Originally Posted by
RichardKenner
Obviously, the card is useless and any person who alarms the WTMD needs a pat-down. Yet again, the only value in asking the question is to skip the step of having the passenger go through the WTMD multiple times. If the person lies, no harm done since all that's happened due to that lie is that time will have been saved.
And yet, in my experience with otherwise sane, non-US, non-TSA airport security (Australia, Europe, Asia), the sequence goes like this:
RadioGirl, with metal hip, alarms WTMD.
Security guard: "You..."
RG (cutting to the chase): "I have a metal hip" *points to side where implant is.*
Security: "Go back and take your shoes off."
RG: "It's not my shoes, I
have a metal hip."
Security: "You need to take your shoes off and go through again. And make sure there's no metal in your pockets. Do you have a cell phone in your pocket? Have you removed your keys?"
RG: "It's not my shoes, it's not a cell phone, I have a
bloody. metal. hip." ("You
#*&@ing. moron.") *Takes shoes off, goes through WTMD again, alarms again.*
Security: "Okay wait here I'll get someone to pat you down." *or does patdown herself if female.*
So show me where telling them what caused the alarm has saved time, compared to just saying "duh I don't know, maybe it's the zipper on my jeans or my bra or something."
For goalie: new Australian version of the above is that I say "it's very difficult for me to remove my shoes and put them on again while standing; I'm sure you can swab them instead." Mostly works.
AUH version: After alarm, security guy standing behind the WTMD says "you need to go to that line over there." Points towards the airside region of the adjacent checkpoint line. There's no obvious "line" over there, just people exiting the parallel checkpoint. "Where?" I asked, but Mr Security has his back to me, motioning the next person through the WTMD. RadioBloke hands me my carryon bags and off we go.
