airport security question

[wifeofbedo]

I don't know where to post this question, so I'll put it here since it's devoted to air travel.

My husband and I are travelling to Europe, and are putting our money etc. in money belts (first time for this) worn under the clothing so we won't have issues with the pick-pocket artists.:rolleyes:

When travelling through airport security, do you take off your money belt? I know we empty our pockets etc and the men take off their belts, but what about a money belt? I don't fancy taking them off and taking my eyes off cash which will be substantial as we are cash only types, not to mention fishing something out from under my shirt and pants... :eek: We will make sure no coins or metal are in them for that period of time.

Thoughts? Recommendations? Previous experience?

 

thanks all!

[CruiserBruce]

If you are subjected to the full body scanner...the one where you put your hands over your head, and face side ways, it will detect your money belt. Those are very thorough and will detect something as little as a piece of paper in your pocket.

 

I would not put my money belt until after security.

Edited July 9, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[headhunterke]

I once forgot to take it off and it was no problem. But I had no quote to be checked either, so they didn't pat me down. But imagine you walk through the detector and it decides to beep when you get through... Of course, you can always explain it to the security agent and take it off anyway, but you'd be in plain public.

If I were you, I'd take it off before entering security and put it back on once you get past them. If it involves taking your shirt off, you can always do it in the bathroom. I'd go through the extra effort to avoid any sort of extra attention by security. Just to be sure, you know.

[Di Princess]

I have been on > 40 cruises (1 or 2 a year) and I also take only cash in USD, Euros, whichever country's currency I will need. I have always used the silk underwear wallet. I just bought a new one for my traveling partner for $11 with the 20% discount at Bed, Bath, & Beyond and no shipping costs.

I have never been stopped nor questioned about my money wallet. Just think of it as part of your underwear and DO NOT TAKE IT OFF!

I don't think these other posters have actually used it. ;)

[FlyerTalker]

I have never been stopped nor questioned about my money wallet. Just think of it as part of your underwear and DO NOT TAKE IT OFF!

I don't think these other posters have actually used it.

Are you talking about passing through a walk-through metal detector or a millimeter scanner? There is a big technology difference and what will get though a WTMD will alert a radiation based scanner. So please clarify just which you are talking about.

 

I suggest putting your money in your carry-on and then locking the carry-on before putting it through the x-ray machine. If it needs to be opened, you will be there to watch. Having on a money belt takes it out of that secured environment and you may now have to take it off and hand it, unsecured, to a TSA agent for them to process. Better to have it done with the x-ray machine.

[Keith1010]

On the days we travel we spread our money out in four places.

 

One is my regular wallet. I don't see a need to use a travel wallet the day we fly but right before we go through security I place my wallet in my wife's purse.

 

We also put the rest of the money in her purse, her carry on and my carry on.

 

I go through security first.

 

I would not be wearing the travel wallet to go through the security.

 

Keith

Edited July 9, 2015 by Keith1010

[Globaliser]

Thoughts? Recommendations?

In addition to taking it off before entering security and putting it securely into a carry-on bag (so that it's not loose in a tray), I'd also recommend not taking substantial amounts of cash when travelling. It's a magnet for trouble of all kinds, not just at airport security.

[john watson]

Many scanners are geared up to detect metal. This is in my opinion why guys are told to take their belts off, because of the typically metal buckle. In this respect your money belt may or may not set off the alarm depending on its construction type.

 

Regards John

[waterbug123]

Many scanners are geared up to detect metal. This is in my opinion why guys are told to take their belts off, because of the typically metal buckle. In this respect your money belt may or may not set off the alarm depending on its construction type.

 

Regards John

 

Once again, we are talking about two completely different types of security scanners!! Metal detectors are one type and yes, they detect metal.... large belt buckles and watches, coins, etc. The other type are the full body scanners that Flyer Talker mentioned and these basically detect everything whether metal or not... receipts in your pocket, your plastic chapstick, and that big wad of money in your money belt! When you go through them they tell you to take absolutely everything out of your pockets, not just metal items. If you don't, you will most likely end up having to either empty your pockets (and remove your money belt) right then and there and send them through in a much less secured manner than if you'd put them inside your carry on in the first place, or you will get the privilege of a full pat down, and will still probably have to take everything out/off.

[CruiserBruce]

Once again, we are talking about two completely different types of security scanners!! Metal detectors are one type and yes, they detect metal.... large belt buckles and watches, coins, etc. The other type are the full body scanners that Flyer Talker mentioned and these basically detect everything whether metal or not... receipts in your pocket, your plastic chapstick, and that big wad of money in your money belt! When you go through them they tell you to take absolutely everything out of your pockets, not just metal items. If you don't, you will most likely end up having to either empty your pockets (and remove your money belt) right then and there and send them through in a much less secured manner than if you'd put them inside your carry on in the first place, or you will get the privilege of a full pat down, and will still probably have to take everything out/off.

 

This is what I was saying back in post #2. The full body scanners, in my case, have detected a single credit card receipt- a small one- in my pocket. They pick up everything!

 

I also agree with the concept of NOT carrying large amounts of cash. ATM cards and machines are so easy over seas, there is absolutely no need to take large amounts of cash.

 

And yes, Di Princess, we have carried our cash in a money belt- in the days of metal detectors only, before we discovered over seas ATMs, and before the days of the full body scanners.

