Anchorage Airport TSA Inspections

[kyriecat]

My parents are travelling with my husband and I to Alaska in Sept. We're flying to Seattle from Houston then taking a cruise from Vancouver to Seward. We're going to stay for a couple of weeks in Alaska after the cruise. We are all flying from Houston togehter but my husband and I can only take two weeks off work so we're flying home the week before my parents.

 

My mom does not fly very much. In the past 15 years, she has flown 4 times. She took a trip with me last year and had an absolutely horrifying experience with the TSA on the return. My mom is completely confined to a wheelchair due to severly deteriorate joints in her ankles, knees, and hips. She cannot stand up or balance on her legs without assistance. However, because she has legs, the TSA inspectors felt she should be able to get up and move by herself. I had not done research at that time and did not realize what the inspectors are and are not allowed to do. They separated us and put my mom through a very invasive and humilating experience, making her get out of her chair unassisted and probing her while she was laying on the floor.

 

I plan to print out the TSA regulations and bring a copy with me when we travel so hopefully she won't have another bad experience. However, my mom is already having nightmares about flying and is wondering if she should make the trip. She is worrying so much she is making herself ill, and the trip is still 8 months away. We didn't have any problems leaving Houston last time. I know now that I can request to go through the security check with her to provide assistance as needed.

 

I am concerned about the Anchorage airport. My parents will be flying by themselves. I am concerned about another bad experience for her. I'll give them the regulations list, but the TSA powers are somewhat gray. They have regulations but are allowed to violate them if they feel you are a threat. It seems like they can define "threat" however they want.

 

How is the TSA inspection in Anchorage? Has anyone felt that the inspectors intentionally humilated or abused them? I don't want my mom to have a repeat of her previous flight experience. Does the Anchorage airport use wands to inspect wheelchair passengers or hand inspection? If it is a hand inspection, do they make you get out of your chair? If so, will they provide or allow a male travelling companion provide assistance? Will she have to stand during the whole inspection process or will they let her sit down if it takes a while? She cannot stand for more than a few minutes, even supported. Has anyone had bruising or the genitals probed during the inspection?

 

Sorry for the long post. I know several people have said Alaska is the best cruising location for people with wheelchairs so I assume that the airport experience cannot be that bad. Can anyone reassure me so I can pass it along to Mom?

[Arwenmark]

From that last part of your question it sounds not just like they violated the rules but that you actually had grounds for criminal assault and civil charges.

[wrp96]

Have you filed a complaint with the TSA about the way she was treated? I agree with the previous poster, what happened to your mother is way beyond just being outside what is required by the TSA.

[shan9700]

kyriecat,

 

Hey there,

 

Sorry to hear about your experience with the TSA. I do work in an airport as an airline employee. I would advise you to get a note from your moms doctor stating she can't stand up without assistance. When you go to the security check point, I would just ask to speak with the TSA supervisor on duty. Explain what happened last trip and ask them to do a hand search of your mother. I have seen agents in our airport to a hand searchs on disable passengers that were very unintrusive. If you ever have any problems with the TSA advise the airline you are traveling on GSC's on duty. (ground security coordinator)

 

Generally I do think if you advise the airline your traveling with and the TSA as to what happened the last time your mom traveled. They will go above and beyond to make sure this trip is smooth for you all.

 

Best of luck to you,

Shan9700

[Queenie2]

If she can't stand, the TSA (by thier own regs) can't make her stand, or should I say, *try* and make her stand. Same goes with slow walkers who can't take off their shoes. The TSA can't force them to try and do that. But TSA folks are gov employees, some not highly trained so you will run across idiots here and there. As long as you know your rights it should be OK. It is improving. I'm sure you have the website, but its http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=156

 

I know you want a guarantee, but with travel, unexpected things come up and there are really no guarantees. That's the nature of the beast. The best course of action is for your mom to know and *understand* her rights (not merely have a piece of paper detailing those rights). she needs to understand when something is inappropriate. She has 8 months -- she can learn. And she will probably feel more secure when she does.

 

Candy

 

Candyu

[kyriecat]

My mom prefers to put the previous incident behind her and elected not to follow up with anything. I would have pursued it, but did not want to cause her further embarassment. She still has severe anxiety about flying that I would like to alieve.

 

Does anyone have any actual positive or negative experience with the Anchorage airport and how they handle disabled passengers? I would really appreciate some good stories to help reassure my mom.

 

While I can appreciate knowing your rights, that does not guarantee that the TSA inspectors will follow their own rules. I have previously experienced that protesting TSA treatment, even when they violated their rules, only brings threats from the inspectors to ban you from flying. I plan to be armed with printed copies of their rules this time. Merely stating that they are violating procedures without having backup documentation gains nothing.