ABQ experience
11/7 ABQ 4:30 pm
Not many people in line going through security. Half of lanes have NoS, half WTMD. Husband and I went to WTMD lane. We put our things on the belt, stepped to WTMD and I was asked to go through NoS. I said no, I opt out. I was told I'd get a patdown and I replied, I know. TSO called for female opt out. I was taken to the end of the belt and told to keep an eye on my things in the bins at the end. The TSO explained what she was going to do, asked me if I wanted to do it in private, asked if I had any recent injuries or surgeries that could be painful if touched. TSO was very light in her rubdown, used the back of the hand on my sensitive parts as she called it. My husband told me his experience was the same, except the TSO carryed his bag over to the groping area.
Because he works in a radiology department at a hospital and knows about the effects of radiation, we will never go through the scanners. The patdowns were handled professionally at ABQ. But the airport wasn't very busy at the time. I'm not happy about them and I was prepared to holler if it got rough. I will continue to tell everyone I know what is going on at our airports and how this country has gone mad with security theater.