Whole Body Scanners Opt Out Stories [merged]
Aug 15, 2012, 11:48 pm
#2882
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,061
LAX TBIT @ 5pm
My connecting flight got in early, but I had to go landside to transfer to TBIT. There were only about 10 people in line at the checkpoint, and almost everyone could SDOO by sticking to the left with an x-ray/WTMD only combo. To the right there was an open x-ray and backscatter/WTMD lane. My SDOO failed when the pileup for the WTMD-only lane caused the TDC to say, "Here... go to the right... there's no line." - I wonder why
Knowing that there was no way to avoid an opt-out at this point, I just tried to fumble with my stuff as long as possible, not revealing my opt-out for an long as possible. There was a couple right in front of me, and, to my surprise, both of them opted out! This unfortunately didn't save me though, and I had to say, "I'm opting out too." The TSO manning the backscatter was at a loss and just said, "Another one?!" in disbelief. I couldn't have been happier for the situation since I see so few people opting out these days. Additionally, while I'd like to give the people in line the benefit of the doubt for a SDOO, I think it's more of an artifact of where the line spills you out after the TDC.
The patdown was one of the most cursory I've gotten. I think the TSOs have largely stopped caring or have moved onto other more important matters like making sure everyone's Kippie bag is out, but I'll take it.
My connecting flight got in early, but I had to go landside to transfer to TBIT. There were only about 10 people in line at the checkpoint, and almost everyone could SDOO by sticking to the left with an x-ray/WTMD only combo. To the right there was an open x-ray and backscatter/WTMD lane. My SDOO failed when the pileup for the WTMD-only lane caused the TDC to say, "Here... go to the right... there's no line." - I wonder why
Knowing that there was no way to avoid an opt-out at this point, I just tried to fumble with my stuff as long as possible, not revealing my opt-out for an long as possible. There was a couple right in front of me, and, to my surprise, both of them opted out! This unfortunately didn't save me though, and I had to say, "I'm opting out too." The TSO manning the backscatter was at a loss and just said, "Another one?!" in disbelief. I couldn't have been happier for the situation since I see so few people opting out these days. Additionally, while I'd like to give the people in line the benefit of the doubt for a SDOO, I think it's more of an artifact of where the line spills you out after the TDC.
The patdown was one of the most cursory I've gotten. I think the TSOs have largely stopped caring or have moved onto other more important matters like making sure everyone's Kippie bag is out, but I'll take it.
Aug 16, 2012, 12:15 am
#2883
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: where the chile is hot
Programs: AA,RR,NW,Delta ,UA,CO
Posts: 41,700
LAX TBIT @ 5pm
My connecting flight got in early, but I had to go landside to transfer to TBIT. There were only about 10 people in line at the checkpoint, and almost everyone could SDOO by sticking to the left with an x-ray/WTMD only combo. To the right there was an open x-ray and backscatter/WTMD lane. My SDOO failed when the pileup for the WTMD-only lane caused the TDC to say, "Here... go to the right... there's no line." - I wonder why
Knowing that there was no way to avoid an opt-out at this point, I just tried to fumble with my stuff as long as possible, not revealing my opt-out for an long as possible. There was a couple right in front of me, and, to my surprise, both of them opted out! This unfortunately didn't save me though, and I had to say, "I'm opting out too." The TSO manning the backscatter was at a loss and just said, "Another one?!" in disbelief. I couldn't have been happier for the situation since I see so few people opting out these days. Additionally, while I'd like to give the people in line the benefit of the doubt for a SDOO, I think it's more of an artifact of where the line spills you out after the TDC.
The patdown was one of the most cursory I've gotten. I think the TSOs have largely stopped caring or have moved onto other more important matters like making sure everyone's Kippie bag is out, but I'll take it.
My connecting flight got in early, but I had to go landside to transfer to TBIT. There were only about 10 people in line at the checkpoint, and almost everyone could SDOO by sticking to the left with an x-ray/WTMD only combo. To the right there was an open x-ray and backscatter/WTMD lane. My SDOO failed when the pileup for the WTMD-only lane caused the TDC to say, "Here... go to the right... there's no line." - I wonder why
Knowing that there was no way to avoid an opt-out at this point, I just tried to fumble with my stuff as long as possible, not revealing my opt-out for an long as possible. There was a couple right in front of me, and, to my surprise, both of them opted out! This unfortunately didn't save me though, and I had to say, "I'm opting out too." The TSO manning the backscatter was at a loss and just said, "Another one?!" in disbelief. I couldn't have been happier for the situation since I see so few people opting out these days. Additionally, while I'd like to give the people in line the benefit of the doubt for a SDOO, I think it's more of an artifact of where the line spills you out after the TDC.
