FYI:TSA Floats the Idea of a New Security Line, and Dogs are Involved

Per Conde Nast Traveler:

by Katherine LaGrave August 9, 2018

Earlier this month, news circulated that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was considering removing passenger screening at national airports. The TSA shut that report down pretty quickly. Now, though, the TSA has hinted that it will make a big change to security—and dogs will be involved.

In a conversation with USA Today earlier this week, TSA chief David Pekoske said that he hopes to add more dogs to the agency's security measures in the next year. Passengers "swept" (read: sniffed) by the dogs would then be able to move through the security line faster, Pekoske said. These pre-sniffed passengers won't be shuffled into the PreCheck lane: instead, they'll get their own, where possible. (No word yet on just how you'll get selected by the dog.) Tests will begin in late fall and run through early 2019, Pekoske said.

But back to PreCheck: What about all of those members who have paid $85 for expedited screening, when people will soon be able to pass through, free of charge, just having been sniffed? Pekoske said he can see why they'd be unhappy, but that the ultimate goal still remains for travelers to sign up for PreCheck. "That’s better security for us, and it ends up being better convenience for the passengers," he said.

I have Global Entry, which includes TSA Precheck. It would be very, very upset if instead of going through the TSA precheck line I was obligated to go by a dog to sniff me. I am extremely scared of dogs, any dog, any size. I’d have a heart attack of fear if they made me do that. This doesn’t work for everyone.

Have had SENTRI since it started and bumped that up to Global Access when that started. Regularly cross the US border.

The dog idea doesn't bother me in the least. Nothing to hide. Whatever improves security and moves the lines along I'm for.

I have Global Entry, which includes TSA Precheck. It would be very, very upset if instead of going through the TSA precheck line I was obligated to go by a dog to sniff me. I am extremely scared of dogs, any dog, any size. I’d have a heart attack of fear if they made me do that. This doesn’t work for everyone.

There are often sniffer dogs at customs when returning internationaly. Doesn't matter if you have Global Entry or not.

You should lose your fear of the sniffer dogs. They are well trained.

You should lose your fear of the sniffer dogs. They are well trained.

I don't think you understand how a phobia works. But it's pretty unlikely that a painfully obvious fact shared by a complete stranger on the internet is the key to overcoming this....

I have Global Entry, which includes TSA Precheck. It would be very, very upset if instead of going through the TSA precheck line I was obligated to go by a dog to sniff me. I am extremely scared of dogs, any dog, any size. I’d have a heart attack of fear if they made me do that. This doesn’t work for everyone.

I'm sure that other options are available if there's a sense of fear of these sniffing dogs.

Q? What do you do when going thru Customs and dogs are involved. I know that we get sniffed when we go thru San Juan Customs. As a matter of act the dogs sniffed out ham/cheese sandwich that we brought off the Adventure some years ago to eat on the plane. Caught in the act.:D

I don't think you understand how a phobia works. But it's pretty unlikely that a painfully obvious fact shared by a complete stranger on the internet is the key to overcoming this....

They better not travel then. Not only sniffer dogs, but dogs on every airplane and most trains now. Sniffer dogs when getting off ships at many ports.

When we flew out of SJU in July, they were doing this procedure.

Everyone was in one line, everyone was routed by a dog, and then everyone went through the security as if it was TSA pre.

Thankfully, we paid for TSA pre a long time ago, so my $85 has been well used.

But it was interesting.

Thinking about it- the dog only inspects your bags, not you. So that takes care of the requirements of taking your stuff out of your bag. But the theory of shoes, belts, etc to not set off the "scanner" is not looked at. At least that I could tell.

Whatever improves security...

Unfortunately, nothing the TSA does improves security.

Pardon my ignorance, but what does sniffing detect aside from drugs and explosives? Won't you still need to go through metal detector? Won't bags still have to be scanned for guns, knives, etc?

Justification of lighter screening for Global Entry is you are a known traveler who has passed a background check and is presumed a lower risk.

I'm sure that other options are available if there's a sense of fear of these sniffing dogs.

 

Q? What do you do when going thru Customs and dogs are involved. I know that we get sniffed when we go thru San Juan Customs. As a matter of act the dogs sniffed out ham/cheese sandwich that we brought off the Adventure some years ago to eat on the plane. Caught in the act.:D

I travel all over the world multiple times a week, cruises are a small method of vacationing for me. Not to mention twice a month on business travel. Vacation wise, this year alone I’d been to China, Peru, Colombia, Iceland in September and Dubai and India in November. So, I am VERY familiar with the travel policies. What I do now is that if I see sniffing dog I tell the person handling the animal that he cannot come near me as I am afraid of dogs. They can already see my fear as soon as they see that I noticed the dog. The same goes when I see big dogs on planes (another crazy saga). In essence they leave me alone but I am sure if needed they can do a hand patting or a body scanning.

So please don’t advice someone to just get over their fear or not travel without knowing the background.

Well having just got Precheck this summer, I’m a bit annoyed about this, but having said that, maybe this will stop the Precheck lines from getting any longer at some airports, at ATL the non-Precheck lines seem to move faster because so many people have it now.

Well having just got Precheck this summer, I’m a bit annoyed about this, but having said that, maybe this will stop the Precheck lines from getting any longer at some airports, at ATL the non-Precheck lines seem to move faster because so many people have it now.

