exbayern

Things are still heavenly over here, thank you very much, based on my experiences multiple times a week. (And compared to my recent US travels)

Majuki

I tried to initiate a SDOO since the elite traveler lane is WTMD only. Things were looking good. The BXSX next to the WTMD had a queue of 2 people and one guy had just gone in to get his dose of x-rays. However, just as I was about to go through the WTMD, the TSO manning the BXSX came over to talk to the TSO on the other side of the metal detector about something, blocking my egress through the WTMD. She then asked if everything was out of my pockets, and you all know the rest.

The male assist arrived in about 2 minutes, was courteous (as much as one can be doing that) and did not come close to meeting resistance. I was out of there in less than 5 minutes. I didn't see any other opt-outs during that time, especially given the momentum we had built around this time a year ago.

mybodyismyown

I entirely disagree with you. I had a horrible experience in India due to the pervasiveness of patdowns. I agree that these are not the same as TSA patdowns, but every single passenger gets manhandled every single time. A complete stranger manhandled me before every flight! They didn't touch my labia, but they handled my breasts and torso and creeped me out every time. I will never return to India because of their disgusting security procedures. Going to India was a terrible mistake.

The worst incident happened at Delhi Airport before my flight back to the US. The screener didn't say a single word to explain or ask permission to pat me down, but instead she just placed both her open hands on the fronts of my breasts, rubbing back and forth at least six times across my nipples as if it were foreplay. Then she quickly ran her hands down my torso and it was over. This makes no sense at all as a security measure - they didn't even wonder whether I was hiding anything in my pant leg or sleeve? The only thing she wanted to get her hands on are my nipples? I haven't heard, even in the horrific TSA gulag, of anyone complaining that someone is deliberately stimulating their nipples. It was a long time before I could let that go, and since no one warned me I hadn't expected it at all. I just stood there and let her violate me! How are we to defend ourselves from these awful people?

mikeef

Sigh...I always hate hearing that. Totally OT, but I used to work summers for the National Park Service in Boston. My German visitors were always among my favorites. Most international stereotypes are just that, but the concept of "wanderlust" definitely holds true. I hate the idea that we're turning off our most passionate visitors.

I may just go with, "I know, but I really enjoy the pat-down."

Mike

52pickup

Love it! I've used the "You'll probably want to change your gloves afterward. I have a rash," in a calm voice. That pat-down was very quick.

We never go through Phoenix if there's any other alternative. Worse than LAX, even.

We always talk to people in line, again in a calm, non-confrontational manner. Most don't know that they can opt out; most don't really care. But there are always some who thank us.

Headed through Chicago next week with my brick-house daughter. We are leaving plenty of time because she knows she'll be "randomly" chosen by somebody for a thorough patdown.

I'm wondering if we can request an OPPOSITE-gender groper?

FriendlySkies

If you've got AA status, the Priority AAcess line at ORD in T2 has no NoS.. ^

mikeygnyc

Finally had to opt-out after over a year of SDOO and avoiding NOS airports. Opted out of the new MMW with ATR at SWF. The TSO "directing traffic" kind of gave me a funny look and then told me he had to read me some information. He proceeded to read off a note card that I'd be subject to an "invasive pat-down" (his words) and asked if I still wanted to opt-out. I said yes and he half sighed and radioed for male assist. Then he directed me through the WTMD. There was some confusion about how I was supposed to proceed. I actually had to walk back through the WTMD and I overheard a TSO say to another "for opt-outs, they don't go through the metal detector" and she opened a gate in front of the entrance to the MMW leading off to the side. It was really comical as the WTMD was maybe 5 feet from the MMW and the gate was halfway between the WTMD and the MMW. Other than the TSOs confusion and one of them saying "we're gonna have to hold things up here for a sec" while they figured out what to do with me, there was no shouting or threats or anything like that.

I stood directly next to the bag scanner on a mat and was able to watch my stuff. Another TSO sees me standing there and says "oh you don't have to turn around" (I was faced away from him) to which I thanked him. I continued to watch my bags and waited less than a minute and yet another TSO asked me to point out all my things on the belt. I did and he collected my laptop, bag, rollerboard, shoes, jacket and everything else and told me to follow him. I first protested because I thought he was taking me to a private room but he said "no we're just getting out of the way of traffic" and set my stuff down on a table in a fully visible alcove off to the side of the exit of the MMW and had me sit next to it. The pat-down was relatively cursory... no "resistance" was met although there was the waistband thing. And I was told to remove my belt although it was neither swabbed nor x-rayed (nor actually in the way of anything). The TSO doing the pat-down was at first unsure if he was resolving something and started to try to explain it, then after learning I opted out, launched into a spiel about the machines not being x-rays, and how much they liked the new machines, etc (it sounded very practiced). I told him "that's not why I opted out" and he didn't say much after that other than something about running his gloves through the ETD and when it cleared "you're ok to go, have a nice day."

Didn't remember to ask for new gloves although I'm pretty sure he used them since I saw him discard the gloves he had on after he swabbed them.

All in all, staff was professional although I got the impression that they had not really handled opt-outs yet. I didn't feel like I was being retaliated against for opting out (no retaliatory bag dump, and staff were actually polite) but it still felt like total theater (especially with the cue cards they had to read from). My girlfriend couldn't bear the thought of a pat-down and went through the machine and still had to get a partial pat-down to get something resolved. While she waited for me, she observed that EVERY SINGLE PASSENGER through the MMW had to have something resolved through a pat-down. Oh and it took at least one minute per passenger to process. Such a stupid process. About as dumb as the bare skin wanding they used to do to me when shoe removal was optional and I opted out of that.

