Earlier last week, a 95-year-old woman with Leukemia was allegedly asked to remove her diaper at a TSA checkpoint in a Florida airport. Because the woman was confined to a wheelchair, she was unable to go through the body scanners and instead needed a pat down. Transportation Security Administration inspectors claimed that they wanted to investigate a lump in the woman’s pants that they believe could have been a bomb. The woman simply needed her diapered changed but with the length of the inspection, the woman nearly missed her flight. Many people are in an uproar over this incident and believe that a major change must be made to our airport security. Others believe that these incidents, although unfortunate, are inevitable and necessary in order to keep us safe from terrorists.

To me, the unsettling part of this story is the way that TSA handled the situation in the days following the incident. The TSA released a short statement the following day essentially claiming that the officers had done nothing wrong. Now, whether or not the officers did in fact follow the guidelines is another topic entirely, but the fact that there was no mention of the woman involved highlighted a serious lack of empathy from the TSA.

The TSA’s lack of empathy shows a divide between their administration and the public. The organization’s goal should be to make the public feel protected while also being emotionally sensitive to travelers by not making them feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. Clearly, respecting people’s privacy while ensuring their safety is not an easy task, but it is one that the TSA must attempt to accomplish if it hopes to regain positive public awareness.

The TSA may want to follow the lead of one of the most successful companies employing empathy today; Apple. Apple has achieved the positive reputation they have now by listening to their consumers and by being sensitive to their needs. Apple is able to produce some of the world’s most innovative products by first understanding the needs and wants of consumers and pulling insightful analysis. It is with these insights that Apple has developed products such as the iPhone and iPad, providing ease of use and intuitive features to its dedicated customers.

In the TSA’s case, empathy at the emotional level is the biggest concern. Rather than providing a tangible product, the TSA must work to fulfill the needs in the hearts of the public. By practicing empathy, they can give the public what they want by making them feel both protected and comfortable. Although this innovation might not be easy to achieve, it is important for the TSA to make that connection with the public in order to improve their image.

Anthony Dostal is a Marketing Intelligence Intern at Organic