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

[Linda&Vern]

I worry about how do we watch our pocketbook and carryon to be sure they aren't stolen while we go to the scanner? How can they expect us to just leave our pocketbooks unattended?

EXACTLY! DH and I are already discussing how to 'cover for each other' while going through this process on Monday.

[Alegria-Paz]

How can anyone look at these experiences (like the one Cow Princess just described) and still actually feel safer as a result of them. Cow Princess, I am so sorry. What a bully!

 

Jim, I agree with you. I was tricked into entering one of those machines over a year ago at a test airport. I hadn't even heard of them because the press apparently just buried the story and let the TSA roll them out quietly. Once they didn't receive complaints with their test sites (no one knew about them though and they were placed in mostly smaller airports in states where people are pro-security)... then, they decided to roll them out everywhere.

 

I thought I was being walked through a "puffer." I looked it up on my husband's blackberry after I walked through and almost threw up when I read about them. At that time, the mainstream press was completely ignoring the machines. I could only find information on blogs... and from the TSA site where there were promises that the machines couldn't store images (which I knew could not be possible). Yeah, right. So, basically, after that lie and ruse, I believe NOTHING they say. They have lost all credibility 1,000 times over.

 

I couldn't help but wonder in the EMPTY airport with more TSA workers standing around twiddling their thumbs than passengers... (and with me wearing tight running pants without pockets and a tight t-shirt -- you could look at me and see I couldn't be carrying anything concealed in my clothing)... why they chose to "test" me and not my husband??

 

At that time I could have opted out (and this was before the "enhanced" pat-down), but I was never told what I was walking through, so did not realize there was a reason to "opt-out."

 

I'll never forgot the shifty, guilty look on the TSA guy's face as he walked me through the machine either.

 

I demanded to speak with a manager and asked that he show me the images that they took of me, but, of course, he would not.

 

The TSA is made up of sick, power-tripping, control freaky, uneducated individuals... and it would not surprise me if young, attractive women (or children... or attractive men... whatever it takes for the TSA screeners to get their jollies) are selected more frequently.

 

Last Christmas, the underwear bomber attacked while I was on a cruise. I gave up my seat on the airplane and took a train home. I didn't want to deal with all the hassles of security - I knew it would give them permission to act out. I also predicted that they would use the underwear bomber as an excuse for rolling these machines out across the US (despite the fact that the UK has repeatedly stated they are ineffectual for catching what they want to catch).

 

I flew a couple of months after 9/11 and I have been flying 6 or more times a year since... including approximately 3+ international trips a year... I flew home from a very faraway location right after something happened (I can't even keep it straight) -- we weren't allowed to bring checked baggage aboard (not even a purse). I've endured the yelling, the bullying, the taking off of shoes, the small bottles, the loss of items I've forgotten to put in small bottles, the puffers, the arbitrary checking of my luggage, etc, etc, etc. I've tried to maintain good humor through it all and even thought the TSA were actually improving.... but after what happened last year, I AM DONE. I felt so tricked and violated. And, I am tired of being treated like a criminal because I love to travel!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

[Alegria-Paz]

I agree with middle-aged mom. I will not accept it as a "sign of the times" either.

[G&G]

Several years ago it was reported that a bomb exploded in Saudi Arabia by someone who carried the explosive in a body cavity.

 

Currently I do not like the sound of latex being put on TSA hands. Now I may have to worry about the following words from a TSA Agent; "Please bend over" :eek:

[Silver sailor]

 

 

The TSA is made up of sick, power-tripping, control freaky, uneducated individuals... and it would not surprise me if young, attractive women (or children... or attractive men... whatever it takes for the TSA screeners to get their jollies) are selected more frequently.

 

 

 

No matter what your opinion of the new security procedures are I don't think to above statement is called for

Did it occur to you that these screeners might prefer not having to do a pat tdown and would also feel slightly uncomfortable doing so

[KirkNC]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/kswb-man-faces-fine-for-refusing-tsa-scan,0,1421539.story

 

 

That is what I was refering to in my 60 Minutes comments.

 

Kirk

[chrispb]

When we flew after November 1st, TSA teams were randomly (?) checking boarding passes and ID's at the gates as people boarded.

We saw this at both Burbank and Las Vegas.

Air crew have been checking boarding passes and passports at the gates for the last couple of years in the UK.

