Originally Posted by
SATTSO
Inform the TSO at the x-ray or the TSO advising those who are divesting their property, that if you bags require additional screening you would like private screening
BEFORE you submit the bag for x-ray inspection. Lock the bags, keep the key on your key chain. When you clear screening you will be able to grab all your other property - shoes, cell phone, keys, etc., - and that way you can be sure that the bag will not be opened until your at the private screening location.
I have had many passengers do this. It is actually more common than you may think. The TSOs involved will be used to such screening (unless they are new, of course
).
My experience supports the locking aspect of this advice (no experience with requesting private screening). When I travel with a Pelican case full of electronic/radio equipment as carry-on, I lock it with a big obvious keyed padlock, and bury the key in my carry on or keep it on my person if there is no NoS to opt out of.
I do not want TSOs rummaging around the contents without changing gloves, being careful, or being supervised by me. I have never been given any hassle by TSOs for doing this; they seem used to it. One minor eye-roll, but nothing serious. If they want to search/swab the contents, which they do about 75% of the time, they simply ask if I have the key and wait until I give it to them.
Doing this also helps ensure that everything else (including my person if opting out) gets cleared first so that my entire focus can be on the Pelican case during the secondary screening instead of being divided across several items.