Originally Posted by
Vidiot
Thanks, everyone, for all the advice.
As it turns out, shockingly, I didn't have to go through a scanner at RDU. I wound up in the far right lane (Terminal 2 checkpoint), and the MMW was blocked off. Three people ahead of me, they unblocked it, but the MMW's so much slower that the TSO in front of it just waved me through the adjacent WTMD. TSOs at RDU were surly and barely communicative, but not downright hostile...perhaps that's because I never had the chance or the need to opt out.
Next flight is through MSY, so we'll see about that one...
You were lucky with RDU. I have cut my flying way down this year (275k miles on AA in 2010 and 45k in 2011) due to TSA at RDU. I have been Exec Plat on AA for the last 8 years. AA is losing tens of thousands of dollars directly due to TSA. I hate RDU TSA, they are the most arrogant, rude, abusive TSA in the country in my experience.