Recent travelers, what has your airport security experience been like?

[Pirate Bay]

Please stop with rumors. They are not taking pictures of anybody. The image isn't store at all.

 

Pretty sure they do... http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html

[ODECCIT]

Pretty sure they do... http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html

I think you've got it all wrong. They were claiming that machines can't store images and now they're saying that they can. But TSA employees don't store any. http://www.prisonplanet.com/government-lied-naked-body-scanners-can-transmit-images.html

[hmp2z]

Um, actually, one of the TSA specs for the machines is that they MUST be able to record the images. To me, this really isn't the sticking point, though - why do I want TSA agents able to peek under my clothes, my husband's clothes, and the clothes of all the children in the airport? Voyeurism at its best... Storing the images or not is a moot point for me - do I really want TSA agents seeing everyone naked? And when did they get the right to do this?

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html

http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/airport-whole-body-scanners-can-store-and-record-body-images/

http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-los-angeles/department-of-homeland-security-sued-for-storing-full-body-scanner-images?render=print

http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2256007/airport-scanners-face-fiercer

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-01-11/travel/body.scanners_1_body-scanners-privacy-protections-machines?_s=PM:TRAVEL

 

And, for those who may be under the misapprehension that the TSA agents are clinical, detached, professionals:

 

Cheers!

Heather W

[ODECCIT]

Um, actually, one of the TSA specs for the machines is that they MUST be able to record the images. To me, this really isn't the sticking point, though - why do I want TSA agents able to peek under my clothes, my husband's clothes, and the clothes of all the children in the airport? Voyeurism at its best... Storing the images or not is a moot point for me - do I really want TSA agents seeing everyone naked? And when did they get the right to do this?

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html

http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/airport-whole-body-scanners-can-store-and-record-body-images/

http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-los-angeles/department-of-homeland-security-sued-for-storing-full-body-scanner-images?render=print

http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2256007/airport-scanners-face-fiercer

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-01-11/travel/body.scanners_1_body-scanners-privacy-protections-machines?_s=PM:TRAVEL

 

And, for those who may be under the misapprehension that the TSA agents are clinical, detached, professionals:

 

Cheers!

Heather W

Nobody see you naked relax. Black and white image of your body. I think you can see more of someone else body by going to the beach.

[Lizzie1213]

Well.. I hate to say it but we actually canceled our air travel to FLL and Port Everglades due to what we experienced on our flight last week. We will make the 15 hour drive rather than risk the possibility that we will be subjected to what happened to us again. Some may malign our choice and say "this is just the price of air security today" but in the end, we are responsible for our child and we made this decision together as parents.

 

As to what happened. We were flying from Nashville to Orlando to go to Disney for my son's birthday. My son is 9 years old. Nashville has installed the new backscatter scanners, aka "naked" scanners. Now I am not a modest person and for me myself I don't care. To be honest, I had not given it much thought. We were given no option to opt out of the scans that I could see, no signage or instructions. I later found out you can opt out and choose the pat down instead. Well, we all three went through the machine. Husband and I were fine. They scanned the kid and then informed us they had to pat him down. I asked why, they said he moved. So I am thinking run of the mill pat down, wand over his body and light touch. He is 9 years old for the love of Pete but that was not the case. Had anyone but a physician doing a necessary medical exam touched my child in the places the TSA agent put his hands, I would have filed charges. He groped the inside of his legs and touched his genitals. He put his hands around my son's neck in a choking position, felt all the way down his chest area and his buttocks. He placed his hands inside my son's pants waist band and felt around his waist. The agent was loud and intimidating even for me, a 36 year old women. He barked at him to "hold up your pants" and "spread your legs, shoulder width." All I could think was my son looked like he was being frisked and how humiliating this was for him to be stared at by everyone as they passed by us. Now, this whole scenario was out in the open, we were not given the option of privacy. My son was scared and humiliated. I am not a momma hen or a wacko and we fly regularly and have never minded the security measures needed but this was a shocking experience. Shocking enough for us to forgo air travel (which we have always loved) until these new security rules change and come closer to something akin to reason.

 

And yes, we have contacted the authorities and other to complain about this situation. We also contacted the airline to tell them why we were cancelling and to let them know that these kinds of things will impact their business. To each his own and all are free to travel as they like but I am not convinced treating my child like a prison inmate progressed the cause of national security one iota.

 

How absolutely awful. I would be hysterical if that happened to my child. I'm glad you reported this.

[Pirate Bay]

I think you've got it all wrong. They were claiming that machines can't store images and now they're saying that they can. But TSA employees don't store any. http://www.prisonplanet.com/government-lied-naked-body-scanners-can-transmit-images.html

 

Well, if they have the capability to save an image but they “cross their hearts” that they won’t, then I guess it’s okay.

