antichef

A different type of trip report.

I decided to opt out and request a hand search on a trip earlier this week. I have posted the experience on the Travel Safety/Security forum. So as not to cross post the whole item the "Trip Report" is here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24371323-post687.html

corporate-wage-slave

And here is my version, it was a bit easier for me, not least because they could access the right room for it. It took less than 10 minutes, probably nearer 5 minutes.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23969716-post719.html

aceman

Interesting.

how much time do you estimate the procedure would have taken if they'd been able to get into the correct room first time around? I assume a lot of time was taken walking across the terminal and back.

Cant they just do a standard pat down/swab etc on site if you opt out of the scanner as opposed to going for a private room?

oscietra

If it wasn't for opting out of the body scanner at T5, I wouldn't have a sex life at all.

golfmad

Very interesting. Have you tried this with the TSA in the USA? Go on, you know you want to...

Quarky Quark

I do remember after going through the scanner at LAS that I had more touchy feely from the TSA than at some of the "gentlemen's clubs" in the vicinity.
I was almost ready to hand over $20 to the agent for the "experience" but I don't think that would have been appreciated very much

fife

Yes, a few times.

One time resulted in lots of barking - with one TSA agent demanding I walk to the scanner, and while I kept repeating I was opting out, the other yelling at me that he heard me, and to stay where I was.

I used to be a regular traveller to the USA, but I can't be bothered these days. Even at land crossings (from Canada) the officials are unpleasant. I realise these are not TSA here, but it does seem to be consistently bad. It's now at the point where the only way I'll fly to the USA is via preclearence in Ireland (they're very pleasant!), but that doesn't solve the internal flights problem. So I rarely bother now.

The other times - absolutely fine. Two TSA agents in a side room. One doing the pat down, the other observing. Hand baggage examined with the explosives testing thing. Took maybe five minutes.

antichef

They could do the pat down on site but they choose to do it elsewhere. My take on it is to make it take longer and appear more difficult - to dissuade objectors. It could have taken 10 mins tops for the walk to the search area, search and return if they had got in first time.

It took much longer for the carefully slow and methodical secondary search and swab of my bag etc. At least ten more minutes. Ten minutes for the additional walking around!

RedcardPingle

Not that I'm against having the choice, but why object to the scan? Its quicker, easier, and of all the radiation you're going to be exposed to that day, 5 seconds in a THz field is the least of your worries.

machotspur

I haven't been through a scanner, anywhere in the world, for the past 12 years.

In short I have an ICD fitted in my chest (a defibrillator - a bit like a pacemaker). I am instructed by the medical technicians not do go through any scanner, not just at airports, as apparently the two bits of kit don't like each other. I understand this to be understood & accepted around the world.

I have an official looking document to flash if needed, but have probably only shown this a handful of times. An animated jab at the appropriate area of my chest appears to work in most cases, wherever in the world I am

Almost always I receive a pat down adjacent to the scanner, sometimes accompanied by a hand scanner thingy. IIRC I have been taken into a room just twice in 12 years - once somewhere in the USA and another time last month in Oman.

Interestingly the places that appear to be most professional are often those you least expect. (I've been surprised at the likes of Bolivia, India, Cambodia etc how on the ball the security people have been in understanding this issue).

And whilst I don't 'opt out' through choice it really isn't a big deal - it probably takes < 2 minutes in most cases. Sometimes i'm collecting my hand baggage before my wife, who has been through the scanner.

What I don't know is if my 'medical opt out' is treated any differently from a 'personal choice' decision. Is it likely to be different ?

hugolover

As if I didn't need further truth how the UK's airport managed by HAL is a complete shambles. This thread really annoys me:

I also *tried* to opt-out of this with my first time I went through Fast Track South since they were installed in January. I refused saying I didn't want to do it and like CWS I was given the interrogation about why I didn't want to do it, saying it "must be for medical reasons". A supervisor was summoned, which took around 5 minutes.

I told her I didn't need to give a reason why I didn't want to do it. She said I must inform her why. She said I could only opt-out with a medical certificate. I said I think the rules have changed in November 2013. No she said. It's either do it or don't fly! So I reluctantly did it.

This really grinds my gears that I was absolutely lied to. I cannot name one positive thing about Heathrow T5. It is a complete mess.

RedcardPingle

Interesting; my (admittedly limited) understanding was that the hand scanner poses the most risk of all to implanted electronics. Did the medical technicians advise you differently?

HIDDY

Yes I don't see the point in opting out unless you can show evidence that it would be detrimental to your health. Then again I suppose there are always those who feel the need to question every time they're asked to comply with something. Nothing wrong with that as long as it's done in reasonable manner and does not affect others.
I'm afraid I have no time for those who dislike having a yellow tag attached to their bag and show defiance by ripping it off whilst uttering ''I'll bloody show them!!''....they're just a bunch of litter louts.

SCSA

If you opt out of the nake machines in the US they make you put on lead underpants and then examine the rest of your unclothed body

machotspur

Yes - after a couple of years of blindly obeying the instructions from the medics I asked some more questions. I understand that the risk of any damage to the ICD from the gates is minimal.

The main reason to avoid the gate is that in the event of a cardiac problem whilst I am walking through the gate the ICD wouldn't activate. The magnetism freezes it for a while. (In fact whenever I have any medical procedure under general anaesthetic the ICD is 'turned off' by taping what looks like a kids magnet to my chest !)

My understanding (more questions at my next check up !) is that the hand scanner does not bring the same risk.

The other reason is that the presence of a box of electronics in my chest is likely to activate the scanner, necessitating a hand search/secondary scan, so its best to go for this in the first place.