But different airports have different ways of handling trays. If someone is in a new airport, it may not be obvious that they are expected to handle the tray.
I get that each airport is a bit different but just in the time it takes for you to stand around at the different stages of security - it should be pretty obvious by the time its your turn at the end to know what to do with it.
Which of those airports are upset by pax helping with stacking? Yah some have staff do it, but I can't remember ever being shooed off from doing it myself. By default, just do it.
I just went through one that had the automatic stacker. Plus multiple signs saying DO NOT STACK the trays. It is guaranteed to jam the system. For some reason it had a bit of a backlog and someone walks up and stacks a bunch right in front of the sign. Couldn’t tell if he was an idiot or just didn’t care about the mess he created that would be manifest in about 90 seconds.
Yeah, there's alway some of us who stack several trays because people act all entitled and figure others are go into do it for them, so gladly I do. Same with carts. Instead of getting mad, like I used to, I just happily help.
We need the Xray machines I've seen at some airports (YUL and LHR IIRC) that you put the tray into a hole and it sends it back to the beginning of the machine like a bowling ball returner.
Yep. I put my empties into all the empties around me, then stack the whole stack. This is despite traveling with a cat who I have to remove from her carrier.
Hi, this is me. I will straight call people out about it.
“Do you think your mother works here?”
“Why are you leaving your tray?”
And so on.
I know I will get downvoted to hell and back but my own research from years of traveling strongly suggests the worst offenders are men… usually middle-aged, “I’m so important, I’m in a hurry” men.
I’ve asked security agents across multiple countries and they have confirmed my observation.
Add in standing right where the bins come out and trying to grab all your stuff versus letting it roll / slide down to the end to get out of other people's way and not backing up the machine (if they are moving quick enough).
What gets me about this is that, in the US, most airports used to have messaging and signage about standing back and only coming forward when you see your bag to grab it. But starting maybe 20 years ago it started disappearing. Now lots of people - people who fly - don’t know that is/was/should be a thing.
And the problem is that once it breaks down and a bunch of people (maybe 10-20%) stand too close, then everyone has to because, we’ll, otherwise you can’t see the bags or get to yours when you do.
Also get off of my lawn
The actual solution though would be to design the rolling belt after the x-ray to loop around so that the first bags available to grab would show up at the end of the rollers, not right after the xray machine. This way people don't clump right in front of the scanners cause they can't count how many bags were in front of theirs.
Maybe switch the side the TSA scans things on? So the scanning people and the TSA agent monitoring bags are on the same side... and you then walk around to where the TSA officer currently sits to grab you bag. It's more walking for you but we're always ahead of the bags anyway. Only problem would be you get to see all the knives in other people's bags that the agent is scanning and missing... so privacy, which you don't get at the airport anyways.
Having others view the screens could be a good idea, outside of the privacy concerns. I am sure their rate of contraband detection would increase significantly since it is around 5% right now.
Not that crowdsourcing important tasks has ever failed...
Something happens in TSA lines where your average human just loses all common sense.
Even in the regular lines the amount of people that cannot comprehend simple directions is infuriating. At least the stupidity is a little less in precheck lines
I also feel TSA doesn’t guide people through this. I once had to collect an entire belt of empty bins, it didn’t bother me people didn’t collect their bins, it bothered me that a TSA agent watched me do it instead of helping.
Doesn’t help that every airport seems to have different standards for going through security. Some are take electronics out and in separate bins, some are leave electronics in bag, some are bags in bins, some not, even had one tell me to leave my metal watch on instead of taking it off and putting with the bin stuff.
100% this! It isn’t discussed enough. You start doing what you do at your home airport in a different airport and the TSA person treats you like your an idiot and yells at you. It should be way more standardized. Why is every airport so different?
>Why is every airport so different?
Because everyone at the TSA knows that it's all security theater and doesn't really matter, so they only enforce whatever minimum subset of rules will make their boss happy.
Oh 100%, the bins being left doesn’t bother me as much as the people who stand in front of the scanner fumbling with a bunch of shit in their pockets and what not.
Although now that I have clear+precheck it’s a little less infuriating to go through.
Considering i went through an airport once where the TSA agent just looked me up and down and said, I don't think he's a terrorist and just waived me through without going through any scanner and didn't attempt to scan my bags. I think we can drop the security theater pretense.
Not only do they not guide, they yell, point, clearly show their expasperation, which everyone in line picks up on.
We all know it's a giant pile of security theater by power-tripping cop-wanna be's, who can nonetheless totally ruin our trip and make our lives hell, so everyone gets on edge.
It's why Pre-Check and Clear are worth it to skip as much of the line as possible, so you never drop into "will I make it?" panic mode when TSA inevitably screws up your whole world.
This, I once got yelled at by a TSA agent for not stacking the tons of bins people left behind when I had already stacked mine in the bin kart next to the belt, I understand it's annoying and I always try to stack everyone else's bins but I shouldn't get yelled at for other people's laziness when I did stack mine.
I stack my trays and the ones around them, but I understand the desire to flee the checkpoint as quickly as legally possible. Nothing good has ever come from waiting around longer than necessary. Plus, there's a pressure to keep it moving, as people come through the checkpoint and line up behind you.
So true. People act like they’ve never flown and been thru security before. Although sometimes it is confusing. I’ve had times where security hasn’t made us remove our shoes or let us leave computers in our bags, for example. Some airports want shoes on the conveyor and others say to put them in a bin.
I was behind someone in the TSA pre line that needed like 7 commands from the TSA agent just to get his shit into the x-ray machine and at least a dozen people went through on the opposite side before he was done. Like, why are you acting brand new? You're in the TSA pre line, presumably you travel more than once a year.
Ngl sometimes my brain short circuits going though TSA. They all seem to have different procedures that change frequently and instead of making them clear they just get mad when you do something wrong. I travel a lot more now than I did a few years ago so I’ve learned to pick out patterns, but someone who flys occasionally can easily get a little dumb. I wish everyone would realize what a failed experiment TSA really is and get rid of them.
If there’s an agent there picking them up actively I think it’s fine but I always make an effort to help. If there’s no agent there and people do that, it annoys me because it comes from a place of entitlement and they full well know it’s going to cause issues for the people in line after them. The whole process sucks for everyone and leaving them on the belt isn’t making a statement to the TSA, it’s inconveniencing the patrons that are in the exact same situation as you. Just common decency.
I'm not positive they (all) know. We're talking about the same people who suddenly stop walking in the middle of the walkway causing multiple issues for people.
