mikemey

You forgot to demand a supervisor and LEO for assault.

bdschobel

I really suspect they want to steal the watch (which has happened before). They once insisted on x-raying mine. It just makes no sense from a "security" perspective. My watch is clearly just a watch, nothing more.

Bruce

hobo13

Wow, this is my first time in this thread. There's as many acronyms and terminology here as there is in the infamous tricks thread.... LOL. You guys should really make a wiki so I don't end up thinking that a '3-striper' is a nice sized fish!

Critic

3-striper: informal nickname for the Small-Brained Crappie (species centrarchidae faregropesalot), usually found at the mouths of supposedly sterile commercial traffic lanes.

Caradoc

Maybe they just want to make sure it isn't a Casio.

Mr. Elliott

My watch, along with my wallet gets locked up in my personal carry on, which is a hard shell attaché case with a built in combination lock.

This is to prevent some sticky fingered airport security screener from stealing money from my wallet or grabbing my watch and claiming some one else took it.

Do I trust airport security screeners, absolutely not, as far as I am concerned, every one of them is a potential thief.

Mr. Elliott

knotyeagle

Since the federal security director at Richmond (RIC) decided it was OK to hire a convicted felon (robbery) as a TSA screener, I think that issue is well settled.

iluv2fly

And potential perv.

StanSimmons

Potential? In some airports it appears to be nearly universal.

drummingcraig

Just had my first opt-out experience at JAX.

• Took about 10 minutes from the time I asked for the opt out.
• I was described what would be required of me (pat down) if I wished to continue with the opt out.
• Most of additional time was waiting for a male assist.
• The agent who conducted the pat down was very friendly and explained the procedure thoroughly before he started.
• I was given the option to have a private screening (which I declined).
• Pat down was no worse then what I have received a couple of times after being flagged by the Nude-O-Scope.
• All in all it was very painless and I will certainly be doing it whenever possible.

RichMSN

Flying a red-eye on Monday night. I spent Sunday in the emergency room with a kidney infection and was not feeling particularly well (or particularly interested in making nice with TSA).

I opted out.

And waited, and waited.

Finally, I asked the woman manning the post where I opted out why I wasn't able to see my bags.

She told me it was my choice to opt out.

I asked her if I was entitled to see my possessions at all times. She said yes. I said, "Why can't I then?"

She said "I'm not sure, but you can't go in there until someone comes to take you through."

I had been waiting over 3 minutes at this point and I had no idea where my briefcase (containing my iPad) was. In the meantime, willing nude-o-scope victims kept walking around me, giving me disgusted looks for "causing a problem." I kept asking the gatekeeper the same questions:

"Why is this taking so long?"

"Is this delay retaliation for me opting out?"

"Where are my bags?"

"Why can't I see my bags?"

Eventually, she called for a male assist a second time. She was clearly tired of me, but I didn't stop asking until the male clerk came to give me the full patdown. At least then I was able to watch my bags.

Miserable experience. With me being ill, I actually contemplated going through the scanner, but I haven't been through one yet, so why should I start now?

Majuki

File a complaint against the TSO for not allowing you to keep your possessions in view at all times. If you don't remember the name, you can give a description, the airport, time, and checkpoint.

Don't let the masses shame you into using the NoS. They're just ignorant of the options, and they probably wouldn't go through it either if they knew the full implications.

PTravel

I would have simply walked over to a point where I'd be able to see my possessions. If the TSO caused a problem, I'd call for a LEO and the supervisor. I will not risk theft of my possessions because TSOs ignore their own agency's policies.

bdschobel

That's what I do. Every time they delay me more than a few seconds.

Bruce

RichMSN

I'm the first to admit -- I was feeling so lousy all I wanted was for the nonsense to be over.

3 days later, I'm still not close to 100%, but the fever/chills spells have subsided. I was fortunate I didn't have to be admitted and that the doctor thought I'd be OK to travel home.