Pesky Monkey

DCA never asks this question. It must be an FSD directive. If I'm asked in the future it will be "I donna wanna".

Mr. Elliott

If I was opting out of a backscatter, I would tell the screener the truth, I don’t want to be exposed to cancer causing ionizing radiation, and then go into a spiel about how sorry you feel all those unfortunate screeners who have to work all day standing near these machines and be constantly exposed to radiation leakage and their probability of medical problems later in life like cancer.

This should make the screeners day and maybe even get them thinking about a career change.

Mr. Elliott

Always Flyin

And flight attendants. And it's not just "on-duty". It's when in uniform, which it two different things.

goalie

I agree ^ but sometimes you do get a response other than "ok, wait over there" and with that, my sop when questioned as to why is "I don't want to glow in the dark"

NotaCriminal

I'm usually asked why, and I'm happy to give them my Top 5 reasons for opting out. Alternatively, the TSA employee tries to coerce or convince me to go through the backscatter, and I list off my reasons for declining to shut the TSA employee down. It works.

mikeef

My 2012 New Year's Resolution is to get every traveler in the world to say, "I kinda like the warm and tingly feeling that the pat-down gives me" when asked why they don't want to go through the NoS.

Mike

Geek007

Opted out at ORD this morning. No biggie, WTMD plus quick and polite pat down. Quick check through my bag. Overall most pleasant opt out I've experienced in a while

joelfreak

The response I got from the TSA:

TSA regrets that you were dissatisfied during the screening of your carry-on baggage. TSA is required by law to screen all property that is brought onboard commercial passenger aircraft, including carry-on luggage. To ensure the security of the traveling public, it is sometimes necessary for Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) to conduct hand inspections of carry-on bags. TSOs receive training in the procedures to properly inspect passenger bags and are required to exercise great care during the screening process so that when bags are opened a passenger’s belongings are returned to the same condition they were found.

TSA policy requires TSOs to reasonably ensure that carry-on items are kept within the passenger’s line-of-sight when a passenger is required to undergo additional screening. When passengers cannot maintain line-of-sight with their property during a patdown or private screening, TSOs have been trained to maintain control and sight of their items for them and ensure that they are reunited with their property once they have cleared the screening process.

Thats news to me...so they accept responsibility for the items now?!

cmn.jcs

Wednesday night flew out of BOS terminal C. Total of three of us (one male and two females). The two females aren't frequent travelers, and they know about my distaste for the pornoscopes. Got into the line one after another (female A, female B, and me), and we all were sent to the pornoscanner. We all opted out. Female A was taken first and didn't go ask for a private screening. While she was being screened, a male TSO came over for me. I asked for a private screening and asked that female B (who was waiting to be screened) be my witness. The TSA agent's face froze while he tried to figure the easiest way out of this, eventually yelling over to a lead TSO for help.

The lead TSO came over to clarify the situation. After finding out that female B wanted me as her witness, he finally decided to screen me first, then screen female B. A total of three agents grabbed our stuff and we headed to the screening room. I was patted down, with female B and another TSA agent observing. The agent who conducted the patdown then had me sit in a chair in the corner away from female B so I didn't get contaminated by her. Then two female TSA agents came in and conducted the patdown for female B while I observed. After that we packed up and went on our merry way.

doober

In spite of being in a private room (why do you ask for that?), did the fact that you each had a witness impact the invasiveness of the screening?

mikeef

Apparently, someone doesn't understand that that's exactly what we're trying to avoid.

Mike

Upgraded!

So I guess that cargo isn't considered "property" anymore? Wonder what the owners of said cargo think about that...

Ineverthoughtthiswouldhappen

Horrible experience at smf. Rude tsa. Moat dragon shut down wtmd and would not let me use it. I never said "opt out." Apparently that trick doesn't work here. SFO or RDD are better airports. Sadly I booked this ticket when smf didn't have NOSs thinking I could have a nice trip back home for xmas....the sexual assault likely will ruin my christmas! I hate the TSA! =( I told them like it was though. I take good care of myself so they had a beautiful person tell them I hate their f*cking guts for what they do to innocent traveling americans. I then left and boarded my first class seat to ATL.

exbayern

Are you implying that those flying in domestic F should somehow be treated differently/better than other flyers?

I for one don't support these various schemes TSA is using to treat some better than others in what I suspect is a veiled attempt to make themselves look better in the public eye. I certainly don't support a scheme which treats a flyer better simply due to class of service, even if I most often find myself upgraded to F due to my status in the US.

bwshorthair

Had my third opt out today at SJC Terminal A just before 11am. Scope was being used as primary with the WTMD blocked off except for opt outs or when the line got too backed up. Only one line was open. The opt out process was actually professional, and very standard from my previous experience. No wait for a female assist, walk through the metal detector, point out my bags, fresh gloves, full explanation throughout the process, asked if I wanted a private screening, as perfect as the experience can be. Except she didn't ask if I had any painful areas this time.

My only complaint about today was actually the lady who was watching people put their belongings into the x-ray machine. I was waiting to push my items through until I was next up to walk through myself. She half jokingly told me to go ahead because if I didn't put them through they wouldn't come out the other side. I smiled and said I don't like my things to come out the other side without me. She turned a little nasty in her tone at this point and said " Well theyre going to, that's just how it works nowadays.". Thankfully it was my turn anyway so I ignored her and went ahead.

Is it really the process now that your items go through and sit and wait for you on the other side when the human line is backed up? I'm not comfortable with that and I haven't had a problem timing my items to be scanned when I'm walking through before.