Originally Posted by Bart

I'm curious if this was challenged on that website. I'll challenge it here: this is pure nonsense. There may be TSOs who believe this is how it works, but it is not the correct procedure. And this would be revealed during a trial, if the prosecution made the dumb mistake of going with this testimony and/or accepting this testimony as evidence.

If this were to go to court, a TSO has to be able to explain the basis for the search. If a TSO tries to be cute about it, especially on the witness stand, a defense lawyer will have a field day picking this apart and destroying the witness' credibility.

It comes down to this: the basis for a search during airport screening is the prohibited items list and nothing else. If something develops incidental to the search, then the search officer must notify the supervisor. My advice to any TSO who reads this is to not deviate from this procedure. If a police officer thinks that there's a basis for a criminal search, then make that police officer do his or her job; don't do it for him/her. It will cost you.