 

I think a more relevant discussion would be surrounding the topic of “Do these machines make us safer to a degree that justifies the humiliation of having a stranger look at your grandmother, wife and/or child’s genitalia?” Personally, I don’t really care if they see mine. ;)

[ODECCIT]

Well, if they have the capability to save an image but they “cross their hearts” that they won’t, then I guess it’s okay.

 

I think a more relevant discussion would be surrounding the topic of “Do these machines make us safer to a degree that justifies the humiliation of having a stranger look at your grandmother, wife and/or child’s genitalia?” Personally, I don’t really care if they see mine. ;)

I hope it's password protected feature to be able to store it , but who knows.

[ODECCIT]

How absolutely awful. I would be hysterical if that happened to my child. I'm glad you reported this.

OMG big deal. TSA is government agency , so they all get back ground checked. Unless some of them closet perverts pat down is no big deal.

[Pirate Bay]

Nobody see you naked relax. Black and white image of your body. I think you can see more of someone else body by going to the beach.

 

I take it you're referring to a nude beach. :D

[hmp2z]

OMG big deal. TSA is government agency , so they all get back ground checked. Unless some of them closet perverts pat down is no big deal.

 

Oh, well, thank goodness it's a government agency. It's not like TSA agents get into bar-room style brawls with each other over photos of their own private parts or anything...

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/05/07/2010-05-07_miami_airport_sc.html

Oh, wait...

 

I guess those photos actually DO show private parts, and maybe some of the agents are less than professional. The big difference between this and the beach is that I can choose how much of myself to show at the beach, and I can assure you that no beach goer has ever seen those particular parts of mine. As a teacher, I'm very uncomfortable with the idea that someone will see my young students naked.

 

Cheers!

Heather W

[RuthC]

OMG big deal. TSA is government agency , so they all get back ground checked. Unless some of them closet perverts pat down is no big deal.

It may not be a big deal to you. However, kindly allow that for some of us, especially a 9 year old child, it may very well be a big deal. :(

[ODECCIT]

I take it you're referring to a nude beach. :D

No regular public beach in FL

[Pirate Bay]

No regular public beach in FL

 

I’ve been to beaches all over the world and I’ve only ever been able to see people’s privates at the nude beaches.

 

What’s your secret?

 

[ODECCIT]

I’ve been to beaches all over the world and I’ve only ever been able to see people’s privates at the nude beaches.

 

What’s your secret?

 

What privates are you talking about. Here is a pic what TSA sees when they screen you

 

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tsa.gov/blog/uploaded_images/TSA-Release-Images-2-050808-726403.jpg&imgrefurl=http://blog.tsa.gov/2008/05/you-asked-for-ityou-got-it-millimeter.html&h=720&w=960&sz=46&tbnid=aG9Jjy_jxn7JfM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=148&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtsa%2Bmachine%2Bimages&zoom=1&q=tsa+machine+images&usg=__kGZqhe1kAHJ71S8kYkR-vxe1BNE=&sa=X&ei=K_TZTN2LE4K0lQeX6eDTCA&ved=0CBkQ9QEwAA

[jtl513]

OMG big deal. TSA is government agency , so they all get back ground checked. Unless some of them closet perverts pat down is no big deal.

A lot of people in many professions pass background checks, and are later discovered to be perverts. You can be sure they are in the TSA also.

[Pirate Bay]

What privates are you talking about. Here is a pic what TSA sees when they screen you...

 

I doubt the TSA is going to post an “example” photo that would incite public ire on their own blog. And did you ever notice how all the TV news that demos these machines never televise the image un-blurred? I wonder why they have to blur an image that doesn’t show privates? FCC rules regarding nudity maybe.

 

Here’s some youtube with an alternate image version (viewer discretion advised ;)): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yfvRjCc8HU

[SusieKay]

We travelled just this past weekend from our home airport in Virginia to Atlanta. I was randomly selected for the full body scan machine (did not set off any alarms in advance)- it didn't take more than 10 seconds. I personally don't care who sees what from the x-ray. Hubby went straight through regular line.

On our return trip from Atlanta, security line moved quickly at 6 pm on Sunday (10-15 min), and neither of us were given special checks.

We always allow extra room in our zipped carry-ons for stashing of purse, wallet, etc that we put in before getting in line. So all we put in the bins is shoes and maybe jacket. Wearing something with a pocket also helps to have a place to stash your ID and boarding pass, and not have to worry about accidently putting them down.

