“I have similar experiences with TSA. The process is hectic, disorganized and confusing. It doesn’t have to be. I recently returned from Germany. They were both more organized and more thorough. No yelling, no misdirections.”
The first TSA step here in my local airport is checking your boarding pass and ID and I assume that’s the case elsewhere. The person checking the boarding passes should tell you which is the right line.
I listen to what the screeners tell other passengers - such as taking off one’s shoes and placing one’s laptop in a separate plastic tub.
Gatwick had produce size plastic bags that passengers were told to place their metal containing items in.
I was in Fairbanks Alaska Monday night being scanned by TSA. My laptop bag was flagged for sensor checking.
I keep all my snacks in the side zippered pouch, protein bars, almonds, cashews and a small package of prunes. As she was scanning the prunes I asked her what she was looking gor.
“Explosives” she replied.
My response, “That doesn’t happen until you eat the prunes!”
She lost it and was still laughing for the next in line.