While not convinced any of this x-raying or patting down will deter terrorists, I will not let it stop me flying. If I want to go from A-B then it is something that must be endured. Anyway, how boring is it to continually keep seeing naked bodies? - there are only so many variations on a theme:)

If I have to travel with my young grandchildren then I will be ensuring that they understand what icould happen during a pat-down and the reasons why the authorities are so rigorous. I would not like them to be taken unawares like the OP's 9 yr old, so thanks for the warning. I did read last weekend that terrorists are now considering using children - I guess they're considered to be less likely to be carrying explosives.

[janmcn]

For those interested in eliminating the problems with airports...we have a lovely motorhome for sale...for 7 years we totally eliminated the hassle of airports and I must say it spoiled us...a great way to travel. But, can't find pontoons large enough for it, so must fly to "cross the pond."

[cruisecrasy]

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.

 

Absolutely OUTRAGEOUS!!! The agent seemed to have developed a sense of 'power'...on a 9 yr old??? - please - spare me! This is intolerable as u are so correct - does nothing to ensure our safety at all..

I wld have intervened in a very loud manner & damn the consequences - no one wld touch my child like that and in such a demanding, belittling, humiliating way - I don't care who they 'think' they are or can do!!

 

To bad that the Israelis offer of how to deal with terrorism & security was rejected as they have a much better and more successful system of dealing with it..& with a lot more experience..

 

SHAME/SHAME - for not admitting help is needed with this - do u think its better to treat children this way instead..besides creating agents 'drunk' on 'power' also with no semblence of courtesty!!!!

Folks, sad to say, are becoming annoyed and that works to the terrorists advantage as, for example, u decided to not fly and that hurts the economy.

 

Does anyone really believe because they pat down 9 yr olds & old folks as well plus limiting what liquids we carry onboard that makes us safe on airplanes? Yah right & I have a bridge in Brooklyn u might like to buy also.. :/

For example, how carefully are airline & airport employees checked hmmm - from what I have read not very well..The hole in that is big enough to put a tractor thru :(

 

So sorry this happened to u & its time folks wake up to the stupidity of the way this is all handled but its done to make folks 'feel' safe but are u? NO - but just one persons opinion, for what its worth :)

[srlafleur]

The issue isn't the actual ring but the fact that the presence of the ring may mask another, more malevolent item. Not saying that it works great, just explaining the logic.

 

If I am required to take off my wedding ring in order to fly, then I am SOL. I haven't been able to take it off for years because my knuckles are now larger than the diameter of the ring.

I'd like to meet the person who has invented a threat to national security small enough that it can hide behind a small, thin wedding ring. If that's the case, then we really have some serious problems.

 

I have less problem with the scanners than the intrusive pat-downs. A small child won't necessarily know they are being viewed, but they will know that they are being touched inappropriately. And I know that my elderly mother would be mortified. Even MD's use more discretion and care for personal space & dignity during an examination.

[Alegria-Paz]

I agree with you, cruisecrasy.

 

Fatcat, I am very sorry your son had to endure that humiliating and unnecessary experience. When I had my "last straw" moment last year, it was before people were talking about it. I'm sorry other people are having negative experiences now, but I am also encouraged that others are speaking up and out.

 

Silver sailor - After my experiences with US airports (vs non) over the last 9 years, my opinion stands. No. It's not scientific and some TSA agents (individually) have been very nice... but overall I find it to be an ineffectual, power hungry agency that wastes time and resources. I also find that individual agents do enjoy the power that comes with the various procedures. After my experience last year, and from all my flying experiences... as well as based on what I read in the papers... I do strongly believe that TSA agents who get their jollies from the all the procedures, not just the new ones, and the power that comes with it.

 

You are welcome to form your own opinion.

[cruisecrasy]

 

In well trained hands, a set of keys is a dangerous weapon.

 

Elaine

Norman, OK

 

In well trained hands, 'hands & feet' are dangerous weapons also :)..but unfortunately no way to ban them...

[pralientje]

Two weeks ago I returned from Barbados and had a transfer at London Gatwick. When I went through security, I was stopped. I told the lady, it were my shoes and tried to convince her to let me take another try without my shoes. No way. She petted me down completely!! And indeed touched my body everywhere, without wearing gloves! If I would have been a security officer I would refuse to do this without wearing gloves. But believe me, it was very intimidating and in my opinion, completely unnecessary. I felt very uncomfortable, I must admit. Having a complete stranger touch you in, what is normally considered, private areas. Especially when there is no need for. Where does it stop?

