TSA Security

Ladies, is it really necessary to try to wear every piece of jewelry you own while going through the metal detectors? And then look dumbfounded when they ask you to step back while holding everyone up.

It's not rocket science

Other passengers are the worst part of flying, IMO.

On another forum a few years ago there was a "Pet peeves about other passengers" thread. I hit about 100 without much thinking :D

Now, now, it's not just the ladies. There are guys who wait until the last second to take off the belt, empty pockets of change, the keys, etc. I do sympathize (a little) with people who only fly once a year or less. They haven't learned how to plan ahead to get themselves (and others) through the line efficiently.

There are guys who wait until the last second to take off the belt, empty pockets of change ...

Now, now, it's not just the ladies. There are guys who wait until the last second to take off the belt, empty pockets of change, the keys, etc. I do sympathize (a little) with people who only fly once a year or less. They haven't learned how to plan ahead to get themselves (and others) through the line efficiently.

Oh, I have empathy for those who don't fly often.

However, this was the Pre-Check lane

Ladies, is it really necessary to try to wear every piece of jewelry you own while going through the metal detectors? And then look dumbfounded when they ask you to step back while holding everyone up.

 

It's not rocket science

The answer I got when I posed the question was that yes, it is the safest way to travel with jewelry. The dumbfounded look is just for show.

The answer I got when I posed the question was that yes, it is the safest way to travel with jewelry. The dumbfounded look is just for show.

I find that the safest way to travel with jewelry is to leave it locked up in the safe at home and just take with me colourful but low value costume jewelry that I can put in my luggage without worrying about it.

Now, now, it's not just the ladies. There are guys who wait until the last second to take off the belt, empty pockets of change, the keys, etc. I do sympathize (a little) with people who only fly once a year or less. They haven't learned how to plan ahead to get themselves (and others) through the line efficiently.

Well said. It was as if they didn't know what to expect during TSA inspection.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

We have rarely run into this issue.

My experience is that some people don't think this through whether it's jewelry or not removing other items from their pockets and it applies to men and women equally.

Keith

Around Christmastime, my sweater with "silver" threads knitted among the others, set off the metal detector big time, so that warranted a putdown (just noticed that Apple autocorrected 'patdown' for me- kinda appropriately)

Thought I'd learned my lesson and checked out a shirt carefully before deciding to wear it on a recent flight- oops, those "plastic" doodads weren't plastic.

I agree with Shorex that men can hold up the line just as often as women!

However, this was the Pre-Check lane

It would have helped if you had specified this in your first post, as it commonly happens in a regular lane, but not so often in a pre-check lane.

I don't care who it is, man or woman, young or old: unless you've been living in a cave somewhere, you know the "rules". If a woman is wearing jewelry, for gosh sakes, take it off BEFORE you get in line and put it in a ziplock bag so you can put it back on AFTER you leave the checkpoint. If you are a man, for gosh sakes, take off that big ole' watch and belt and put in a bag in your carryon BEFORE you get in line so you can put it back on AFTER you leave the checkpoint.

If you are woman, know that the underwire in your bra MAY trigger, so please wear a wireless for your trip - the boobs aren't going to suffer for a few hours.

If you are an infrequent flyer and get the free pass to the PreCheck line, ASK what you need to do in this "special" line.

Yep, people not aware of what is special about the PreCheck line and go about it as if it is the normal line and take their good ole time stripping down do bother me.

Another one that blocks up the line just as much is when people don't roll their x-rayed bags to the end of the rollers and just stop at the exit of the x-ray machine to sort it out. Also, people too frickin' lazy to take their bin off the rollers when emptied, come on people!!!

TSO (Transportation Security Officer) at the head of the line "Nothing in pockets".

TSO right before you enter the millimeter AIT "Nothing in your pockets right?"

Pax enters AIT

TSO at exit end sticks head in "Are you sure nothing in your pockets, hands up please".

AIT alerts, yellow box on waist.

TSO "Step out wait here"

Line slows done, if I had a dollar for every person ahead of me who had stuff in their pockets I'd be rich enough to fly private.

I never understand why anyone who's going flying has change in their pockets. Let alone those who think that change doesn't contain any metal and can therefore stay in their pockets when they go through the metal detector. And I'm equally frustrated by people doing the same thing when going through the metal detector at work.

"There are guys who wait until the last second to take off the belt, empty pockets of change"

I guess they don't understand how their belt or change is a security risk.

TSA should figure this out by now.

If you are woman, know that the underwire in your bra MAY trigger, so please wear a wireless for your trip - the boobs aren't going to suffer for a few hours.

Interesting. I wear underwire 100% of the time, meaning I travel in it 100% of the time, but have never once had it alarm the metal detector. Yet the other day two skinny little Alex & Ani bracelets did. Go figure.

(yes, I was THAT person last Friday... up at 3:45am after about 3.5 hours of sleep and was too tired to think straight so went through wearing the bracelets which I wouldn't ordinarily do. Female agent pointed right to them and said they always alarm for some reason.)

Interesting. I wear underwire 100% of the time, meaning I travel in it 100% of the time, but have never once had it alarm the metal detector. Yet the other day two skinny little Alex & Ani bracelets did. Go figure.

(yes, I was THAT person last Friday... up at 3:45am after about 3.5 hours of sleep and was too tired to think straight so went through wearing the bracelets which I wouldn't ordinarily do. Female agent pointed right to them and said they always alarm for some reason.)