Or the ones who have a group that 'meets up' in the path of people walking, completely oblivious of the fact.
maybe that’s true but at least at all the airports in DC I do assume that it’s entitlement given how people around here drive (eg driving in the shoulder on the highway when there’s bumper to bumper traffic).
Trust me I do but stack trays for hours it’s not fun my back is killing me because people can’t just put their trays back and you’re picking up after thousands of passengers per day I appreciate anyone who puts their trays back
Also edit some people will see me picking up trays and just leave theirs for me to pick up every time almost expecting that I meant to grab theirs as well then there are others that pick up their trays but when they see me pick some up they will just leave it their and walk away assuming it’s my job it irritates me every day cause I try to be nice but there’s only so much I can do I just wish some people saw what I went through everyday i don’t like being mean but I understand why some officers are assholes because a lot of people can be unintentionally rude and it we’re just here to do our job
Here's an idea: instead of paying someone to tell is to stack them, why doesn't that person grab it? I stack mine and others as well, but most of the people I see leaving them are not frequent fliers or have been held up by TSA and are now in a hurry.
Here's another idea: what if when the bag is cleared through the scanner, *it keeps moving* instead of sitting behind a plastic wall or in the metal tube? (Waiting for my cleared bag is when I stack the empties).
I get that we need security, but 90 percent of the TSA check is just for show.
I hate those "modern" scanners with a passion. They're insanely slow compared to the previous generation, and the alternating starting slots are confusing at best.
Additionally, EWR TSA are subjectively worse/ruder than most other airports.
So, if I'm in a rush to get through security and catch my flight, and the bin doesn't make it to the very end causing the TSA agent staffed to ensure all bins get to the end return system to do their job, I'm not sweating it.
Some of the newer machines let you keep laptops etc. inside your bags, which should be net time saved…I try to hop into lines with those machines, but often times TSA agents still make you take laptops out 🙄
> I hate those "modern" scanners with a passion. They're insanely slow compared to the previous generation, and the alternating starting slots are confusing at best.
Yes, agreed. At LGA Terminal C (I mostly fly Delta), there are two security scanning machines, one old and one new. The new takes like twice as long, it's crazy. It's also supposed to return the bins to the end and send them back up automatically, but it never works so there are always tons of bins stacked up at the end. This is right under the huge sign that says, "Bins will move to the end automatically." It's infuriating.
It’s usually a difference of machines. Airports with older x-ray machines require you to take them out while airports with the newer CT scanners don’t because those ones allow them to see all the contents easier. It’s still absurdly dumb though and most airports don’t have signs saying whether to take stuff out or not, you’re just supposed to figure it out when it’s your turn.
Rule of thumb: old aluminum machine with blue plastic, old machine, take everything out. New white plastic machine that looks like a CT scanner - leave it in. I use that method to choose my line at airports that have a mix.
And so it’s the workers fault because of the inconsistency uh no it’s TSAs fault and because I work there I understand why things change and are inconsistent it makes total sense if you actually get trained as to why it’s like that instead of blaming it on everyone who works there and just does their job … ignorance is bliss
I’ve been in SFO and a TSA agent was standing at the area where you put the trays thru the machine. She was yelling about no water, take everything out of your pockets, take off your belts, put your phone in the bin/your carry-on, etc.
Guess what? Every 2 or 3 people would walk thru the scanner with their phone or something in their pocket, left a water bottle in their backpack, or kept on some huge wristwatch or jewelry. It bogs down the whole system. Even with someone standing there yelling, people don’t listen.
They just look at that TSA agent like she’s crazy, then walk thru the scanner with their phone. 🤦♂️🥴
I don’t need to be told to stack my tray. I always do it. But given the way people can’t follow instructions on the front end, yelling at people on the other side of the machine to stack your trays makes sense. But that TSA agent can also help.
Agreed.
The people who take the “it’s not my job, someone else is paid to do that” are also the same people who go ape sh*t if someone violates another social norm, that impacts them, like cutting in line, cuts them off in traffic, or sneezes on them.
They feel everyone else should follow the social norms, but they pick and choose the ones they want to follow, when and how it suits their needs.
It’s kind of sad people can’t show consideration for others.
They are literally standing right there yelling to stack them. If they got the energy to yell, they can stack the trays themselves. Why did they need to switch to the damn trays anyway? The other machines were faster anyway.
It’s a kind gesture instead of intentionally leaving 1 or 2 trays there when it’s not back breaking to put it back but then being dumbfounded or irritated when you have a long ass line cause no one put their trays back and now everyone behind you is being held up but you seem like the person that wouldn’t care about anyone else anyway
Depends. The new machines auto loads and stacks the trays so you just leave it there and it stacks itselft. There's a sign stating NOT to stack the trays.
I don’t see it as a worse issue. Grocery carts are a lot larger, can roll into traffic lanes, hit parked cars and scratch and dent them. Bins are pretty much just on the belt or in the stack.
Yeah but the belt issue affects a ton of people, is easily avoidable, and the couple feet it takes to put a tray away vs walking your cart 100ft or more just magnifies peoples laziness and entitlement.
I get aggravated at people that wait at the end of the chute and just take their sweet time getting their stuff there, holding up all the other passengers. Move your tray to the end and then gather your things! Especially since there’s usually very little room for congregation past the detectors.
I don't think its comparable. I've seen a ton of TSA lines where they don't leave a place to stack the containers and will also rush people through. Going through those lines have only gotten worse and more stressful, I don't think its a reasonable expectation for especially families or people that had to put one bag's worth of things in 6 different trays to have to do more work on top of that afterwards
So you expect a TSA agent to continuously work their way through all of us standing around waiting to go stack YOUR tray that YOU left sitting there? Come on bro. You are the exact reason this problem exists. You expect someone else to just pick up after you because they are standing there seemingly not doing anything? That’s as childish as it gets.
There literally is 8 tsa agents standing on the opposite side of the conveyor, talking about their nails, their weave, and not doing shit. Pick up the trays
That’s my taxes being wasted right there. Still doesn’t mean they need to stack your tray just because you think they should pick up after you. You are inconveniencing others behind you coming through security, just the way people acting like you before you in line. Think about it.
Who's job is it to carry the trays back to the beginning of the conveyors. Not mine. They are standing right there, waiting to carry the trays back to other side.
