KDS

Traveled from FNT again today. TSA staffing at checkpoint very minimal...only 4 people including TDC (others were at ticketing counters, on break, hiding, etc.). When I opted out of MMW, they had to close the MMW so that the 2-striper manning the MMW could do the grope. (Why doesn't this ever happen for me when I'm in line?)

Next 6 passengers got to go through the WTMD without patdowns or other checks.

Amazing that no terrorist has figured out this slick trick for how to sneak stuff through the checkpoint...just another example that what is said about "security is of paramount importance" is really just "make work program".

Patdown was cursory...barely went above knees, very mild pressure on skin as well. At least that part wasn't as onerous as usual.

tanja

I have been told and read on this forum that if you get asked to wear/put on a "papergown". You do have to leave "undies" under neath. Plus you will still get the grope.

16A

Was traveling through EWR recently and noted an interesting phenomenon - I call it the Red Rover Opt Out. When the WTMD opened up 7-8 folks bunched up pretty tightly for strangers and then went through the WTMD with extreme speed, preventing the TSA clerks from moving in to shut down the lane.

Also noted that pretty much everyone was getting Corbettized (their sides patted down) after exiting the MMW. No one had a "no touch" experience in the MMW during the time I was there.

Combining the fact that people are getting very good at SDOO's and the TSA doesn't appear to trust the AIT scanners, the WTMD would now seem to be 10-15 times faster than AIT.

On return from SEA I saw that most of the scanners were shut down, but there is still a guaranteed opt-out from the WTMD-only left lane at the D/N checkpoint (5). All gates are accessible from this point.

bdschobel

I've been using the rotator-cuff injury excuse to SDOO. It's really a good way to go. No drama at all. No pat-down, either, yesterday.

Bruce

MissJoeyDFW

Yesterday at Atlanta I had an opt out experience that caused me to think while being aggressively patted down, should I tip this woman for a massage, slap her for being fresh or just move on? It bothered me to say the least and I am not normally bothered by these opt outs. According to the AA website the Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport has a trusted traveler lane, Concourse T, Domestic Terminal South Checkpoint. I couldn't find it, I even asked and was told there was none so I went through the Expert traveler lane. When I got up to the scanner machine I opted out citing my torn rotator cuff. I was directed through the metal detector and ordered to stand to wait for a female TSO. HE was told there was no female TSO available for an opt out, in the next lane over they yelled for a another opt out and again was told none available. So there I stood, waiting.

Finally a female TSO came over to pat me down, she collected my belongings and took me to the pat down area. Her pat down was extensive, hard and just flat out invasive. She ran her hands up and down my legs repeatedly, not just once each leg but three times each leg and forcefully. Her pat down of my upper body felt more like a rub down than a pat down. While she was patting me down various clothing moved and made somewhat askew. She asked me if I had any injuries she needed to be aware of and I explained the rotator cuff injury and the inability to raise my arm over a certain height. She tried to get me to raise that arm higher than I had it and I informed her I couldn't and she continued with her pat down with no effort to be careful around my left arm and shoulder. I had a pretty aggressive pat down in New Orleans last month but this one exceeded the bounds in my opinion.

Not flying is not an option for me, my business obligations take me from New York to Toronto to Atlanta to San Diego to Seattle to Minneapolis and a lot of points in between. I can't drive to those plays so I have to fly, I have to play the game so yesterday I moved on. I have a lot of reasons to not go through the scanner machines, Main reason I do not think they are safe, I am not willing to go through them the 6 to 10 times a month my flying travel would require. The other reason is physical, I tore my rotator cuff last year in a serious accident and am still rehabbing it. I can't lift it as far over my head as they would like. I opt out period, most of the time it's a no big deal experience, yesterday it was not.

madhatt

This is my first post.

My buddy and I opted out twice (with a smoke break between them) at Anchorage this past weekend.

