Here's Why Many Travelers Feel That TSA Isn't Actually Doing Anything For Airport Security

Today, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is a crucial component of airport security, but it wasn't always that way. The government program was created in late 2001 in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11. In the years that followed, TSA has enforced rules on luggage checks, shoe removal, body scans, and other aspects of airport security most American travelers have become accustomed to.

However, after over two decades, some travelers and critics believe the agency isn't doing a good job of keeping the friendly skies safe. While there hasn't been another major terrorist attack on U.S. flights since 2001, some are skeptical about TSA's role. One Redditor who goes by u/Aley_the_ale_fairy created a thread bluntly titled "The TSA is a useless waste of funds." Another thread started by u/_Barry_Zuckerkorn_ echoes a similar sentiment: "We should consider abolishing or at least neutering the TSA." In another Reddit conversation, u/TsundereLoliDragon wrote, "I think they've been a waste of everybody's time for the past 20 years," a comment that garnered nearly 200 upvotes.

Failed undercover security tests are among the evidence cited by many TSA opponents. In 2015, undercover investigators were successful in carrying mock weapons and explosives through TSA checkpoints 95% of the time. Two years later, similar tests were performed with only slightly better results. In this investigation, TSA agents failed to detect mock weapons 70% of the time. Some travelers also argue that TSA procedures are nothing more than security theater (practices that create a superficial illusion of security) and they could be right: According to a TSA survey, 94% of respondents were "confident in TSA's ability to keep air travel secure," despite the agency's past shortcomings.

Can you picture strolling through the airport and finding that TSA is nowhere in sight? Can you imagine no more frustrating TSA inconsistencies and never having to worry about being selected for additional airport screenings? The fliers who doubt TSA's effectiveness think that's the way it should be.

One alternative some travelers support is hiring private companies in place of the current government-run agency. Some proponents of this option suggest that U.S. airports take matters into their own hands and create their own security procedures, complete with non-TSA screeners. This could help cut government spending and improve accountability, they argue.

Getting rid of TSA rules would also make room for more modernized security screenings that, according to TSA critics, better reflect the current state of commercial aviation. In theory, people could keep their items in their bags, wear their shoes all the way through the checkpoint, and pass through a speedy metal detector instead of a full body scanner. Over the years, many travelers have argued for this vision, and some politicians, including Utah Senator Mike Lee, have proposed a TSA-free future. But as long as terrorism remains a threat and U.S. airports continue to confiscate firearms and other weapons, TSA will likely continue to be a part of the American travel experience.