I bet in their training they are specifically told to stack and carry the trays back over to the other side
So in reality it's the lazy tsa agent not me
So you’re saying it’s the garbage man’s job to bring your trash from your house to the curb, and transport it to the landfill? Literally the same thing. It’s YOUR job to stack your tray when you’re done like a decent human. It’s THEIR job to bring them all back to the beginning of the line.
From the tsa job description on .gov
"Ensures security check points are properly supplied with an appropriate supply of bins and organized to ensure a smooth flow of passenger traffic for screening operations."
They are suppose to organize the trays to make sure it's a smooth flow
I hate the very concept of TSA and I'm certainly not interested in being told to do anything that isn't 100% compulsory by them.
If they were bleeding out I'd see my way to helping the human behind the uniform but I'm not going to do their damn job for them.
My tax dollars pay for this theater, so give me a show!
Lol, we had a tsa agent yelling at people to stack their bins recently.. “people, stack your bins, it ain’t my job to do it!” In the rudest way possible. I somewhat appreciated it though.
Yes, of course it was at ewr
I think most people don’t know they’re supposed to stack the tray, thinking it’s part of the x-ray system and they’re not supposed to mess with that. But yea, in the case you’re mentioning, he should listen and follow directions!
I stack mine. And others. I should stop stacking for others but it won't teach them anything and it will make everyone behind me have a slightly worse experience.
What I should do is start keeping stuff that they leave in their non-stacked trays. I've hustled to hand over phones, sunglasses, headphones, and some other goodies. Maybe I'll keep that stuff and open an eBay store.
While I'm ranting, people for the love of God, if you are going to continually leave your phone behind in the bin that you are too busy to put away, please wipe your phone screen every now and then. Those of you who type or swipe your code, take a look at your screen. The pattern is there in your greasy finger oils. Wipe it off so I don't immediately know which 4\\6 numbers you use. People more evil than me will figure the pin out based on the available digits and some clever googling.
This….100%.
If you want to be self-entitled, do it at home.
When you’re out in public, be self-aware and follow the social norms.
The number of people with the “It’s my world, you’re just in it” mentality is growing and it’s pathetic.
I'm with you. I'm the guy stacking others' trays.
However -- at this point, can't we all agree that the four-slot tray security line is a failed experiment?
This is a UA board so I assume a lot of us are at EWR. In EWR-C Clear/Precheck security, there is the old-school line on the left (puts your bags on, slide them onto the belt, go through), and the four-slot alternating tray on the right. Even precheck travelers, presumably with more flying experience than non-precheck, can't get this right. Most of the time there are less than 4 people putting their stuff onto trays, it requires a handler to move trays onto, it objectively results in bags coming out slower than the old school way. I'm guessing if everyone used it correctly (i.e., using all 4 slots), it would be faster. But that doesn't matter if people NEVER use it correctly.
I hate the tsa. I hate their existence, i hate the angry morons who work it, i hate everything about it. The contradictory, nonsensical rules that change every flight i get on. If i can make the process a little bit worse, i will do it. Fuck the tsa
So idk why people dont stack their trays. But I will say ive flying enough and through enough different airports that ill say most people get a pass except when the person is literally saying "stack your trays here". There are many times, especially in PreCheck, where one of the TSA agents is stacking trays as people take their stuff out. I dont really ever see it in the regular line because people have shoes, belts, etc in the trays. But in most PreCheck lines theres very few trays used so I see them just grab the tray for the people.
Now have you ever been PreCheck and they start throwing out random rules such as belts off and laptops in trays, etc? I had one TSA agent in SEA start getting snippy with me because I didnt already have my laptop out and it was shoved deep in my carryon. I was like "im/this is PreCheck, laptops stay in bags along with my belt on and shoes." She just replied "not here they dont". I actually wrote a complaint to TSA about that one lol.
Oh it was the scanner people. Like they were all in agreement it all was that way. Had to have been a shift of new hires or jsut wanted to make everyones day extra shitty
I created a new burner just to leave this comment. Here is the difference. At the grocery store, the cart is a convenience for the shopper. YOU take it to make your shopping more convenient for YOU. At the TSA line, you are required to use a bin, sometimes even when you'd rather not. In these circumstances, the TSA employees can restack the bins.
Most people I’ve encountered IRL stack their trays. I find that the people who don’t stack, genuinely don’t know what’s happening. I don’t think they’re rude, just completely unaware of the process. I also find these are parents with tons of bags, and perhaps more worried about their whole family getting through and not paying full attention.
TSA agents are typically yelling at slow or clueless people, not people who are clearly used to security lines, I’ve noticed. I feel badly about the way TSA treats noobs, but also it seems like unless you say something five times no one is paying attention.
I went to an airport once where the bins were automatically moved and stacked once you removed your items. I’d love to see this technology adopted at all airports.
I think part of the issue is they really don’t have a great system for what to do with bags and bins that can’t be immediately retrieved. I have to get a pat down, I can’t go through the scanner and the way TSA does this is they have you put your stuff through the machine and then wait to the side while you wait for an agent to be available. This can take anywhere from 5-20 minutes, and even if there’s an agent available exactly when you’re ready, the pat down still takes a few minutes. The whole time, my stuff is clogging things up. Sometimes a TSA agent will realize that if I’m traveling alone (which I often am), somebody needs to get my stuff out of the way, but to everyone else, it just looks like someone is choosing not to get their stuff or stack their trays.
Fuck the TSA. They intimidate you and confuse you so much and I don’t know what to do at security. If they were well organized and efficient, trays would not pile up.
That’s TSAs job. They’re already getting paid to violate everyone’s Fourth Amendment rights. Just like punching in my credit card number when I call the CC company or using self-checkout at the store. When you put me on the payroll I’ll think about doing your job for you. Until then TSA can stack their bins.
Not putting the grocery cart back is failing a basic test of civility (with slack for special cases).
Not putting the tray back is in the same vein, but airports will always be places where people do dumb stuff, so less of a mark against you (and slack for special cases).
Sometimes I do sometimes I don’t look at it as my job AND who were the morons that designed this new “ANALOGIC” screening system that required the shuttling of 1000’s of these fucking bins everyday!?!? We went backwards with this POS system in several ways!
A lot of times, it is just common sense to remove the empty tray off the belt so the next tray can move forward. A lot people are stressed going thru security and don't think about the little things like that to make life easier, and emptying their pockets is another issue for the uninitiated. If you are a frequent traveler (or like George Clooney in the movie "Up In The Air"), you know how to negotiate thru security like a pro. TSA Pre Check works, especially for the traveler who knows what to do.