First time was very easy, I opted out, was told that the tsa employee would go up and meet resistance. Before starting I demanded that he change his gloves which he did. I asked if he was going to touch my penis to which he said no. (he didn't) he then says he's going to feel around my waist band and shows me the 3 finger pinching motion. I asked if he was going to stick his hand in my pants, he said no. He said because of the pants I had on (thin hiking pants) he would not have to reach inside.

A hour later we came back through security after having a smoke. We opted out, were told to wait, I was greeted by an unpleasant TSA screener [PII removed. - Mods].

The first question he asked was if I was traveling alone. I told him that I didn't understand the question, he repeated it and I told him as politely as possible that I didn't see how that was relavent to doing a pat down on me. He probably asked another 5 times and was joined by another tsa employee... I never answered... which shows how stupid of a question it was.

The TSA screener started with the same story as the other one but this time he said he would be going up until he hit my "groin" At this time I asked if that meant he was going to touch my penis. He looked at me and said "your not going anywhere now" and walked off. About a minute later he came back with a 3 striper and another screener who was careful to stand behind me.

the 3 striper asked if there was a problem and I said "yes, your employee here was retaliatory when I asked wether he was going to touch my penis in regards to 'moving my hand up until I reach your groin'" At the poing the original screener was arguing that he didn't say groin to which I asked if my asking about touching my penis embarrassed him and if that was why he decided that he was not qualified to complete the pat down. to which he responded "you asked for the pat down" I responded with "no, I opted out of being irradiated, your organization choose the punishment. He just got all huffy.

The other TSA screener asked where my ID was to which I didn't answer because he was behind me. I got a quick pat down from the 3 striper after telling him to get new gloves on. then asked for a comment card and the name of the employee. I was told by the 3 striper the name was "Officer [redacted]" I repeated, "employee [redacted]" to which the 3 striper agreed. Got my comment card and wish [the original screener] a great day. he was looking at me like he wanted to murder me.

I'm very sad as ANC has never had nude o scopes before and now I'll have to opt out every year when I go there on vacation

skylane

Opted out in the San Diego Commuter Terminal. They have no "gate" to let me through and asked that I walk through the scanner. I told them I opted out and they told me it was OK because the scanner was off. I refused again and asked for a supervisor. The supervisor let me walk around the body scanner and take the pat down.

Very interesting that they didn't let me just walk through the metal detector to get the pat down. They were very opposed to me walking through the metal detector to get a pat down.

MSPGabe

Just SDOO'd at Terminal B in BOS. No issues although TSA just about had a cow about my spare computer battery.

Caradoc

...which tells us it's not about security. It's about the theatre.

Fredd

At IAD a couple of days ago after we both opted out they sent Mrs. Fredd through the little gate to the side but me through the WTMD. I muttered to the employee as I walked through, "Interesting that I didn't set it off..."

My way of dealing with the invasive custodial-style search is through passive-aggressive cheap jokes. When the searcher told me where he was going to use the back of his hands, I asked if that made it feel better for him or for me. English wasn't his first language and he looked confused so I laughed and told him to never mind.

When I asked him afterwards if I could have a free pair of gloves to play TSA with Mrs. Fredd at the hotel he smiled sheepishly and told me I couldn't. I half-believe he thought I was serious.

Completely serious is the fact we are both (Mrs. Fredd in particular) more and more bothered by the searches on several levels and this may well affect our future travel patterns.

Going through a WTMD check point at LGA the following day induced an almost irrational feeling of relief in both of us. When that overwhelms the other flight experiences, maybe it's time to stop flying.

cynicAAl

I wonder if it's possible to request that they use the front of their hands...

CavePearl

Just opted out at HOU. I was chastised by my groper for not saying "thank you." Thank you for violating my constitutional rights? I think not.

lovely15

Seriously? Did he think you were five years old and he was a parent teaching politeness or something?

Fredd

My first reaction is that it sounds downright creepy.

mulieri

I usually use a different prefix to "____ you" and it doesn't start with at 't'.