The patdown was one of the most cursory I've gotten. I think the TSOs have largely stopped caring or have moved onto other more important matters like making sure everyone's Kippie bag is out, but I'll take it.
Aug 16, 2012, 2:15 am
#2884
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: IAH mostly.
Programs: I still call it Onepass every now and then. Platinum.
Posts: 500
Aug 16, 2012, 4:47 pm
#2885
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,211
At DEN just tried the "can't raise arms, surgery" line - was walked through the WTMD with no fuss or muss and on my way. No patdown either.
Aug 16, 2012, 5:05 pm
#2886
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,606
Aug 17, 2012, 7:14 am
#2887
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Delta Diamond Medallion 1MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, National Car Executive Elite
Posts: 550
EWR must love massaging boarding passes
For the third time in a row, the TSO who was going to be my "male assist" insisted he had to pat down my boarding pass and ID, which I was holding in my hand. I'm convinced that the water that the TSA drinks at this airport is full of LSD or some other drug. Absolute stupidity.
Oh, and when I resisted his desire to pat down my BP and ID, his first words to me were "do you want to fly today?" I asked him to repeat what he said, and he happily did: "do you want to fly today?"
I then asked, "is that a threat?" His reply: "let me do my job."
I really despise the TSA in general, but EWR's TSA group is even more despicable.
Oh, and when I resisted his desire to pat down my BP and ID, his first words to me were "do you want to fly today?" I asked him to repeat what he said, and he happily did: "do you want to fly today?"
I then asked, "is that a threat?" His reply: "let me do my job."
I really despise the TSA in general, but EWR's TSA group is even more despicable.
Aug 17, 2012, 7:40 am
#2889
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,490
deserves a snappy comeback, e.g. "What I want or don't want is none of your business." 
Aug 17, 2012, 10:43 am
#2890
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Delta Diamond Medallion 1MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, National Car Executive Elite
Posts: 550
Aug 17, 2012, 10:46 am
#2891
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,490
Maybe others have better responses. That "Do you wanna fly?" shtick must be in the training manual. It manages to be simultaneously infuriating and really really lame (as the young 'uns used to say).
Aug 17, 2012, 10:49 am
#2892
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 616
TSO: "DYWFT"
Businessman: "No, not really. I've got this stupid meeting in Kansas City. But if I don't go, I'll get fired. DYWTGMF?"
Aug 17, 2012, 11:45 am
#2893
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Winter Garden, FL
Programs: Delta DM-3MM United Gold-MM Marriott Lifetime Titanium Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 13,498
I usually say something like, "Well, I came to the airport for a reason, and it wasn't to see you."
Bruce
Bruce
Aug 17, 2012, 1:51 pm
#2894
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,644
For the third time in a row, the TSO who was going to be my "male assist" insisted he had to pat down my boarding pass and ID, which I was holding in my hand. I'm convinced that the water that the TSA drinks at this airport is full of LSD or some other drug. Absolute stupidity.
Oh, and when I resisted his desire to pat down my BP and ID, his first words to me were "do you want to fly today?" I asked him to repeat what he said, and he happily did: "do you want to fly today?"
I then asked, "is that a threat?" His reply: "let me do my job."
I really despise the TSA in general, but EWR's TSA group is even more despicable.
Oh, and when I resisted his desire to pat down my BP and ID, his first words to me were "do you want to fly today?" I asked him to repeat what he said, and he happily did: "do you want to fly today?"
I then asked, "is that a threat?" His reply: "let me do my job."
I really despise the TSA in general, but EWR's TSA group is even more despicable.
Mike
Aug 17, 2012, 2:54 pm
#2895
Join Date: May 2003
Location: At This Point, Only G*d Knows!
Posts: 3,467
My last "Do you want to fly", I responded, actually no I do not, my boss wants me to rep our office at this meeting and I have zero interest in going, in fact, if you deny me the right to fly today, you will actually be doing me a favor as if you say I cannot fly, my boss cannot argue with Fed gov't.
The TSA employee looked so dumb founded that he just stood there for a minute speechless before trying to remember what he was supposed to be doing. I wish I had a camera as the look on this dudes face was priceless.
He than said, so you don't want to fly today, and I responded, nope. He did not say anything, just did what I would describe as the most cursory patdown ever, he just barely examined my sneakers and my hands and said I was free to go.
Dan
The TSA employee looked so dumb founded that he just stood there for a minute speechless before trying to remember what he was supposed to be doing. I wish I had a camera as the look on this dudes face was priceless.
He than said, so you don't want to fly today, and I responded, nope. He did not say anything, just did what I would describe as the most cursory patdown ever, he just barely examined my sneakers and my hands and said I was free to go.
Dan