Increased Security Screenings

[SeaCruiser_1]

This past Thursday I was required to have a pat down before boarding. I cannot go through the metal detectors due to a defibrillator/pacemaker. This past July I only had to show my documentation for boarding. I do not have a problem with this since I am used to it in the airports. I just thought I would share this increased security measure. I hope you all feel safer!! :-)

[ColoradoJuli]

I was absolutely shocked to find out that if a woman is pulled aside for 'inspection' that the 'inspector' will feel around her bra! :eek: :eek: I can't believe that strangers are now allowed to grop anyone that they feel like and call it their job! I just hope I will not be pulled aside. I have a nasty habit of knocking the lights out of anyone that touches me inappropriately. ;) Wouldn't that be fun to deck the security officer. :eek:

[dakrewser]

I was absolutely shocked to find out that if a woman is pulled aside for 'inspection' that the 'inspector' will feel around her bra!

The suicide bombers who blew up a couple of Russian planes were women who carried explosives in their bras....

 

-dave

[anniecat]

I heard from a friend not to wear a wired bra in airport security...glad I didn't because the elderly lady (ie older than me) in front of me was very thoroughly wanded and patted down (by a female agent...but still in full public view). it seems silly...but you never know!

so ladies ...just be floppy for the flight :p

[mmacdcc]

There are women security officers.

 

And if you deck one for frisking you, you're likely to wind up in jail.

 

They're just doing their job. And a pretty thankless job it is, too. Unfortunately, it's necessary.

[ColoradoJuli]

Oh Annie - You are too funny, but I don't want to knock myself silly running through the airport. ;-)

[RaffinOrganGrinders]

My DW was recently given an extensive pat-down, including bra search, before boarding Air France in ATL. She had one metal pin on her top that she had forgotten to remove. They also checked in between her toes!

 

I feel much safer now! :o

[Chudley]

I am one of those women who have been "patted" down. It was strange because I passed thru the security checkpoint (airport) and everything was fine. I wasn't asked to open anything, everything was cool. When I got up to the desk at the gate the attendant who was taking my boarding pass said there had been a mistake and I was supposed to go to the head of security back down at the checkpoint. At this time they are holding my flight. Keep in mind, I'm in my early fifties, female and blond, not that it should make a difference, but I neither look like a drug smuggler or a terrorist. I went back to security and they told me I was supposed to have been checked earlier. Now, how do they decide who gets checked? Security had checked me right thru, it was Alaska Airlines that sent me back, security never knew my name. They had one guy going thru my carry-on and a female checking me out. I will tell you she was extremely thorough! It had nothing to do with an underwire bra either, so don't think not wearing one will help. I felt very violated even thou I kept telling myself this is to keep us all safe. If I'd have hid a dime in my bra the woman would have found it!! My biggest question is, who picked me out to get checked? Chud

[mmacdcc]

My last few flights have been from BWI or Philly, to Orlando, Milwaukee, Las Vegas. Not once have I set off any metal detectors, even with underwire bras.

 

What bothers me more though is that nobody even looks at my purse. I have a small purse, and I carry a palm pilot and cell phone, sunglasses, keys with remote for the car locks, cash/credit cards, and not much else. In the x-ray machine it must look like a electronics nightmare.

 

Never have I ever been asked to turn on the palm pilot, never have they flipped open the cell phone, only once did they ever even really look at it closely.

 

But a pin on your shirt, or a heavy underwire bra, those are dangerous things. Flip flops, or thin sandals, those have to go through the x-ray machine. Thick sneakers, those aren't a problem.

 

I feel so much safer now...

[SeaCruiser_1]

I must be patted down at ALL airports. Fort Lauderdale was the most thorough. I think the security officers are more uncomfortable about this than I am. I try to assure them that I know they are only doing their job to make things safer for all of us! I have been offered a private area but to tell you the truth I am more uncomfortable about that. As a nurse I can assure you this is minor compared to what I see everyday!! :-)

 

People who have implanted Defibrillator/Pacemakers may not have wands used on them. I have had to stop a few officers from using them.

 

This was the first time these measures were used in a cruise terminal. The officer was very professional.

[WindyCity]

When our daughters were flying for their cruise - one daughter got constantly checked at every check point. When she inquired as to why - she was told random tickets were chosen for searches - something with the encoding.

Honestly, I would rather get checked & see other people get checked rather than have something happen.

[wander]

How the "system" selects folks is one matter, but on at least some airlines there is a word (forgot what it is, but an agent showed it to me when I asked) printed on your boarding pass from the check-in system that indicates that you are to be given a more thorough search. When you show your pass at the screeners they should catch this. Once they "search" you they somehow so indicate this on your boarding pass. Apparently the person boarding you onto the plane noticed that the second mark was missing and sent you back. I do not know that this is what happend, but it seems likely since I do know that they use the code and marking system in at least many airports.

[HighFlyer]

How the "system" selects folks is one matter, but on at least some airlines there is a word (forgot what it is, but an agent showed it to me when I asked) printed on your boarding pass from the check-in system that indicates that you are to be given a more thorough search.

 

It's 'SSSS'. A few things that can flag this: one way tickets, tickets purchased at the last minute, tickets purchased with cash, name on CAPPS list. One way to lessen your chances of getting SSSS is to put your frequent flyer number in your reservation at the time you book your tickets.

 

So when you see SSSS on your boarding pass, you've been the lucky recipient of the TSA grope and feel.

[ColoradoJuli]

Guess I'll be looking out for the SSSS (is that a really slick slimy slithering snake?)

[trubey]

We had a spooky one coming off the Prinsendam in Athens:

 

As we walked, rolling our suitcases, through a portal out of the arrival terminal, a siren went off and a red light started flashing.