[micro yaya]

i'm sorry,for all of you... today we returned from new jersey. walked thru , no problem. my husband rang the bell. he simply said i have an artificial hip. they scanned his him. said o.k. and off we went............i don't know maybe it a wednesday thing

[heidik]

Just flew into FLL from Hartford/Bradley -- zero wait in line, old fashioned walk through metal detector -- took all of about 10 mins.

[caribill]

I certainly prefer the scanner to a "pat down" as I don't want a stranger touching me.

 

Going through the scanner does not mean you avoid the patdown. If the scanner finds anything suspicious, a patdown will follow.

 

Ever wonder what is the next step when the scanner or pat down locates a sanitary pad on a woman (or teenager)? How will TSA determine it is really not a way of hiding an explosive material?

 

See below the following from the New York Times:

 

My first experience with the full-body scanners, on a flight back to Kennedy Airport from San Diego last month, was also a negative one. I had assumed that, whatever their other faults, the full-body scanners would at least speed up the process of going through the security line; I supposed I imagined something like

from the movie Total Recall, in which passengers literally don’t even have to pause to go through security as their bodies are scanned while they walk toward the departure gate.

Instead, the lines were quite slow — possibly because the machines were coming up with a lot of false positives, myself included. As is my usual practice when passing through airport security, I emptied my pants pockets completely — there wasn’t so much as a stick of gum, a penny, or a taxi receipt in there. But the machine nevertheless insisted that that there was something in the back right-hand pocket of my jeans. When the official from the Transportation Security Administration asked me what I had in my pocket, and I told him that there was absolutely nothing, he then performed a pat-down. I was in a chipper enough mood that I wasn’t inclined to make a scene, but I did ask the T.S.A. official whether it was routine for the machines to see things that weren’t there, to which he declined to respond.

[Kittycat2009]

I worry about how do we watch our pocketbook and carryon to be sure they aren't stolen while we go to the scanner? How can they expect us to just leave our pocketbooks unattended?

 

Excellent point! Luckily for us, only dh was chosen so I was able to grab all our belongings. Even than though, I had two pairs of shoes, two coats, wallet, purse, belt, change, computer, camera, and carryon luggage to gather up. I was mindful, but if someone had a mind to steal something from us they probably could've done a dash and run. I would've been running after them, but than I also would've left my other stuff behind.

 

I was patted down in Zurich as my watch set off the regular type scanner. I've never had my watch do that before ever. They were very discreet about it. Pulled me aside, agent asked me to wait for his comrade. A female arrived, than pulled me into a booth and pulled the curtain. It was very discreet, she let me know every step of the way what she was going to do. She did the typical police pat down type search. Why can't the US learn from other countries?

[Crusin6]

I had the Pat Down occur on me on 10/18/2010 returning to the states. It was in Barcelona's airport. It was about 6am, and for some reason, I went through the xray and it beeped once. They pulled me aside and told me to spread and began. They did front and back. I thought they were going to wand me but..no, a bit more thorough. They use two fingers I believe. I did at least have a same sex examiner.

 

I didn't find it terribly inconvenient, though I really don't know what on me set off the xray as I'd worn the exact same outfit when I was checked in barcelona on 10/6.

just think about it.......... They obviously wanted the beeper to go off on you.....very scary

[Taxguy77]

Thanks to you and the others who took note for your support.

 

 

 

RG - You're my new hero.

 

 

Your comment reminded me of my return flight from JFK in Sept: (Slightly off topic, so please forgive me..)

 

While waiting at the gate of a delayed flight to SFO for First Class boarding I noticed a scruffy, beefy, tattooed fellow w/ no legs below the knees in a wheelchair nearby - it was obvious from his appearance that he was a Vietnam Vet and would need help boarding and making his way back to his ticketed seat back in row 17, but he was quietly waiting among the throng of folks gathering at the gate entrance...

 

Meanwhile, a younger able-bodied couple tried rushing the gate and pushing past me to get to the entrance - I put my arm up to block them and firmly informed them that our friend in the chair had priority over us all. ("Oh - Uh Yes, Of course") Meanwhile, a heavy person whom I had earlier noticed had been walking back and forth to the desk from her seat in the waiting area ended up getting rolled onto the plane first in a chair, so I marched over to the desk personnel, pointed out our scruffy friend and asked "What about him? Who's going to help him?" That's all it took to get a couple of airline folks to rush over and escort him down the jetway onto the plane before us.