[DougandEric]

I just traveled from Tampa to Austin last week and had no issues. I did get picked on a previous flight for the full body scan - no big deal - post it Facebook if they want to! The only issue I had was the extremely long line at security in Austin on the return flight - well over a 100 people before me and they had 4 lines like this! Thank goodness I upgraded to first class at check-in - got to go through the premier line for American Airlines and got through in half the time (wish I'd see that before I stood in line for 20 minutes!).

[DrTee]

very smooth this week, DFW to Milwaukee.

 

Sorry about the kid. That must have been traumatizing for him, and no amount of credits can make up for that.

[ricew001]

I flew from RDU to BWI Sunday and had no additional security screening. It moved fast and they were pleasant. And one of the security guards called me a Ravishing Redhead so that made it all better! ;-)

[ODECCIT]

Please remind us of the last time someone's Grandmother or 9yo kid hijacked or blew up an airliner?

:confused:

Let me run this by you. Terrorist group using grandma or 9 year old paying them off 1 mil cash to hide and take explosives in to the waiting area at the airport. As soon as they cross check point they will exchange explosive with terrorist who has tickets for a different flight and he blows up a plane. What do you think about that. With economy in a bad shape a lot of people would go for it. So that's why everyone gets checked and scanned.

[hmp2z]

Let me run this by you. Terrorist group using grandma or 9 year old paying them off 1 mil cash to hide and take explosives in to the waiting area at the airport. As soon as they cross check point they will exchange explosive with terrorist who has tickets for a different flight and he blows up a plane. What do you think about that. With economy in a bad shape a lot of people would go for it. So that's why everyone gets checked and scanned.

 

You're joking, right? We're supposed to allow our children to be photographed nude (remember when that used to be illegal?) or groped by TSA workers on the off-chance that someone has paid a 9-year-old child $1 million in cash to somehow secret explosives away that aren't picked up by either the baggage x-ray machine or by the metal detector?

 

Having read your earlier posts, too, I have to assume you're pulling our collective legs. Good one, but I'm not going to rise to the bait any longer - this is the last fishing expedition, as far as I'm concerned.

[Taxguy77]

Hubby has to have a "pat down" due to his pacemaker, leaving me to go thru the scanner on my own, with all our "stuff'...I wait until the person ahead of me is cleared, I put our stuff on the conveyor belt, and stand in front of the scanner, so no one else can go...and I don't go until my stuff stops popping back out the backside of the xray....if it holds up the line, so be it. I will NOT go thru until my things are cleared, since hubby isn't behind me to watch our things on the other side of the xray! I've been told to hurry, but I won't...sorry!

 

You are like my wife..... Thank You.

I have a hip, but the full scan system lets me go through without that d--- patdown.

[JeaFlo]

We've got the new whole-body scanners and "enhanced" pat-downs here in Orlando airport now, too (just installed the scanners last week). I have several big problems with this. It baffles me that we as a country spend so much money fighting terrorists, when there are many more clear and present dangers like cancer and heart disease. I'm a teacher, and we were just discussing the Patriot Act as part of our curriculum this week, and the students read an article about these new scanners. They were very upset, and pointed out that it used to be illegal for anyone to photograph a child under the age of 18 naked. Now, apparently, anything goes.

 

Anyone who believes those TSA workers are as professional and clinical as doctors are kidding themselves - ask what hiring criteria are used. Why do parents now have two options only: that of having their children photographed naked, or having their children full-on groped by the TSA agents? I'm just wondering why there isn't more public outrage about this. Surely there are other, just as effective ways, to stop all of these terrorists.

 

If we as a people are willing to let the TSA photograph ourselves and our children naked, I'm wondering where we will draw the line. I personally can't imagine what I would baulk at, if I found this acceptable.

 

Thoughts?

Heather W

 

 

If we all start refusing the the xray and groping and refuse to fly until it is stopped then we will begin to regain control of our government. Remember when our homeland security leader(janet n.) was showing the scanners she declined to go though it and instead sent a subordinate through. If she is to good to go through this then so are we the American Citizen....Take our country back now!

[Taxguy77]

Scanners and patdowns and carry-on restrictions don't make me feel safe - They make me feel annoyed, violated and nervous. If anything, this past week's episodes w/ the explosive packages and the failing engines on the Qantas A380 should remind us that there's no such thing as complete safety.

The things I do nowadays to make myself feel somewhat more comfortable during air travel is to book First Class if at all possible - both for inflight comfort & service but also for the short security lines and the luggage allowance - dress well so I won't be harassed in security (Yes, how you dress does affect how people treat you) check all the luggage (fees be damned) and allow time for a drink in the airport bar.

 

Well said!