iluv2fly

This happened to me at LAS while entering the Pre-Check line last month.

Schmurrr

FLL Terminal 3F

I estimated a 200:1 ratio for the unwashed masses and PreCheck pax at the checkpoint. One NOS was the only option for the former. The 1-striper who originally came through to escort me to the grope said I would have to wait because she was "very busy." That would prove to mean chatting with another woman and occasionally duplicating the work of the guy who was reminding people to take their shoes off. Given that the 6 plus TSA staff at the PreCheck were idle and there was another unoccupied woman standing in the grope area, I questioned the wait and asked for a supervisor. Then a woman theretofore unseen appeared and escorted me through. I really do not why another lane could not have been opened with so many TSA staff standing around. They weren't even using the WTMD by the NOS, despite queues of 8-10 at the NOS.

Superguy

TPA terminal F was allowing SDOO yesterday. Middle line was WTMD only, right line was NoS. I chose the middle line (obviously) and there was no hand swabbing going on.

It appears the swabbing happens only for medical and maybe full monty opt outs.

Savvy Traveler

So now we have two stories (from ATL and DTW) of PreCheck-cleared travelers being subject to the nude-o-scope. There has also been mention of a new SOP.

If anyone else has further details or experiences about these changes please post them!

Schmurrr

I was ready to opt out at AUS today when I spied an open WTMD off to the side and way underutilized. I asked a TSA employee standing in the path to that WTMD if anybody could use that lane, and he said yes. I was so delighted by the unexpected WTMD availability that I forgot to take my shoes off, but nobody noticed.

BSBD

Don't know about a new SOP, but the South side PreCheck lane at BNA now has a WBI scanner in place. It was not in use this morning when I went through, but it looked ready for operation.

Schmurrr

The randomizer for FLL Terminal 1 B side put me into the PreCheck lane today. (I am not in PreCheck.) TSA was randomly swabbing hands in that lane. TSA pulled my bag for a manual check. I told them it was probably the canned cat food (yes) that looked odd. TSA searched my bag only to the point of finding the cans and quickly swabbed them. All TSA staff were polite and professional. If what I experienced was the default for everybody (i.e., no PreCheck program) and we could get rid of the BDOs and select DHS and TSA leaders, security would be quite reasonable.

Edit: There are no NOSs at this checkpoint.

Schmurrr

Unusual opt-out at AUS (Gate 12 area checkpoint) today!

I spied a WTMD-only lane between the PreCheck lane and the NOS lane. The PreCheck lane and NOS lane had substantial lines, but this WTMD line did not, and I headed straight for it. A TSA employee told me and the person behind me at the conveyor belt that TSA is trying something new and we wouldn't have to take off shoes, pull out laptops, etc. in that lane. Again, this was NOT the PreCheck lane, and I may very well have opted myself into it. Perhaps TSA is testing having a non-PreCheck WTMD lane for the pax randomly pulled out of the NOS lane? It was possibly a mistake that I was able to select the lane for myself--unless TSA intended that anybody who was cleared by the particular TDC stationed in front of the special lane was to use the special lane, as I was directed to that TDC by a different TSA employee. (That is, I was preselected by the TSA employee at the front of the pre-TDC queue.)

I do not know if it is related, but the canine teams were out in force at the time. There was one next to the security checkpoint queue, and others were patrolling the waiting areas and main passageway.

FliesWay2Much

Face it...this clerk sounds as if he would have a hard time discerning that the sun rises in the east. He doesn't know why you were successful in your SDOO. He has to say something so you will believe that he is "the government" and is "in charge."

javabytes

One lane at ATL Terminal F post Customs got three opt outs at the same time this afternoon. I think the TSO's head nearly exploded. He asked "What is this, a convention?"

Waiting my turn to go through, I watched another guy approach the MMW. Same TSO asked him "Everything out of your pockets?" Guy replied "Last I checked... well except for my balls, they're still there."

KDS

When I'm asked the question (always after the TSO has observed me putting everything in bins) "Do you have anything in your pockets?", I always reply, "Yes, air."

Watching the TSOs' reactions makes the trip through Gestapo land a little more fun.

MichaelKade

Let the screener guarding the WTMD know about my surgery (didn't have to show the scars this time). He said "it's only like three seconds" and I let him know that it caused pain to hold up. He told me to come around through the WTMD. No hand swab and I was on my way. Woman behind me who went through the NOS still received a patdown of her upper body.

mikeef

Glad to see that there are a few people at the checkpoints who still have them.

Mike

loops

Flew commercial air for the first time since nine eleven last week. Mom needed help packing for a major move and flying was simply the best option for getting there. I purchased a round trip ticket from RSW to PVD. For the record, I have two bad shoulders. I simply informed the person(s) at the checkpoint that I was unable put my arms in that position, gesturing towards the people in the MMW booth. No problem departing RSW, I simply walked through the WTMD, not alarming despite wearing a bracelet with chunky aluminum beads. Departing PVD, I was required to have my hands swabbed. Belatedly, I realized that the kippy bag had not been removed from my luggage in the chaos of getting everything onto the belt. It seemed to me that the clerks were merely going through the motions of moving people through the checkpoint at both airports. None seemed especially "alert". Glad I had the option of using smaller airports!

bdschobel

My shoulder syndrome has NEVER failed me in places without pre-check.

Bruce