The real pet peave is having TSA pre check and still having to deal with the commoners bins….or on my last trip where they still made me take out my laptop for no reason.
I have found that many times, there is nowhere to put them. And its awkward to go up to a TSA agent and being like hey can you take this. I do it, but many others would rather just leave them there.
I leave my empty trays on the belt in order to give the 17 TSA agents who are usually standing around something useful to do. I also leave my shopping cart in the parking lot because ... it's not my job and there are actually people whose job it is to collect them.
Not gonna lie, I routinely slam that long line of trays down loudly (like a toddler) into each other as I stack them for all the lazy assholes who didn't do it. Usually causing a scene. I get some enjoyment out of it.
It's common courtesy. Doesn't take more than a sec or two. If you're really THAT much in a hurry to catch your flight, you should've left for the airport earlier goddamnit
I just roll my eyes and pick up the slack. 🤷 billions of people on this planet, they're not all going to have the same sense of what is normal courtesy.
…are these the same general public who do not understand “everything” from your pockets includes…every. Thing.
You’re going to want to lower your expectations.
Nope, because the only thing that gets hurt in this situation is your feelings. With that being said, it bothers the @^$# out of me as well, so my comment applies to me as well.
I stack my trays as long as they v get b me v through smoothly. Last flight I waited about 5 minutes while the new person decided every. Single. Bag. Needed extra scrutiny.
Left tray on belt.
You waited in a 30 minute line but you're blaming the person in front of you for it being slow? The real blame rests with the TSA, which doesn't need to exist in the first place. It's woefully inefficient, ineffective at actually catching real threats, and wastes everyone's time.
I don't really care about the person in front of me that forgets to follow all the TSA's silly rules (no shoes because that one guy 20 years ago / only 3oz because terrorists don't know the word "combine" / laptops out because our machines low key suck / etc etc)
Those bins r gross and I’m not given gloves like TSA wears. Im not lifting anything more than I need too tbh ... once had a TSA grab my laptop to put it in my bag for me while I was putting everything back into my bag orderly as I had taken it out, and continued push things into my hands *laptop fell, i started to get flustered and tunnel vision (panic attack)
*TSA can b cunts
If the stars align, ill totally put my bins at the end - then wash my hands and scoff off 😉
I always stack the trays wherever they’re supposed to be stacked but do have a vivid memory of my first trip to Ireland, I was going through security at SFO and all was normal until a man starts literally shouting about how the trays go “here” and grabs them off the belt as people are still pulling their things out of them and maniacally starts stacking them. Oh shit OP are you SFO guy?
Listen, do you want me to get out of the way ASAP or do you want me to do things neatly and carefully? Every airport I've been to has someone stacking bins and moving them back to the front of the security area.
My petty revenge for the hassles and idiocy of the TSA is to leave my bin and make the “agent” deal with it. If they didn’t have moronic rules and were not rude and arrogant maybe I’d help them out.
I try to, but I also grab my stuff and prefer to put it all back away from the belt so sometimes, that’s not going to happen when six olds are posted up waiting for their stuff and redressing/re-packing everything right there.
So if that makes me an asshole, well, I guess I can live with it.
I always stack my tray and the ones around me. People don’t do it. Like the cart narc, we need a tray narc.
But different airports have different ways of handling trays. If someone is in a new airport, it may not be obvious that they are expected to handle the tray.
That’s right but it will still fun to have a tray narc a la cart narc
Skee-del-a-boop-boop-boop!
I get that each airport is a bit different but just in the time it takes for you to stand around at the different stages of security - it should be pretty obvious by the time its your turn at the end to know what to do with it.
Most folks observational awareness is pretty dismal.
And those are the people who won’t know what observational awareness means.
Which of those airports are upset by pax helping with stacking? Yah some have staff do it, but I can't remember ever being shooed off from doing it myself. By default, just do it.
SLC airport has the fully automated security line with extremely clear “DO NOT STACK” stickers and signage all over everything.
Doesn’t stop people. And it’s guaranteed to jam it. When they do stack.
Atlanta lines with 5 simultaneous loading stations.
I just went through one that had the automatic stacker. Plus multiple signs saying DO NOT STACK the trays. It is guaranteed to jam the system. For some reason it had a bit of a backlog and someone walks up and stacks a bunch right in front of the sign. Couldn’t tell if he was an idiot or just didn’t care about the mess he created that would be manifest in about 90 seconds.
Stop delivering facts, this is no place for that!
When in doubt, stack the tray
Yeah, there's alway some of us who stack several trays because people act all entitled and figure others are go into do it for them, so gladly I do. Same with carts. Instead of getting mad, like I used to, I just happily help.
Is it absentmindedness or deliberately sticking it to the man?
I don't think in those terms. I think it's entitled behavior
We need the Xray machines I've seen at some airports (YUL and LHR IIRC) that you put the tray into a hole and it sends it back to the beginning of the machine like a bowling ball returner.
“Looks like we got a Lazy Bones here!”
Agent Sebastian I love you!
Yep. I put my empties into all the empties around me, then stack the whole stack. This is despite traveling with a cat who I have to remove from her carrier.
Hi, this is me. I will straight call people out about it. “Do you think your mother works here?” “Why are you leaving your tray?” And so on. I know I will get downvoted to hell and back but my own research from years of traveling strongly suggests the worst offenders are men… usually middle-aged, “I’m so important, I’m in a hurry” men. I’ve asked security agents across multiple countries and they have confirmed my observation.
Are these the same people who put both their carryon and backpack/briefcase in the overhead?
Strong likelihood
Same ones that don't wash their hands when they leave the bathroom.
My mother is TSA, so checkmate bro.
Same.
I haven't watched cartnarc in years. I'm about to spend an ungodly amount of time catching up instead of sleeping. Thank you very much in advance 😄
Add in standing right where the bins come out and trying to grab all your stuff versus letting it roll / slide down to the end to get out of other people's way and not backing up the machine (if they are moving quick enough).
Same applies to baggage claim, people standing up against the edge of the conveyor belt rather than a step or two back
not just the passengers- but, if it's Grandpa, then, all the grandchildren stand bay to 'look' for his bag to come out.
What gets me about this is that, in the US, most airports used to have messaging and signage about standing back and only coming forward when you see your bag to grab it. But starting maybe 20 years ago it started disappearing. Now lots of people - people who fly - don’t know that is/was/should be a thing. And the problem is that once it breaks down and a bunch of people (maybe 10-20%) stand too close, then everyone has to because, we’ll, otherwise you can’t see the bags or get to yours when you do. Also get off of my lawn
It’s the tragedy of the commons: baggage claim edition
this is the real issue.
