On a recent trip to the U.S. to visit my family, I flew alone with my three-year-old daughter. At each step of the way, I was appalled at the way airport staff spoke to me and those around me. My husband, who flew separately due to business commitments, had similar stories to share.

Years ago, when I lived in New York, I had a job that required international travel. In fact, I spent roughly 75% of my time traveling overseas – and back again. I used to love returning home. As we began our descent, the flight attendants would open up the plane's speakers and play Frank Sinatra singing ""New York, New York."" As the immigration officer scanned my passport, he would without fail smile and say, ""Welcome home!"" Every time. I loved it.
Of course, this was all pre-911. Still, while I understand that Americans are living in a different world than they were 7 years ago and that the airport security of yesterday was clearly in need of a thorough review, I find myself wondering whether or not rudeness is really necessary for maintaining tighter and more secure borders.
Surely the Soviets thought so. On the other hand, when traveling among Asian countries, some of which are known for their excellent security – Singapore and Hong Kong come to mind – the airport and airline staff, generally speaking, always have a smile or good wishes to share.
This was not the case on our recent trip to the U.S. Upon landing after a nearly 17 hour flight from Hong Kong to New York – alone with a three-year-old – I cleared immigration and called my husband, who was in Atlanta, to tell him we had arrived safely.
Before going further, I feel compelled to say that in Hong Kong, it is acceptable to make calls once one has cleared immigration but before he has passed through customs. It was habit rather than any desire to thwart U.S. security or endanger lives that led me to call my husband upon landing.
Someone pointed out later that there are signs informing recent arrivals to Kennedy Airport not to use cell phones in the baggage claim area. There certainly could have been, but after my long flight, on which a certain three-year-old slept a total of two hours –- I was not completely alert.
At any rate, I will share just a piece of a conversation that transpired between myself and a TSA agent after another agent motioned to me to hang up my phone, which I did, immediately.
TSA agent: That agent told you to hang up your phone.
EK: Yes, I'm sorry, I did so as soon as I saw him.
TSA: He told you loudly and clearly several times. Why did you choose to ignore him? EK: I'm so sorry, I must not have seen him the first time. I hung up as soon as I saw him.
TSA: Do you have a problem when a man in uniform asks you to do something?
EK: No, no. I'm really sorry.
TSA: You need to comply with a first request from a customs agent.
EK: Yes, of course.
TSA: When you talk on your cell phone, you endanger the lives of my colleagues and me.
EK:
[At this point fearing imminent arrest] I am really really sorry.
Shortly into our exchange, the agent assumed an authoritative stance with legs spread and arms crossed. His tone, shall we say, was anything but friendly. In the end, he demanded to know if I had any food with me at all, legal or otherwise. When I confessed a small pack of Sun-maid raisins (legal to bring into the country), he pulled me out of line for a full baggage search. Welcome home.
Along the way, my husband and I discussed our joint and individual experiences with airport discourtesy. My husband had overheard a Japanese gentleman– who spoke limited English – ask a United Airlines representative if he could talk to her about his food. Her response was loud and harsh, ""You want to talk to about your POO?! What about your POO?!""
I am the first to applaud improvements in airport and airline safety. I fly often and I want to be as secure as possible. However, I am saddened that in the U.S. greater security seems to have come at the expense of being polite. Is it possible that people working at airports have universally had their memories erased of all their mothers taught them?
In the security line as my daughter and I left Sea-Tac to return to Hong Kong, I approached the agent checking documents tentatively. He smiled and greeted me, holding out his hand to accept our passports. He looked at them closely and then reviewed them against our boarding cards. As he handed them back to me, he smiled again and said, ""Have a great trip!"" It was all so simple - yet thorough and polite. His mother would have been proud.
(Source: seattlepi.nwsource.com)