This is, for me, one of the biggest and oddest differences between the US and the rest of the world. In Australia, Asia, or Europe, when I set off the WTMD due to my hip implant, the screener tending the WTMD either calls a colleague to take over her position and does the patdown, or calls a female colleague to do the patdown right away. The longest wait has been for someone to walk, at a brisk pace, from a position two lanes away; maybe 20 seconds.

These checkpoints don't seem to be overrun with excess staff Standing Around, yet they are able to do this promptly. I'm astonished at the frequent reports here and in the wider media of people waiting at TSA checkpoints for 10, 20, 30 minutes for a patdown, coupled with the reports (and my own observation) of lots of staff at each checkpoint.

Then again, in Australia, Asia and Europe, they're not busy shining UV lights on OLCI BPs, moving shoes from the bin to the belt, or sizing up "cuties" for the NoS.