HOW TO HANDLE A RUDE AGENT

REPORT THE AGENT TO A SUPERVISOR.

Ask for a Supervisory Transportation Security Officer (STSO) immediately. That’s what Shirley Kroot does when she meets an unpleasant agent. “I have encountered my share of rude TSA agents, especially in Chicago,” says Kroot, a retired real estate appraiser from Huntley, Ill. “After I get through security, I report them to their supervisor.”

COMPLAIN IN WRITING.

You can send an email directly to the TSA (tsa.gov/contact-center/form/complaints). You’ll want to select the category “Professionalism/Customer Service” when you do. Make sure you note other details, such as the name of the agent and the time and the terminal where the screening took place.

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE.

Congress keeps a careful watch on the TSA and its activities. You can contact your representative online at house.gov/representatives/find. Congress has tried to hold the agency accountable for its actions in the past, and its vigilance is bipartisan.