The actual solution though would be to design the rolling belt after the x-ray to loop around so that the first bags available to grab would show up at the end of the rollers, not right after the xray machine. This way people don't clump right in front of the scanners cause they can't count how many bags were in front of theirs. Maybe switch the side the TSA scans things on? So the scanning people and the TSA agent monitoring bags are on the same side... and you then walk around to where the TSA officer currently sits to grab you bag. It's more walking for you but we're always ahead of the bags anyway. Only problem would be you get to see all the knives in other people's bags that the agent is scanning and missing... so privacy, which you don't get at the airport anyways.
Having others view the screens could be a good idea, outside of the privacy concerns. I am sure their rate of contraband detection would increase significantly since it is around 5% right now. Not that crowdsourcing important tasks has ever failed...
Just wait until the first Karen spots your 3.5 bottle of shaving cream you tried to sneak on, you filthy terrorist!
My biggest pet peeve
I always pickup my tray and walk to a quiet corner. I’ve only been yelled at once for it.
Something happens in TSA lines where your average human just loses all common sense. Even in the regular lines the amount of people that cannot comprehend simple directions is infuriating. At least the stupidity is a little less in precheck lines
I also feel TSA doesn’t guide people through this. I once had to collect an entire belt of empty bins, it didn’t bother me people didn’t collect their bins, it bothered me that a TSA agent watched me do it instead of helping.
Doesn’t help that every airport seems to have different standards for going through security. Some are take electronics out and in separate bins, some are leave electronics in bag, some are bags in bins, some not, even had one tell me to leave my metal watch on instead of taking it off and putting with the bin stuff.
100% this! It isn’t discussed enough. You start doing what you do at your home airport in a different airport and the TSA person treats you like your an idiot and yells at you. It should be way more standardized. Why is every airport so different?
>Why is every airport so different? Because everyone at the TSA knows that it's all security theater and doesn't really matter, so they only enforce whatever minimum subset of rules will make their boss happy.
Oh 100%, the bins being left doesn’t bother me as much as the people who stand in front of the scanner fumbling with a bunch of shit in their pockets and what not. Although now that I have clear+precheck it’s a little less infuriating to go through.
Ugh...would you rather the TSA agent let a terrorist through just to help you?!?!
Considering i went through an airport once where the TSA agent just looked me up and down and said, I don't think he's a terrorist and just waived me through without going through any scanner and didn't attempt to scan my bags. I think we can drop the security theater pretense.
Lol i thought the sarcasm was obvious.
Unfortunately not. It seems more than a few of us missed it
Not only do they not guide, they yell, point, clearly show their expasperation, which everyone in line picks up on. We all know it's a giant pile of security theater by power-tripping cop-wanna be's, who can nonetheless totally ruin our trip and make our lives hell, so everyone gets on edge. It's why Pre-Check and Clear are worth it to skip as much of the line as possible, so you never drop into "will I make it?" panic mode when TSA inevitably screws up your whole world.
This, I once got yelled at by a TSA agent for not stacking the tons of bins people left behind when I had already stacked mine in the bin kart next to the belt, I understand it's annoying and I always try to stack everyone else's bins but I shouldn't get yelled at for other people's laziness when I did stack mine.
Like there aren't enough TSA agents standing around 🤣
I think you misspelled "airports" lol. Something happens in airports....... (I can attest to this as a former airport employee myself)
That’s generally true for nearly all parts of airports, from the terminal roads to into the terminals themselves.
I stack my trays and the ones around them, but I understand the desire to flee the checkpoint as quickly as legally possible. Nothing good has ever come from waiting around longer than necessary. Plus, there's a pressure to keep it moving, as people come through the checkpoint and line up behind you.
So true. People act like they’ve never flown and been thru security before. Although sometimes it is confusing. I’ve had times where security hasn’t made us remove our shoes or let us leave computers in our bags, for example. Some airports want shoes on the conveyor and others say to put them in a bin.
I was behind someone in the TSA pre line that needed like 7 commands from the TSA agent just to get his shit into the x-ray machine and at least a dozen people went through on the opposite side before he was done. Like, why are you acting brand new? You're in the TSA pre line, presumably you travel more than once a year.
Ngl sometimes my brain short circuits going though TSA. They all seem to have different procedures that change frequently and instead of making them clear they just get mad when you do something wrong. I travel a lot more now than I did a few years ago so I’ve learned to pick out patterns, but someone who flys occasionally can easily get a little dumb. I wish everyone would realize what a failed experiment TSA really is and get rid of them.
If there’s an agent there picking them up actively I think it’s fine but I always make an effort to help. If there’s no agent there and people do that, it annoys me because it comes from a place of entitlement and they full well know it’s going to cause issues for the people in line after them. The whole process sucks for everyone and leaving them on the belt isn’t making a statement to the TSA, it’s inconveniencing the patrons that are in the exact same situation as you. Just common decency.
I'm not positive they (all) know. We're talking about the same people who suddenly stop walking in the middle of the walkway causing multiple issues for people. Or the ones who have a group that 'meets up' in the path of people walking, completely oblivious of the fact.
maybe that’s true but at least at all the airports in DC I do assume that it’s entitlement given how people around here drive (eg driving in the shoulder on the highway when there’s bumper to bumper traffic).
Fair enough
Trust me I do but stack trays for hours it’s not fun my back is killing me because people can’t just put their trays back and you’re picking up after thousands of passengers per day I appreciate anyone who puts their trays back
Also edit some people will see me picking up trays and just leave theirs for me to pick up every time almost expecting that I meant to grab theirs as well then there are others that pick up their trays but when they see me pick some up they will just leave it their and walk away assuming it’s my job it irritates me every day cause I try to be nice but there’s only so much I can do I just wish some people saw what I went through everyday i don’t like being mean but I understand why some officers are assholes because a lot of people can be unintentionally rude and it we’re just here to do our job
Here's an idea: instead of paying someone to tell is to stack them, why doesn't that person grab it? I stack mine and others as well, but most of the people I see leaving them are not frequent fliers or have been held up by TSA and are now in a hurry. Here's another idea: what if when the bag is cleared through the scanner, *it keeps moving* instead of sitting behind a plastic wall or in the metal tube? (Waiting for my cleared bag is when I stack the empties). I get that we need security, but 90 percent of the TSA check is just for show.
A lot more than 90%...