 

Instantly two guys -- no uniforms -- jumped up and said, "Please come this way, sir. Right now, if you would, sir."

 

When they got us out of line they asked me if we were carrying any drugs! I laughed (like an idiot) and told them I have heart disease and carry 12 different drugs with me, at which they let us go.

 

Back home I did a little research, and found that there is a machine that can detect 3 molecules (!) per cc of air, of any of hundreds of drugs; just by passing in front of it!

 

Guess that's where some of the 10 Bn euros they spent for the Olympics went, and y'know what? I do indeed feel safer every time I get stopped by security or patted down!

 

lane

[Krazy Kruizers]

One month after 9/11, we flew out to San Diego for a cruise. At Pittsburgh we were called aside at the gate to be completely checked - carry-ons as well. They even opened all of DH's medicine bottles and dumped his pills onto a table (US Airways was notified of this by us) and then stuffed the pills back into their containers - dirt and all.

We asked why we had been flagged - nothing was indicated on our tickets. It seems that in the previous 6 months we had been to nearly every suspect airport - Ft Lauderdale, San Diego (earlier cruise), and Seattle.

[sail7seas]

. They even opened all of DH's medicine bottles and dumped his pills onto a able (US Airways was notified of this by us) and then stuffed the pills back into their containers - dirt and all.

 

 

Did you get a response from USAirways? Did you contact TSA?

If so, did you get a response from them?

[LAFFNVEGAS]

It's 'SSSS'. A few things that can flag this: one way tickets, tickets purchased at the last minute, tickets purchased with cash, name on CAPPS list. One way to lessen your chances of getting SSSS is to put your frequent flyer number in your reservation at the time you book your tickets.

 

So when you see SSSS on your boarding pass, you've been the lucky recipient of the TSA grope and feel.

Not so sure this is always the case. A few years ago we were traveling United to Kona with tickets purchased with our air miles many months(11 months to be exact) in advance. When we checked in the rep at the counter informed me I had been flagged by TSA.(DH was not flagged) I asked why and of course she could not give me an answer. The extra screening was not bad in Las Vegas and no big deal in San Francisco but leaving Kona I felt like I was a criminal and was wacked on the leg by their wand because they wanted be to spread my legs really far apart. I guess I felt safer:o

[tjcletsgo]

To all who whine and cry about the extensive security searches conducted these days, let two words be your guide........."LET'S ROLL"..........

[Krazy Kruizers]

TSA wasn't installed at that time.

And yes we did get an e-mail back from US Airways. We had also given them a few suggestions - which we were pleasantly surprise to see them using when we flew down to Ft Lauderdale a month after that cruise.

[tankerjo2]

To all who whine and cry about the extensive security searches conducted these days, let two words be your guide........."LET'S ROLL"..........

 

 

That's fine but at least let's play by the same rules at all Airports. Some people sound like they would support a strip search in public in the name of security. My wife will be going through Airport security tomorrow with a still healing incision where they removed an interductal pappaloma from her right breast. We have medical documentation but should she be pulled for extra security scrutiny then it damn well better be done properly. Also curious what considerations have been given to woman or men who have suffered abuse or sexual trauma in their life as my own wife did as a child. I know many people may disagree but a strangers hands-on search, much less in a public place...I don't know.

 

Security, all security should be uniform and professional at all Airports and at least in my opinion anything other than an inspection of personal items or wanding of a person should take place in private. It is my understanding this is offered but I also have read several accounts of people that were then detained for such a length of time that they missed their flights.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I would be furious if we missed our flight because of an intense security check.

[K&RCurt]

The last time my DW and I flew out of PHL she set off the metal detector. When she was "hand wanded" the detector kept going off when past by her chest area. They then called over a female security officer who proceeded to give her an "NC-17" rated pat down all over her chest area, in full public view. She said she hadn't had an experience like that since high school!

 

She vows to never wear an underwire bra while flying again!

 

They could at least have an area out of full public view to do these "pat downs".

[old Marine]

I will be cruising out of Fort Lauderdale in February..I will be driving from my home in North Carolina..I would not mind if search was constant all over country but some places are really tough on citizens...It is harder for people to travel within USA ..but easy to cross all our boarders without restraint :eek: All I will have to worry about is the Highway patrol stopping to search for drugs..

 

George from NC

[ekerr19]

Coming back to the US from Lisbon, my passport was flagged and we were stopped by US Customs here in Denver. Out of all the people on our full BA flight, we were the only ones asked to step aside for further interrogation.

 

I have never had such a humiliating experience in all the years I have been flying, domestically and internationally.

 

I felt I was treated like nothing more than a common criminal, asked to give all kinds of explanations for my travel to California. I stated that I was born and raised there - still had family in the state. I was asked about my trip in October 2004 to LAX for my brother's wedding - where I stayed, how long, the purpose of my visit etc., etc.

 

I was also asked to give detail about a business trip I took several years ago to SFO, apparently, I left the return portion on United open - I had ended up purchasing a new return for an earlier flight on Frontier - and the customs agent was very interested in why.

 

I was also asked if I was in California in early October 2003, I had to think for a moment, but I knew I wasn't because we moved to our new house at that time. Overall, I was grilled about where I've lived for the past 20 years and about several of my trips to California for about 20-30 minutes (it just seemed forever).

 

After a 14 hour flight, I was exhausted. DH tried to answer some of the questions for me and was basically told "butt out". I was never given an explanation why or what they were looking for - but we believe it may have been a case of mistaken identity.

 

Also, as many of you know (I posted before we left) DH's right arm was in a cast, so I filled out the customs form as head of household because he could not sign his name properly. Normally when we travel outside the US, he always fills out the form and we've never been questioned, let alone stopped.