Practical Travel Safety Issues - Opt-Out and Hearing Impairment

So I have the misfortune of damaged hearing aids and will be traveling before they're repaired.

When it comes to airports with the name game, I've often pretended like I can't hear them anyway and they usually just wave me through. Occasionally a doc checker slightly smarter than the average bear will hand me back my BP and sign "Thank You" to me.

But what about opting out? Obviously I can say I opt out, and then they'll walk me aside and do the REMOVED BY MODERATOR game. They're of course required to give me the little speech about it - but in this instance I honestly won't hear it. I've heard it often enough I can recite it myself but that's not the point.

So what's the policy on deaf / hearing impaired travelers? I'm between novice and intermediate when it comes to ASL but I highly doubt that will matter. I'm debating constantly saying I can't understand them until they give me something to read or figure out what else they can do.

Ink is the resident expert on the subject and I'm certain will chime in. I suspect however that similar to non-English speakers (or those of us who have difficulty understanding some TSOs), your mileage may vary.

As always, YMMV, but here is the process that I have found works the best.

Most important: you are in charge, beginning to end.

Before they ever start their speech, look them right in the eye and give them some version of the following "I am hearing impaired. If I do not respond to your commands it may be because I did not hear it, not because I am interfering with the process. I can only communicate if I am watching you speak and you look at me while speaking. Do you understand, yes or no? It might work better if you get an assistant to stand in front to relay instructions. If you do not want to do that, then if you are behind me, you will need to stop, walk around, explain, and then return. Do you understand that, yes or no? As for raising and lowering my arms, do not ask. If my arms are down, pat the underside and I will raise them. If my arms are up, pat the top and I will lower them. I will be anticipating your pats, not listening for your commands."

You then give them their speech as best as you can remember it, the one where they say what they will be doing. When you are done, say "Is that correct? Did I miss anything? Are you certain you do not want an assistant? It may be easier. You can begin, now," and hold your arms out hands up showing that you are ready.

No matter what they say, even if you think you understand them (you may not have), say "If you are speaking to me, I do not understand. You will need to come in front and look at me." Say this firmly as you would a child that has not followed a clear instruction. Drop your hands and relax, turn to look at them, and be generally uncooperative until they do.

They have instructions that they have to give you "the speech" about the process. Many of them will start into anyway even after you have done this explanation. Look them right in the eye and say "If you are explaining what you will be doing, only go over the parts that I got wrong earlier. Look me in the eye and I will try to understand." If they repeat what you have already told them, say that you know all that, please start.

Be friendly, but businesslike.

Every so often you will run into a screener that will do exactly as you ask and never even say a word. When you are done they will make the OK sign or give a thumbs up and point to your stuff saying it is OK to get it and your screening is over. These are the good guys. Sometimes, you will get one that insists on talking behind you, will not speak to your face even when in front of you, and generally makes the process more difficult than necessary. In this case I usually say, "This is difficult for both of us. Please call your supervisor and they can be your assistant to help communicate."

Most are somewhere in the middle. They forget to not talk behind you and then realize, get up, walk around, say what they want to say, and return. Always thank them for taking the trouble.

My hearing is much better now as I am getting very effective treatments. Is was very bad for about a year and a half, but I learned to cope. There is no telling how many times I had to say "I'm sorry, are you speaking to me? I can not hear and I have no idea what you just said." It should be accompanied by a questioning look. It works at the TDC podium, with line barkers, with about anyone and should be used liberally.

People on this board often give the TSA and their folks a hard run, and in many or most cases they deserve some of it. I have found that many are compassionate and helpful once they know. Not all, but many.

Long post, but I end with a funny story. It was training day. I got a brand new pat down guy. I may have been his first ever, and he got the deaf guy. He was being trained by a 3-striper, who was being observed training the new guy. The new guy was so new he still had the white shirt. In the end the 3-S told him not to worry about the speech and acted as the instruction relay. Everyone was very nervous as the Suit Guy was watching all of this from a distance and realizing that there was no speech, that the trainer was doing all of the talking, and that they were not following protocol. I caught on quick and asked "Training day?" "Yep, him and me" as he almost imperceptibly nodded toward suit guy. Clumsiest grope ever, thorough, but not abusive and only close to resistance. Suit Guy walks over, I look at the groper and say, pretty good for training and thanked both of them for making it easy on a deaf guy. Suit Guy seemed satisfied and walked away.

It would have been an okay experience as gropes go, but it still angers me that we are forced into this position in the first place.

Best to have an index card in your pocket which says something such as "I am hard of hearing and will not likely hear anything that you say."

Doesn't have to be more complex than that. Even if there were no checkpoint, there are multiple other interactions which you may need to have, particularly in IRROPS where gate announcements won't work for you.

The issue is equally applicable to your air carrier at the counter, club, gate and onboard, as well as taxi drivers and the like.

The issue is equally applicable to your air carrier at the counter, club, gate and onboard, as well as taxi drivers and the like.

In those situations however one is generally not dealing with someone who will by the nature of the interaction be behind one, crouching down, etc where speech will be naturally more difficult to hear, and lip reading impossible.

The TSA checkpoint does not just involve face to face interaction, making it different from those situations you list.

Best to have an index card in your pocket which says something such as "I am hard of hearing and will not likely hear anything that you say."

Doesn't have to be more complex than that. Even if there were no checkpoint, there are multiple other interactions which you may need to have, particularly in IRROPS where gate announcements won't work for you.

The issue is equally applicable to your air carrier at the counter, club, gate and onboard, as well as taxi drivers and the like.

I agree that a card can be useful, but it reminds me of the people that used to walk around the airport looking for handouts. My first impression is that your method has the initial impression of being rude, even though it is not intended that way. I can speak just fine. The normal mode of communicating informally is by speaking and it shows respect for the other person to not take them out of their comfort zone so that I can communicate with them. I want to see their eyes. If they are looking down and reading a card, I can not do that. I have learned to read lips pretty good and if one leans into me toward my better of two bad ears, I can hear and communicate in the noisiest environments. I resort to written notes only as it becomes necessary. It is tedious for the both of us.

I travel enough that I can correctly anticipate most questions, and most people with which I interact have no idea that I can not hear. There is no reason to tell them if I do not have to.

As for IRROPS, I will go to the GA and tell them of my hearing impairment, that I will be sitting close and that I will not understand announcements. They have always been cooperative. I check flight status every few minutes and watch the monitors. I subscribe to a service that notifies me of gate and schedule changes by text. I always use written addresses for taxis. I even write out my drink order for FA's. There are some situations where it is easier and prudent.