Oh well. I gave SWF a try because it was relatively cheap this time. I think I'll continue to make BDL my home since at least there I've able to SDOO every time in the past year or so.

FliesWay2Much

It seems as if the frisking/groping script is a new thing. Francine and crew must have been worried about inconsistencies, and, especially, wanted to reign in passenger interrogations about touching genitals.

Sorry, Francine, it won't work.

InkUnderNails

Wait, that can't be right. Why go to the problem of retraining and standardizing a procedure that is rare and almost never done?

But, if you are right, a little NEXUS refresher would be nice.

exbayern

If I recall, not one single person agreed with your portrayal of security in India, including those of us who travel around India quite frequently. (I've since had several dozen women from around the world who travel in India read your post, and none of them felt that it was an accurate description either. It may be what you believed happened to you at one location, but it certainly is nowhere near the norm)

It is clear from your posts (and your username) that you have some very serious issues related to your past non-airport related experiences, and I sincerely hope that you are receiving the help that you need. I mean that as kindly as I can.

I avoided posting on your last thread, but honestly your experiences seem to have so coloured your perception that I wouldn't take your perception of experience as the reality most people would face. I do feel sorry for you, and many of us here predicted that people who had suffered some type of abuse in past would react as you have reacted, but as someone who travels multiple times a week through airport security around the world, I am confident that things outside the US are generally far, far better than the current state in the US right now.

And it is still possible to avoid the scanners in the US, and not have a very intrusive pat down, or no pat down at all. Ironically, I myself was not scanned, and not patted down, at the very airport where you had your issue last week.

Again, I am sorry for you, and I hope that you are getting help, but I would never refer to your perceptions of airport security as setting the 'norm' right now for the average traveller.

On the subject of airport security, I went through two checkpoints today, on a busy Friday, with less than 5 minute wait, no scanners in existence, no pat down, and very friendly staff. One of these was in a former 'bad' country... and the other at FRA, which still has a somewhat poor reputation here.

bdschobel

I agree, and some additional points are worth making:

1. The U.S. is perhaps the only country in the world that relentlessly (to the point of being tiresome) touts its supposed freedom to the rest of the world as a sort of claim to moral superiority. Schoolchildren are taught that "America is the land of freedom" -- and other places, they are expected to suppose, are not. The hypocrisy that allows "the land of freedom" to implement a freedom-destroying agency like TSA isn't lost on me -- or on many others who post here.

2. Along the same lines, our immediate past president claimed that terrorists "hate us for our freedom." Now that we are down to the last vestiges of our freedom, do they hate us a little less? Maybe we could relax a little?

3. The U.S., surrounded by huge oceans on two sides and reasonably friendly neighbors on two more, really has less reason to fear being attacked than our European allies do. Yet those allies (except for the U.K.) manage to conduct their airport security with all kinds of protections of privacy and human dignity in place. The irony is simply striking.

Bruce

Wally Bird

+1

Post probably belongs in OMNI/PR so that we can enjoy the <strike>redneck</strike> patriot responses .

(When did the <strike> tag stop working ?)

mybodyismyown

Only one slight correction: I have not been sexually abused anywhere except at airports. All of my serious issues, PTSD, all of it, are related to my negative experiences with bad touch at airport checkpoints.

Exleftseat

Very eloquent and right to the point. During my GE interview last month, I was asked what date I became a naturalized citizen to which I truthfully responded that I did not remember. O, the drama. How in heaven's name could I not remember the exact moment when I became a citizen of the greatest, best and free-est country in the world? Hours later food in the carry on triggered an explosive alert with the TSA and I needed to enter a broom closet with two TSA types for a special patdown. The world was back to normal again

Ineverthoughtthiswouldhappen

i have decided that enough is enough is enough.

i am never flying commercially again after my last trip in december I have to take for a family emergency that is already purchased first class (thank god because I will need to get drunk after dealing with the abuse I am sure to face @ SMF). I am a pilot and as soon as i either a) save up enough $, or b) win the lottery (already have come close) will purchase my own luxury jet and enjoy air transport without the bullsh*t.

THIS IS MY RESPONSE TO THE TSA THINKING IT CAN JUST ADD AIT TO ANY RANDOM AIRPORT WITHOUT NOTICE. YOU WILL LOSE MY MONEY. AND YOU WILL HAVE TO FIRE TSO's. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS THIS WAY

I will be calling delta and letting them know that even as a diamond medallion i cannot endure the tsa abuse any longer. I have had a suspicious lesion removed on my scalp from going through the mmw- they're not safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!! The ait machines are dangerous as hell.

I have a massive panic attack every single time i go near an airport that has ait. I can't even go anywhere near rdu or hear about that airport without having a panic attack.

Disgusting! I hate what they have done to my country.

I sincerely hope all the airports lose money and have to start laying off TSOs one by one for the hell they've put innocent travelers through since they started putting this crap in our airports. If you are reading this TSOs, Yes you do have a responsibilty to stand up for what is right. Most of you are not doing that. You do have the option of using the scanners as only secondary screening and you also could tell your supervisors that the scanners are bad and should be used very sparingly.

Recently just drove from RDU-->ORD-->CLT-->ATL-->JAX-->RDU WITHIN A 5 DAY PERIOD OF TIME. I DO NOT NEED OR WANT THE AIRPORT ABUSE. I AM VERY GOOD AT GETTING AROUND JUST FINE BY DRIVING.