 

I guess my point is, if you and I don't speak up and say, "Hey, this isn't right: No more feeling up the Children, no more harassing Granny and enough of these X-ray photographs for this charade of public safety", then we all deserve public fondling by strangers and virtual strip-searches.

 

YES! Excellent post.

[Taxguy77]

That advice should have been given to me long long long ago. :D

 

You would lie my DW, maybe you've already seen each other and were too busy pushing the buttons! :p:D

When the handles worked, my DW was stronger in the right arm! :rolleyes:

[Taxguy77]

I worry about how do we watch our pocketbook and carryon to be sure they aren't stolen while we go to the scanner? How can they expect us to just leave our pocketbooks unattended?

 

 

Ask DW, she is very aggresive when it comes to that. I have been"Patted down ie;made to feel like a criminal, since I got my hip" I will not fly by myself for that reason.

[Taxguy77]

Several years ago it was reported that a bomb exploded in Saudi Arabia by someone who carried the explosive in a body cavity.

 

Currently I do not like the sound of latex being put on TSA hands. Now I may have to worry about the following words from a TSA Agent; "Please bend over" :eek:

 

Quite a while before the new scanners, we were leaving Newark. The family was waiting with my belongings for me to get through my patdown (hip). The man approached me and my SinL said "He's putting on the rubber gloves!) just as the man told me to remove my back-support belt (Whch was OK in Houston). I tried and my pants dropped! :o

DW looked like I had committed a faux faux,

DD gasped and tried to look unrelated,

SinL seemed quite amused,

Grandson fell on the floor laughing!

TSA hustled me out of sight.

I had a trainee and trainer, the trainee said "Should I send it for chemical anaylasis?" and the trainer said "No".:p

 

Next Spring I would like to visit my son and family when they are planning to go to Las Vegas, as I know my DW will be going. I've been thinking about it a while and still am debating.

Train...Expensive and doesn't go there directly,

Fly,,,,Least expensive, most aggravating,

Drive,,, I can't drive as far in a day as I used to so it would take me 3 days. A friend whose DW refuses to fly (even before 9/11) just returned and said they enjoyed the trip.

Stay home....Good pro and cons

Help!

[Taxguy77]

For those interested in eliminating the problems with airports...we have a lovely motorhome for sale...for 7 years we totally eliminated the hassle of airports and I must say it spoiled us...a great way to travel. But, can't find pontoons large enough for it, so must fly to "cross the pond."

 

Take the ship.

East to West in the spring, back in the fall.

Cunard, I believe, goes all year.

Trains in EU are a great way to travel.

[cruisecrasy]

I am not an American (I am Canadian) but I have to salute your service, the way of life you fought for, your sacrifice and the sentiments expressed on this board.

 

Like you, like all of us, I want strong airport security. I actually feel sorry for the TSA guys on the ground...they are performing their responsibilities as required of them. They take the heat for the policies which I am sure puzzle them as much as us.

 

Smooth sailing to you...

 

Why do u feel sorry for them? They are trained & paid & most do a fairly good job but exactly what 'heat' are they taking? If u dare challenge them u cld find yourself refused entry or even on your face on the floor in a chokehold...so what 'heat' are u referring to?

 

Besides 'doing' their job shldn't they also be courteous & pleasant - Its intimidating even frightening when they eyeball u like u are a closet terrorist and seem to be waiting to pounce when u show your 'true colors' and I am female, crippled with arthritis, walk (if can call it that) with a cane, have crippled hands, am 66 yrs old and am 5' tall - very dangerous character here :)

 

Is it really necessary to be belligerent and scare the 'c---' out of kids & old people too - never mind being rough plus humiliating & embarrassing folks also??

If they are as concerned as we are then why no protests, no letters to the 'editor' so to speak - haven't heard much from TSA guys...Think perhaps some of them 'enjoy' what they are getting away with - ah sorry - 'doing' hmmm? :)

 

Have happy cruisin'

[Lake Huron Sunsets]

My husband has a hip replacement,as a result he always is given the once-over. Last Friday at Fort Lauderdale he received the full pat down. The man who was doing the check explained everything he was going to do.