Originally Posted by
STBCypriot
For the record, I do not know what it is in my luggage that is causing the requirememnt for manual searches. I can only guess.
I live and work overseas and frequently bring things from the US to my colleagues so that they can share in some typical american experiences (like Thanksgiving pumpkin pie).
I do pack so that the items are at the top of the luggage and yet the luggage is still all trashed when reassembled.
I have searched the TSA website to find out information about being present when they search my luggage and cannot find anything. I was hoing for some insight here from experts. I was not looking for a comment like don't bring those items, especially when I don't know what those items are.
Lesson learned. Don't ask for assistance here.
Part of the answer is that its a gamble: your bag goes into a x-Ray, and to simplify things te x-Ray decides if a bag needs to be checked. It does not detect explosives, bu compares items in your bag to known explosives and so on.
Most items like peanut butter, pie mix, alarm the machine, and these have to be checked. Other items in your bag may be very dense, and the x-Ray can not see through it, so those have to be checked.
Someone said put a registered, declared gun in your bag, as to check your bag you will ha to be there. This is not true. It depends if your airport has an in-line system or not. From what I can tell, your system does use an in-line system. If your bag is locked, all they will do is cut the lock or get the keys from you, and you will not be there when your bag is checked.
If you can, and what some people do, is package your food items in a cardboard box checked in as a piece of luggage. Keep addin items to the box till your luggage with your clothing is not checked at all.
But if you insist on taking certain items and the machine says to check those items, your bag will always be checked.