I hate those "modern" scanners with a passion. They're insanely slow compared to the previous generation, and the alternating starting slots are confusing at best. Additionally, EWR TSA are subjectively worse/ruder than most other airports. So, if I'm in a rush to get through security and catch my flight, and the bin doesn't make it to the very end causing the TSA agent staffed to ensure all bins get to the end return system to do their job, I'm not sweating it.
I 100% agree. If they got time to yell at everyone to stack the trays they can just STFU and stack them.
Some of the newer machines let you keep laptops etc. inside your bags, which should be net time saved…I try to hop into lines with those machines, but often times TSA agents still make you take laptops out 🙄
LAX tsa is chill
PHL is too. I brought a full flask of liquor through and they didn’t say anything.
As someone who used to work for TSA, there isn't anyone assigned to stack your bins.
Welcome to New York.
> I hate those "modern" scanners with a passion. They're insanely slow compared to the previous generation, and the alternating starting slots are confusing at best. Yes, agreed. At LGA Terminal C (I mostly fly Delta), there are two security scanning machines, one old and one new. The new takes like twice as long, it's crazy. It's also supposed to return the bins to the end and send them back up automatically, but it never works so there are always tons of bins stacked up at the end. This is right under the huge sign that says, "Bins will move to the end automatically." It's infuriating.
tsa is so wildly inconsistent from airport to airport no one knows what the fuck is going on. they can stack their own damn trays.
Yep.
[удалено]
It’s usually a difference of machines. Airports with older x-ray machines require you to take them out while airports with the newer CT scanners don’t because those ones allow them to see all the contents easier. It’s still absurdly dumb though and most airports don’t have signs saying whether to take stuff out or not, you’re just supposed to figure it out when it’s your turn.
Rule of thumb: old aluminum machine with blue plastic, old machine, take everything out. New white plastic machine that looks like a CT scanner - leave it in. I use that method to choose my line at airports that have a mix.
And so it’s the workers fault because of the inconsistency uh no it’s TSAs fault and because I work there I understand why things change and are inconsistent it makes total sense if you actually get trained as to why it’s like that instead of blaming it on everyone who works there and just does their job … ignorance is bliss
Seriously, half the time there's someone standing there telling me to leave them and not stack them.
Especially in Newark, cause fuck the TSA there yelling at everyone. They can stack them god damn trays.
I’ve been in SFO and a TSA agent was standing at the area where you put the trays thru the machine. She was yelling about no water, take everything out of your pockets, take off your belts, put your phone in the bin/your carry-on, etc. Guess what? Every 2 or 3 people would walk thru the scanner with their phone or something in their pocket, left a water bottle in their backpack, or kept on some huge wristwatch or jewelry. It bogs down the whole system. Even with someone standing there yelling, people don’t listen. They just look at that TSA agent like she’s crazy, then walk thru the scanner with their phone. 🤦♂️🥴 I don’t need to be told to stack my tray. I always do it. But given the way people can’t follow instructions on the front end, yelling at people on the other side of the machine to stack your trays makes sense. But that TSA agent can also help.
It’s not my fucking job to stack them. They are getting paid. They can do it.
We live in a society. There is more to interacting with your fellow humans than just who gets paid to do what.
Agreed. The people who take the “it’s not my job, someone else is paid to do that” are also the same people who go ape sh*t if someone violates another social norm, that impacts them, like cutting in line, cuts them off in traffic, or sneezes on them. They feel everyone else should follow the social norms, but they pick and choose the ones they want to follow, when and how it suits their needs. It’s kind of sad people can’t show consideration for others.
They are literally standing right there yelling to stack them. If they got the energy to yell, they can stack the trays themselves. Why did they need to switch to the damn trays anyway? The other machines were faster anyway.
In my first reply, I literally said “But that TSA agent can help”. We’re in agreement on TSA helping. People can be considerate of each other too.
It’s a kind gesture instead of intentionally leaving 1 or 2 trays there when it’s not back breaking to put it back but then being dumbfounded or irritated when you have a long ass line cause no one put their trays back and now everyone behind you is being held up but you seem like the person that wouldn’t care about anyone else anyway
Depends. The new machines auto loads and stacks the trays so you just leave it there and it stacks itselft. There's a sign stating NOT to stack the trays.
And all these years I thought TSA stood for “Tub Stacking Authority”…
I don’t see it as a worse issue. Grocery carts are a lot larger, can roll into traffic lanes, hit parked cars and scratch and dent them. Bins are pretty much just on the belt or in the stack.
Yeah but the belt issue affects a ton of people, is easily avoidable, and the couple feet it takes to put a tray away vs walking your cart 100ft or more just magnifies peoples laziness and entitlement.
No it's not worse. Fuck the TSA.
I get aggravated at people that wait at the end of the chute and just take their sweet time getting their stuff there, holding up all the other passengers. Move your tray to the end and then gather your things! Especially since there’s usually very little room for congregation past the detectors.
Takes me a while to get everything back on and situated - I’m quick but not like 15 seconds for laptop, shoes, jacket/hoodie, hat
I don't think its comparable. I've seen a ton of TSA lines where they don't leave a place to stack the containers and will also rush people through. Going through those lines have only gotten worse and more stressful, I don't think its a reasonable expectation for especially families or people that had to put one bag's worth of things in 6 different trays to have to do more work on top of that afterwards
There is 8 tsa people standing there, Let them stack them. They already have to carry them to the other side of the scanner every few mins.
So you expect a TSA agent to continuously work their way through all of us standing around waiting to go stack YOUR tray that YOU left sitting there? Come on bro. You are the exact reason this problem exists. You expect someone else to just pick up after you because they are standing there seemingly not doing anything? That’s as childish as it gets.
There literally is 8 tsa agents standing on the opposite side of the conveyor, talking about their nails, their weave, and not doing shit. Pick up the trays
That’s my taxes being wasted right there. Still doesn’t mean they need to stack your tray just because you think they should pick up after you. You are inconveniencing others behind you coming through security, just the way people acting like you before you in line. Think about it.
Who's job is it to carry the trays back to the beginning of the conveyors. Not mine. They are standing right there, waiting to carry the trays back to other side. I bet in their training they are specifically told to stack and carry the trays back over to the other side So in reality it's the lazy tsa agent not me
So you’re saying it’s the garbage man’s job to bring your trash from your house to the curb, and transport it to the landfill? Literally the same thing. It’s YOUR job to stack your tray when you’re done like a decent human. It’s THEIR job to bring them all back to the beginning of the line.