PHX was notorious for giving alarms for underwires. I used to fly there once/twice a month for business. Got nailed the first time, switched after that. There was this one lady smurf who loved to yell out "bra alarm" so everyone in the greater PHX area could hear it - Terminal 3. She must have had the same work schedule, because she was always there when I was leaving PHX.

Also, not all underwires are actual wire - if you know your bra has no metal, you're OK.

TSA does play with the "sensitivity" of their devices, so one day something may not alarm, but it will alarm the next day on the exact same device.

I have no love for TSA. Largely theatre with no actual benefit IMHO. I am not a believer in "anything as long as it makes me feel safe." Add in clueless travelers and it becomes a very unpleasant part of my travels.

Oh, I have empathy for those who don't fly often.

 

However, this was the Pre-Check lane

Yesterday must have had a first timer in Precheck at LGA. This woman, didn't know you had to push your belonging up to belt, had to ask,( then rezip) if her laptop had to come out. Finally she walks through, alarm goes off, is asked if anything in her pocket, then she holds up here cell phone and asked what to "do with it".

Fortunately I was then waved through while she fumbled getting the phone in the "dog dish". :)

I don't care who it is, man or woman, young or old: unless you've been living in a cave somewhere, you know the "rules". If a woman is wearing jewelry, for gosh sakes, take it off BEFORE you get in line and put it in a ziplock bag so you can put it back on AFTER you leave the checkpoint. If you are a man, for gosh sakes, take off that big ole' watch and belt and put in a bag in your carryon BEFORE you get in line so you can put it back on AFTER you leave the checkpoint.

If you are woman, know that the underwire in your bra MAY trigger, so please wear a wireless for your trip - the boobs aren't going to suffer for a few hours.

If you are an infrequent flyer and get the free pass to the PreCheck line, ASK what you need to do in this "special" line.

 

Yep, people not aware of what is special about the PreCheck line and go about it as if it is the normal line and take their good ole time stripping down do bother me.

Infrequent flyers don't necessarily know that they're in a special line - the agent just points them to where they should be and they go there. The best TSA agents I've seen, at JFK, constantly bellow out instructions on what to take off and leave on. At airports where they don't, it can be confusing, and I if the person next to me starts to strip down, I'll tell him or her that it's not necessary. I've always gotten a good response.

I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but I've never taken off my rings, earrings or necklaces (they are pendants on slender chains) and they've never set off anything. As for the underwire, fuggedabout it - never had a problem with metal ones and am not going to buy a special travel bra on the off chance that it'll set off the alarm. It won't hold you up - they'll just take me aside and pat me down.

It took me a couple of years to train DH not to wait until we were through the BP check to take off stuff that would set off the alarms. I still haven't been able to convince them not to put them on at all until after we're through.

Infrequent flyers don't necessarily know that they're in a special line - the agent just points them to where they should be and they go there. The best TSA agents I've seen, at JFK, constantly bellow out instructions on what to take off and leave on. At airports where they don't, it can be confusing, and I if the person next to me starts to strip down, I'll tell him or her that it's not necessary. I've always gotten a good response.

TSA agents at Newark Liberty also does that.

Hi,I dont know if the equipment in the UK is different,but I wear 2 gold chains,1 neck 1 wrist and 2 rings.I have never had to remove them at the 2 London airports we use,LHR and STD.Cheers,Brian.

Infrequent flyers don't necessarily know that they're in a special line - the agent just points them to where they should be and they go there. The best TSA agents I've seen, at JFK, constantly bellow out instructions on what to take off and leave on. At airports where they don't, it can be confusing,

That helps, but people who fly infrequently are still confused. The agent directs them and they go in the regular line and are told to take stuff off and out of their bags. The next year they happen to get Pre and are sent to that line, not knowing the difference. The agent is yelling about what to leave on but they are totally confused because it doesn't jive with what they've been told on their past flights so they start wondering if they heard right. I know, because I've listened to countless conversations among travel companions ahead of me in line. "Wait- what did he say?" "Leave your belts on." "But we always have to take them off." "I don't know, that's what he said." I still think we need to take them off." Begins to remove belt and promptly gets yelled at. Now flustered and embarrassed, and still confused, and so forgets to take keys out of pocket etc etc. Honestly, I've seen it play out more times than I can count- agents yelling about what not to do, and then pax doing exactly that after consulting their companion and agreeing that they are confused. I even watched a lady take her cell phone out of her purse to put it separately in the bin. I told her she can leave her phone in her purse in the bin, but she said something about being yelled at last time about something she didn't do so she wasn't taking any chances no matter they were telling her. :rolleyes:

And frankly the TSA also adds to that confusion by being inconsistent at Pre Check. At some airports they have still told people to remove shoes -- others keep them on. And then there is the issue of light jackets, sweaters and scarves -- sometimes it is leave on other times it is take it off.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Hi,for me at MIA recently there is a language barrier for us Brits.I was being yelled at by a woman with a fast southern accent,I didnt know what she was asking.It works both ways,if I ask for a diet coke in a clear distinct Brit accent and the server looks at me as if I was from Mars,lol,cheers,Brian.

Hi,for me at MIA recently there is a language barrier for us Brits.

I was being yelled at by a woman with a fast southern accent,I didnt know what she was asking.It works both ways,if I ask for a diet coke in a clear distinct Brit accent and the server looks at me as if I was from Mars,lol,cheers,Brian.

Me favorite movie scene about Brit accent:

Colin's Trip to America