Washington D.C. (including Baltimore) - Attn: UA fliers at IAD, please update us on TSA

I haven't been through IAD since Nov 1. If you have better on info than on this page, please post an update on the page below. I am hoping that the Diamond lane is still ok:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security/1138014-complete-list-airports-whole-body-imaging-advanced-imaging-technology-scanner.html

I flew through this past Saturday. Security was 'normal'--no body scanners, was not 'felt up' (:(.....:D), and was a relatively painless experience.

Wait time was more than I thought, but was glad we were able to use the 'premium' line...All in all, was about a 15-minute experience for me.

Diamond had both machines, as of roughly 2 weeks ago.

Diamond had both machines, as of roughly 2 weeks ago.

Went through Diamond Tuesday and yesterday, did not get AIT/WBI scanned, but the machine is running.

I was AIT scanned a few weeks ago. I think it was pretty random.

Came through IAD INTL after customs in the C concourse today. No nude scanners there....they just wanted to "swab my hands," but decided against it, since the line was getting long and they were having trouble working their "new swab toy machine...." oh well...TSA...got to love them!!!

Main c/p does have back scatter machines. Last time I went through they were on for only some lanes - but I'm guessing it's a manpower issue.

Diamond had both machines, as of roughly 2 weeks ago.

This is important info. So I guess the probability is higher of getting X-rayed at Diamond?

Where did they put it? I remember two X-rays and one shared WTMD in the middle with one X-ray often closed when traffic is slow. When I went through on Oct 31 it was quite empty and I didn't notice any Backscatter unit.

p.s. On Nov 1 I became alerted to this nonsense at BOS where they closed off the WTMD and X-rayed everybody. The smurf told me that it was "primary" at BOS. This was for a small checkpoint serving the US Air shuttle gates in B terminal. It could be at the small checkpoints at slow times where they will do this.

I was there on the morning of 11/17, a Wednesday. Things were not great, the left side of the main security was closed to new passengers and everyone was being directed to the Diamond lane. I'm sure a lot of people discovered it for the first time... :( I diverted to the right hand side main security line, skipped the first line with United 1P, but was stuck for 25 minutes in the ridiculously long line for actual screening station. Diamond lane probably still would have been better.

Have been thru the IAD Diamond lanes 4 time since they started the body scanners. I went thru the first morning of the roll-out in November and got the full body scan and failed it (wallet in pocket), got the back of the hand, proceeded to fail the swab test (hotel's Crabtree and Evelyn hand lotion), got the full-on front of the hand. Everytime since, the single body scanner has been shut off when I have gone thru. I'll report back on Sunday if anything changes.

My best luck recently has been the 1K queue at the main security check point. 2-3 people checking BPs and all lanes open, it went fast. The Diamond lanes have been slow with only one lane open and lots of wheelchair passengers taking forever. No body scans or pat downs.

The checkpoint for international->domestic connections did not have any body scanners that I could see, as of 11/28/10.

Have been through the diamond lane 8 times since the backscatter was put in, haven't seen it in operation let alone been forced through it.

Went through last Tuesday (before Thanksgiving). There were two lines operating. The lane on the right was the one with the signs for travelers w/children and those people were routed through the metal detector. The lane on the left,ostensibly for the more experienced traveler, routed people through the NOS. There were Smurfs everywhere at the checkpoint, and were roving in packs of at least four past the checkpoint. There was a Metropolitan Airports cop at the ready, standing between the two exit points. :rolleyes:

What's the status of the IAD Diamond lane now?
Are the full body scanners now operating?
Are there longer delays than with the metal detectors?

I have been through 3 times since Dec 7. There is a backscatter unit on the side but I have never seen it used. My guess is that it is only used for secondary searches. On Dec 7 I spent about 5 min observing the checkpoint to make sure that people were not going through the backscatter.

This contrasts with DEN's main security where a lot of people went through the MM wave units. I think it was random, but the incidence was quite high from my casual observation. I avoided it by selecting a line without the units.

Full body scanner was on and being used in the diamond lanes on Friday the 14th of January---first time I'd seen the machines actually in use there.