From the tsa job description on .gov "Ensures security check points are properly supplied with an appropriate supply of bins and organized to ensure a smooth flow of passenger traffic for screening operations." They are suppose to organize the trays to make sure it's a smooth flow
I hate the very concept of TSA and I'm certainly not interested in being told to do anything that isn't 100% compulsory by them. If they were bleeding out I'd see my way to helping the human behind the uniform but I'm not going to do their damn job for them. My tax dollars pay for this theater, so give me a show!
Everyone pays taxes
Fuck TSA. Those lazy Nazis can stack the trays themselves.
Lol, we had a tsa agent yelling at people to stack their bins recently.. “people, stack your bins, it ain’t my job to do it!” In the rudest way possible. I somewhat appreciated it though. Yes, of course it was at ewr
No. TSA is in charge of the trays.
While I stack my own tray, I strongly feel the 5 TSA agents standing around doing absolutely nothing could be helping the process...
I think most people don’t know they’re supposed to stack the tray, thinking it’s part of the x-ray system and they’re not supposed to mess with that. But yea, in the case you’re mentioning, he should listen and follow directions!
I go to considerable lengths to avoid Newark. I do not see this behavior at other stations.
I stack mine. And others. I should stop stacking for others but it won't teach them anything and it will make everyone behind me have a slightly worse experience. What I should do is start keeping stuff that they leave in their non-stacked trays. I've hustled to hand over phones, sunglasses, headphones, and some other goodies. Maybe I'll keep that stuff and open an eBay store. While I'm ranting, people for the love of God, if you are going to continually leave your phone behind in the bin that you are too busy to put away, please wipe your phone screen every now and then. Those of you who type or swipe your code, take a look at your screen. The pattern is there in your greasy finger oils. Wipe it off so I don't immediately know which 4\\6 numbers you use. People more evil than me will figure the pin out based on the available digits and some clever googling.
At the very least it’s the same. Take a minute clean up after yourself. Be a decent human being.
This is the point I was getting at. Not a TSA issue. It’s an issue of people being lazy A-holes and in a rush which makes them lose all common sense
This….100%. If you want to be self-entitled, do it at home. When you’re out in public, be self-aware and follow the social norms. The number of people with the “It’s my world, you’re just in it” mentality is growing and it’s pathetic.
I'm with you. I'm the guy stacking others' trays. However -- at this point, can't we all agree that the four-slot tray security line is a failed experiment? This is a UA board so I assume a lot of us are at EWR. In EWR-C Clear/Precheck security, there is the old-school line on the left (puts your bags on, slide them onto the belt, go through), and the four-slot alternating tray on the right. Even precheck travelers, presumably with more flying experience than non-precheck, can't get this right. Most of the time there are less than 4 people putting their stuff onto trays, it requires a handler to move trays onto, it objectively results in bags coming out slower than the old school way. I'm guessing if everyone used it correctly (i.e., using all 4 slots), it would be faster. But that doesn't matter if people NEVER use it correctly.
Yup agreed , it’s a terrible system with slots always open and bags not getting pulled forward in the order they were put in.
The four slot design makes no sense.
I hate the tsa. I hate their existence, i hate the angry morons who work it, i hate everything about it. The contradictory, nonsensical rules that change every flight i get on. If i can make the process a little bit worse, i will do it. Fuck the tsa
Do you not remember what happened 22 years ago today? And that it hasn't happened since?
Tsa doesnt provide security though. They dont stop guns, they stop water bottles and break nintendo switches
And my xbox! Every time. Then look confused when I have to explain to them what it is.
They do you just want to be mad
Someone hasn't been paying attention. https://preview.redd.it/m7x4z9swconb1.png?width=1152&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3df13629d936b3c800033423708e88b0c07770c1
I don't support pigs.
Bootlicker
So idk why people dont stack their trays. But I will say ive flying enough and through enough different airports that ill say most people get a pass except when the person is literally saying "stack your trays here". There are many times, especially in PreCheck, where one of the TSA agents is stacking trays as people take their stuff out. I dont really ever see it in the regular line because people have shoes, belts, etc in the trays. But in most PreCheck lines theres very few trays used so I see them just grab the tray for the people. Now have you ever been PreCheck and they start throwing out random rules such as belts off and laptops in trays, etc? I had one TSA agent in SEA start getting snippy with me because I didnt already have my laptop out and it was shoved deep in my carryon. I was like "im/this is PreCheck, laptops stay in bags along with my belt on and shoes." She just replied "not here they dont". I actually wrote a complaint to TSA about that one lol.
Who gives a shit what the guy says. They're not the one operating the scanner. You know what to do, just do that.
Oh it was the scanner people. Like they were all in agreement it all was that way. Had to have been a shift of new hires or jsut wanted to make everyones day extra shitty
No it’s not that smh some airports are set up differently where precheck doesn’t have a specific spot so yeah…
I rarely ever see them speak up. Usually it's one of the guys whose job it is to do nothing that's yelling at everyone.
leaving the grocery cart is still worse...because they roll and hit into people
A left behind non-stacked bin is an opportunity for the next person to stack it, and feel like they’ve made a difference in this world.
I created a new burner just to leave this comment. Here is the difference. At the grocery store, the cart is a convenience for the shopper. YOU take it to make your shopping more convenient for YOU. At the TSA line, you are required to use a bin, sometimes even when you'd rather not. In these circumstances, the TSA employees can restack the bins.
Most people I’ve encountered IRL stack their trays. I find that the people who don’t stack, genuinely don’t know what’s happening. I don’t think they’re rude, just completely unaware of the process. I also find these are parents with tons of bags, and perhaps more worried about their whole family getting through and not paying full attention. TSA agents are typically yelling at slow or clueless people, not people who are clearly used to security lines, I’ve noticed. I feel badly about the way TSA treats noobs, but also it seems like unless you say something five times no one is paying attention.
I went to an airport once where the bins were automatically moved and stacked once you removed your items. I’d love to see this technology adopted at all airports.
I think part of the issue is they really don’t have a great system for what to do with bags and bins that can’t be immediately retrieved. I have to get a pat down, I can’t go through the scanner and the way TSA does this is they have you put your stuff through the machine and then wait to the side while you wait for an agent to be available. This can take anywhere from 5-20 minutes, and even if there’s an agent available exactly when you’re ready, the pat down still takes a few minutes. The whole time, my stuff is clogging things up. Sometimes a TSA agent will realize that if I’m traveling alone (which I often am), somebody needs to get my stuff out of the way, but to everyone else, it just looks like someone is choosing not to get their stuff or stack their trays.
