide on shoes and limit your carry on things. trying to carry a baby and get all your stuff through security is hard...so the more condensed you are the easier it will be. Backpacks make a great diaper bag, I put my camera and video camera in it and still had room for the baby things. then I just carried my purse.

What to pack? Pack the essentials first! then pack everything that will fit. you can go upto 50#'s on most airlines. bottles that you are not going to carry on, larger toys, blankets etc.

What to ship? Since there is so much stuff to take with baby you can't pack it all unless you want an oversized bag and over sized charges. So....what I did was purchased things online that I can ship to my final destination. diapers, wipes, formula, and cereal and or fruits and veggies the little one is eating. This was so helpful, less stuff to lug through the airport. I only carried what I needed in my diaper bag for the flight.

Carry-on? I carried a little larger bag and put all the diapers I needed for the trip, and the wipes and formula, and a couple of rattles. I found out that our little girl didn't really play with the rattles...she was too interested in all the new things and people. As for the formula. I would recommend the pre made stuff. They come in individual 2oz or 8oz bottles, they are a little more but well worth it. it is hard to try and mix formula on the plane. They are allowed through security, you just have to declare them (even if they are over 3oz). And they should not have to open them. (will have a post about what happened to me in this regard and what i am doing about it.)

Baby Rentals? http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/baby-equipment-rentals.htm This site is great for renting any thing baby. Carseats, cribs, toys, high chairs, strollers, just about anything you can think of and are willing to pay for. It has state by state and even some over sees companies. I found one site that will even go grocery shopping for you. You can rent just about anything you want but it will cost you. You will have to figure out whats most important to you. All these places are regulated by there state DOT laws.

How much is this going to cost you? Well... I did find out that the airlines don't charge you for checking your car seats or strollers as long as you are with your child. You will have to check your airline, because the rules change all the time. So if you only check one bag, and it is 50# or less than you will only have to pay for the baggage fee of that airline.

If there is anything missing or there is something that you are looking for an answer to, please either email me or post and I will try and find an answer for you.

I hope this information was useful to you.

Jennifer R.