[kenish]

I'm accustomed to removing *all* non-clothing items when going through full-body scanners. Once I overlooked a tissue at the bottom of a pocket...the screener said "Please remove the Kleenex in your left pocket and hold it over your head while I re-scan". So yes, both the millimeter wave and backscatter machines will see your money belt and contents; you may be required to get secondary screening. Just put it in your carry-on before it goes through the x-ray machine.

[wifeofbedo]

Ok, thanks everyone for all of your advice, experiences and opinions. :)

 

I think the best is to slip it into my purse just before security and as Keith said, let hubby go through security first so he can "catch" my purse at the other end. I suppose sometimes the simple answer is right in front of you, but I get so excited about traveling sometimes I worry about the smallest details...:rolleyes:

 

Love to talk about travel experiences.....it's so interesting! :D

[slidergirl]

Always LOCK your personal item before you send it through at the checkpoint. Gives someone less of a chance to steal from it. Do not walk through the detector until your item is in the machine and out of arms' reach. Sure, the clerk may bark at you to get moving, but don't let him intimidate you - keep your bag in your vision until it goes in. And, if the clerk wants to inspect your bag, it must wait for you to unlock it - another way to avoid theft at the security point. Also, security clerks get all excited when they see large sums of money - they think they have made the Big Bust of the Day. You may be taken to pay a visit to customs to be sure you aren't trying to take out more than the legal undeclared amount of money (yes, if you take out more than, I think, $9,999, you have to declare it and have paperwork for it)...

I don't use a money belt/wallet. I don't take that much out with me on my day trips. My wallet is in my day bag, in a zipper compartment, and the bag's top zipper is locked.

[Langley Cruisers]

This is what I was saying back in post #2. The full body scanners, in my case, have detected a single credit card receipt- a small one- in my pocket. They pick up everything!

 

Agreed. I had 3 pieces of Excel gum in my pocket and I was detained for a full pat down in a private room. Awkward. Good thing we weren't late for our flight.

[FlyerTalker]

Always LOCK your personal item before you send it through at the checkpoint. Gives someone less of a chance to steal from it. Do not walk through the detector until your item is in the machine and out of arms' reach.

All essential points. Bag inside bag inside bag. Lock outer. Put through machine. Keep watching the belt and machine. Don't give anyone a quick shot at your "stuff".

[Brighton Line]

Once again, we are talking about two completely different types of security scanners!!

 

I work a part time job behind behind security, I am not an airline/airport employ so I am subject to the same screening as passengers anytime I have a gate pass and I am escorted behind security which is different for each terminal as ID requirements are set by the host airline for that terminal.

 

I take thru security laptops, handheld calculators, laser printers and other items (not tools, that is another entire set of TSA procedures).

 

The Millimeter scannertube scanner you stand sideways with your and up and it spins the sensor around you has detected a PENNY in a pocket. This wasn't metal of the penny as the Millimeter is not a magnetometer.

 

I've had an employee just roll the the waste of his pants to keep them up after removing his belt. The TSA agent insisted that he was wearing a belt for them alert that was displayed on the screen...

 

I won't go into what we had to do with laser printers back during the UPS laser printer bomb scare. Shipping the printer to the airport without toner 2 days before and then having the NEW toner in a sealed box the day we went thru security wait a minute I just did.

Edited July 10, 2015 by Brighton Line

[skf]

These scanners see everything...I had to take the Kleenex out of my pocket.

[cb at sea]

Always LOCK your personal item before you send it through at the checkpoint. Gives someone less of a chance to steal from it. Do not walk through the detector until your item is in the machine and out of arms' reach. Sure, the clerk may bark at you to get moving, but don't let him intimidate you - keep your bag in your vision until it goes in. And, if the clerk wants to inspect your bag, it must wait for you to unlock it - another way to avoid theft at the security point. Also, security clerks get all excited when they see large sums of money - they think they have made the Big Bust of the Day. You may be taken to pay a visit to customs to be sure you aren't trying to take out more than the legal undeclared amount of money (yes, if you take out more than, I think, $9,999, you have to declare it and have paperwork for it)...

I don't use a money belt/wallet. I don't take that much out with me on my day trips. My wallet is in my day bag, in a zipper compartment, and the bag's top zipper is locked.

 

Yes...they will tell you to move along...but DON'T! Wait until you're sure what you put IN the scanner doesn't pop back out! If there are 2 of you, the 1st person should go thru, while the 2nd person waits until you're SURE your scanned stuff (purse, etc...) have been cleared before they go thru the scanner.

Edited July 12, 2015 by cb at sea

[slidergirl]

Yes...they will tell you to move along...but DON'T! Wait until you're sure what you put IN the scanner doesn't pop back out! If there are 2 of you, the 1st person should go thru, while the 2nd person waits until you're SURE your scanned stuff (purse, etc...) have been cleared before they go thru the scanner.

 

I travel solo. So, I am always the person responsive to watch my stuff go through. If a Smurf is barking at me to move along, I'll just tell the people behind me to go ahead. If they are dumb enough to go and not watch their belongings, not my problem.

 

I wish I could post a photo a friend took of her husband getting a "Freedom Grope", aka the random body check, the other day. The one hand of the Smurf is palm touching his front side by his waist, the other hand is palm touching WAAAAY up to his "resistance", aka his groin. You can clearly see that the clerk went up all the way the side of the leg to where it attaches to his body. His shorts are really bunched up by the clerk to get to that "resistance." The look on the hubby's face is priceless - he clearly wasn't expecting the Smurf to "touch his junk"...