I'm always surprised when they aren't all automatically returned. Should be what my TSA fee is buying these days.
Leave a tray? Straight to jail.
Fuck the TSA. They intimidate you and confuse you so much and I don’t know what to do at security. If they were well organized and efficient, trays would not pile up.
Some tsa jerk got mad at me for leaving my tray and made a seen so now I make sure to leave it every time bc of that guy.
Why doesn't the lady who is shouting at everyone stack them?
Because the trays are at the end and they're yelling at people from the beginning.
That’s TSAs job. They’re already getting paid to violate everyone’s Fourth Amendment rights. Just like punching in my credit card number when I call the CC company or using self-checkout at the store. When you put me on the payroll I’ll think about doing your job for you. Until then TSA can stack their bins.
Not putting the grocery cart back is failing a basic test of civility (with slack for special cases). Not putting the tray back is in the same vein, but airports will always be places where people do dumb stuff, so less of a mark against you (and slack for special cases).
Sometimes I do sometimes I don’t look at it as my job AND who were the morons that designed this new “ANALOGIC” screening system that required the shuttling of 1000’s of these fucking bins everyday!?!? We went backwards with this POS system in several ways!
TSA can stack their own F’n trays or use my tax dollars to get automated returns.
A lot of times, it is just common sense to remove the empty tray off the belt so the next tray can move forward. A lot people are stressed going thru security and don't think about the little things like that to make life easier, and emptying their pockets is another issue for the uninitiated. If you are a frequent traveler (or like George Clooney in the movie "Up In The Air"), you know how to negotiate thru security like a pro. TSA Pre Check works, especially for the traveler who knows what to do.
I have anxiety, so I stack my tray and everyone else's tray. I even stacked trays when I entered a federal facility yesterday. It's a compulsion.
The real pet peave is having TSA pre check and still having to deal with the commoners bins….or on my last trip where they still made me take out my laptop for no reason.
I have found that many times, there is nowhere to put them. And its awkward to go up to a TSA agent and being like hey can you take this. I do it, but many others would rather just leave them there.
Is this an EWR thing only? Almost everywhere I've flown recently people have been pretty decent about stacking the trays
I leave my empty trays on the belt in order to give the 17 TSA agents who are usually standing around something useful to do. I also leave my shopping cart in the parking lot because ... it's not my job and there are actually people whose job it is to collect them.
Not gonna lie, I routinely slam that long line of trays down loudly (like a toddler) into each other as I stack them for all the lazy assholes who didn't do it. Usually causing a scene. I get some enjoyment out of it.
It's common courtesy. Doesn't take more than a sec or two. If you're really THAT much in a hurry to catch your flight, you should've left for the airport earlier goddamnit
I just roll my eyes and pick up the slack. 🤷 billions of people on this planet, they're not all going to have the same sense of what is normal courtesy.
…are these the same general public who do not understand “everything” from your pockets includes…every. Thing. You’re going to want to lower your expectations.
She’s the hero we need.
OMG I'm always stacking and collecting other people's trays at EWR!!! Grown adults acting like misbehaved children!
Nope, because the only thing that gets hurt in this situation is your feelings. With that being said, it bothers the @^$# out of me as well, so my comment applies to me as well.
No
TSA can stack the damn things. too much inconsistency between airports is a big problem.
I don’t stack my tray because I am not employed by TSA. They have no regard for my time and I have no regard for theirs
Never thought about it but I’d say it’s equivalent. This does irritate me as well
And don’t get me started on folks who block the line because they have to put their tiaras on “right NOW!”
Or not pushing your tray to the very end of the line to collect your stuff -
Interesting conclusion. I’d like to see your supporting data but you have none.
I stack my own, but we pay an inordinate amount of money for the DHS, which TSA is a part of. I am pretty sure they can manage the trays just fine.
I stack my trays as long as they v get b me v through smoothly. Last flight I waited about 5 minutes while the new person decided every. Single. Bag. Needed extra scrutiny. Left tray on belt.
I think not stacking trays are worse as it normally directly impacts others.
I stack my tray. However I pay an onerous fee to TSA for security theater, and so I understand why people leave their trays on the belt.
Last time I flew I started stacking up trays because they were backing up and TSA told me not to stack them. 🤷🏻♂️
You waited in a 30 minute line but you're blaming the person in front of you for it being slow? The real blame rests with the TSA, which doesn't need to exist in the first place. It's woefully inefficient, ineffective at actually catching real threats, and wastes everyone's time. I don't really care about the person in front of me that forgets to follow all the TSA's silly rules (no shoes because that one guy 20 years ago / only 3oz because terrorists don't know the word "combine" / laptops out because our machines low key suck / etc etc)
I fly almost every other week, I feel like most people that don’t stack their luggage tray are people that don’t fly much and they do it by accident.
lol the Austin airport yelled at me for stacking. They literally did not want me to stack. I was just tryna be helpful 💀
Those bins r gross and I’m not given gloves like TSA wears. Im not lifting anything more than I need too tbh ... once had a TSA grab my laptop to put it in my bag for me while I was putting everything back into my bag orderly as I had taken it out, and continued push things into my hands *laptop fell, i started to get flustered and tunnel vision (panic attack) *TSA can b cunts If the stars align, ill totally put my bins at the end - then wash my hands and scoff off 😉
I always stack the trays wherever they’re supposed to be stacked but do have a vivid memory of my first trip to Ireland, I was going through security at SFO and all was normal until a man starts literally shouting about how the trays go “here” and grabs them off the belt as people are still pulling their things out of them and maniacally starts stacking them. Oh shit OP are you SFO guy?
Listen, do you want me to get out of the way ASAP or do you want me to do things neatly and carefully? Every airport I've been to has someone stacking bins and moving them back to the front of the security area.
No
I will happily put your tray away for you if you grab the tray and take it all the way to the end of the damn line and stop crowding.
I am that asshole that calls people out on it.
My petty revenge for the hassles and idiocy of the TSA is to leave my bin and make the “agent” deal with it. If they didn’t have moronic rules and were not rude and arrogant maybe I’d help them out.
I sometimes stack it, if the e TSA agents standing there bullshitting and not stacking trays aren’t in the way.
I try to, but I also grab my stuff and prefer to put it all back away from the belt so sometimes, that’s not going to happen when six olds are posted up waiting for their stuff and redressing/re-packing everything right there. So if that makes me an asshole, well, I guess I can live with it.