FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Is there really a TSA rule that you can't walk thru a body scanner passport in hand?
Old Aug 15, 2010 | 11:31 am
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FliesWay2Much
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Originally Posted by juan9569
This past week I went thru security in MIA for an international flight.

When I go thru security, I usually already have the contents of my pockets, except for boarding pass and passport in my carry on.

Upon approaching the scanner, the screener told me I would have to run my passport and boarding ticket thru the x-ray machine.

The request seemed suspect and arbitrary to me because I have never heard of that in my last few hundred flights (I fly 150-250K miles per year) and they let the previous 3-4 people walk thru with passports visibly in their pockets or in hand.

The issue is I do not want to put my passport by itself to go thru the x-ray machine as during peak travel times it is very easy for another traveler to 'accidentally' walk off with it

Is there a real rule for this? How have you guys handled this?
As soon as Blacklight Bob or Betty is done with my passport, I put it in a back pocket until the interrogation/strip search is complete. There's usually plenty of time waiting in line to do it.
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