Sometimes I wish they would raise the price to $500 for the 5 year term of the program. This would deter many people 😊.

It is a form of discrimination. All those Cats out there looking for good jobs for the US government and it always goes to the dogs.

This is turning out to be a highly complex system that the US authorities have created with lots of special programs you can join and pay fees for to move faster or slower through security.

The regular lane. The pre check lane. The gold/platium/etc. lane. The dog sniffed lane. It is a bit much.

I have Global Entry, which includes TSA Precheck. It would be very, very upset if instead of going through the TSA precheck line I was obligated to go by a dog to sniff me. I am extremely scared of dogs, any dog, any size. I’d have a heart attack of fear if they made me do that. This doesn’t work for everyone.

Sorry you have an issue with dogs but they are already part of screening at many airports. Security can change, based on random screenings and just luck :(. For example, about a year ago we arrived at FLL after a cruise and were flying out on Southwest. Most of the Southwest flights goes from a specific section of the airport where TSA has one unified screening site. This normally has a separate line for Pre-Check but on this day they put everyone into a single line which stretched a very long way. The reason was that everyone had to pass through a single check point where they had two working dogs. Having pre-check meant nothing until after the dog screening. Dogs are also becoming more and more common in some Gate areas (just random sniffing) and near luggage carrousel's. The dogs can sniff for contraband, drugs, explosives, etc. As is the normal practice the dogs were on leashes with their agent/handlers....but they will commonly be within inches of you as they sniff.

Hank

By reading the article it states those presniffed will have a separate lane. It seems like something one can opt in or out, much like if you don’t want the body scanner get the pat down.

Besides having our luggage sniffed for explosives, we’ve also had beagles sniff for food. As a world traveler you must see this on a regular basis.

So, I am VERY familiar with the travel policies. What I do now is that if I see sniffing dog I tell the person handling the animal that he cannot come near me as I am afraid of dogs. They can already see my fear as soon as they see that I noticed the dog.

So all someone with contraband or bad intentions would have to do is say they are afraid of dogs or show fear of dogs and they would not be sniffed? That does not sound right.

So all someone with contraband or bad intentions would have to do is say they are afraid of dogs or show fear of dogs and they would not be sniffed? That does not sound right.

That’s when you get redirected to regular screening. Or enhanced if you are rude about it 😉

That’s when you get redirected to regular screening. Or enhanced if you are rude about it [emoji6]

I have seen many K 9 dogs while riding on Amtrak on their northeast corridor and at train stations. On board the train you will be sniffed, probably before you realize it. They go down the aisles sniffing. It is totally random. In the train station when they patrol if they refuse passengers will be redirected out the door and not allowed on a train. The dogs are the regular screening. K9 dogs are used in many different travel situations, sniffing for explosives, drugs and for agriculture. Entering Mexico they have sniffer dogs for agricultural. Last time thru US customs at Dulles everyone was sniffed by a beagle. The beagle just appeared. There was no advance notice.

Unfortunately' date=' nothing the TSA does improves security.[/quote']

 

 

 

I generally agree but I believe the dogs actually do improve security. They really can sniff explosives. I would trust the dogs over the human agents.

There are often sniffer dogs at customs when returning internationaly. Doesn't matter if you have Global Entry or not.

 

You should lose your fear of the sniffer dogs. They are well trained.

They will not bite but sit down beside someone who has something that needs to be checked out.

Can somebody opt out of having a dog sniffing around them in an airport? We would suspect that in most parts of the world they would just have more dogs sniff even more. In the USA we do not know the actual policy and whether they would agree. But we can take a very educated guess that if somebody were to complain about a dog coming near their person, TSA might be willing to take them into a private room and do a complete body search. And they would certainly have cause. Personally we would take the dog anytime...but we do love dogs.

By the way, last year while stopped at an Interstate a truck stop we noticed that a van parked next to us had more then a dozen dogs in a large kennel. I engaged the driver in a discussion and it turned out he was a breeder trainer who trained dogs for TSA and various other law enforcement functions. The dogs were gorgeous and very friendly and he allowed us to pet some of the animals. He told us it was hard work training dogs for law enforcement, but very profitable. Those dogs spend more then a year being trained, go through all kinds of tests, and are amazing. I have a lot more faith in those animals then the humans that work for TSA :).

Hank

I'm sure that other options are available if there's a sense of fear of these sniffing dogs.

 

So all someone with contraband or bad intentions would have to do is say they are afraid of dogs or show fear of dogs and they would not be sniffed? That does not sound right.

I would imagine that with TSA, saying you have a fear of dogs and can't be near them would grant you an invitation for a full body pat down.

I have PreCheck and when returning from from San Juan in June they had dogs checking the security line. I was a little taken aback when I went to the PreCheck sign and the person at that line said when the dogs are checking everyone is considered to have PreCheck. She told me to proceed to main line. I wasn't all that happy about that because the line was long but it did go fairly quickly. No one had to remove their shoes or take the liquids out of their carry on like PreCheck. The dog was stationed behind the rope at the first turn in the lane and didn't really get all that close.

Shak

Passed through DFW a couple months back and they were trying the system out. Problem was they shut down precheck and everybody had to go by the dogs. Long lines!