Pesky Monkey

They used to be deftly afraid of razor blades, and were probably trying to get a "big find" in somebody's folded boarding pass. Once they realized that this was a waste of time they decided to switch to nude-o-scopes in order to find a few dullards with small amounts of drugs in their pockets. This is their current scheme to justify their bloated budget to Congress. It's an absurd and much more expensive "failure for the TSA"®

ND Sol

Do you have any documentation showing that if you are a medical it is different than an opt-out? Otherwise, is it just your word against theirs and you hope someone reads and understands the SOP (which, for example, appears sometimes to happen at DEN and sometimes not)?

dan1431

While I realize that the TSA contact center is not gospel truth, I do have a shoulder injury (the surgery was only kind of successful) and according to the TSA contact center if you cannot raise your arm, you are ineligible for AIT and are supposed to use a metal detector.

The lady said that there is difference between opting out and being ineligible and that one must be clear that they are unable to raise their arms or are unsteady on their feet, needing a cane or something like that.

She went on further to say that at the agents discretion for shoulder injuries and the like the agent may have the passenger keep their arm at a comfortable height that does cause any pain or further injury and then pat down that SPECIFIC (she made a point to emphasize the word specific) area and any other areas that alarmed when the pax leaves the AIT machine.

Not sure that is helpful or not, but that is what the TSA contact center had to say,
Dan

Caradoc

I'm personally acquainted with two different stroke victims who've been barked at to... "At least TRY to stand up!" from their wheelchairs.

dan1431

I have experienced being told raise my arm to whatever degree I was able and then had that area patted down upon exit, I have been told to exit the machine and use the metal detector as I was ineligible for AIT.

I guess it depends on the airport and any given TSA employee.

Dan

dan1431

That is scary!

At PBI the TSA are used to the "Senior Citizen Brigade" and tend to just roll them on through the gate and screen them by hand.

Dan

bocastephen

Did another "medical opt-out" at ONT this morning. Told a screener I could not lift my arms, and voila - ushered through the closed WTMD. I'm loving this! Simplify my screening and get away with lying to the TSA - it's like a double-bonus!

FriendlySkies

I do not provide any documentation when I "declare a medical". I do not back down with the clerk if they refuse. As such, I've gotten to use the WTMD on my last six trips.

As far as my friends and family that do have a medical issue, they don't provide any info, and also have no problems.

tkey75

I don't even use the words 'medical issue'. All I say is 'can't raise my arms'. Only once did a screener have to stop and think about it before a supe stepped in and declared me exempt

cmn.jcs

Had two experiences yesterday. Didn't have the guts to try opting out due to a medical condition that appears when I encounter NOSs.

First encounter was in BIL (I'm rather disappointed that MMW machines made it there, but I try to use BZN when feasible). Got to the front of the line and opted out, after being yelled at a couple times to take everything out of my pockets (my BPs were visible in a cargo pocket). Pat down was done by a trainee. He said he would up the leg to where it meets the torso, with no mention of hitting resistance. I neglected to correct him. It was one of the more aggressive pat downs I've had; he really went up my leg until he made contact my groin. Also seemed really interested in one of my cargo pockets (it didn't have anything in it).

Second (almost-)experience was at SJC. Right before I got to the TDC they closed the BKSX, so I asked the TDC why they were letting people through the WTMD if the BKSX was so darn important. She got rather upset pretty fast . She mentioned something about not having enough staffing . This morning when I actually left SJC (got VDBed the night before) the BKSX was again closed with everyone going through the WTMD.

cottonmather0

Compared to all the TSA indignities and disrespect I've had to endure, this little plain truth makes me madder than all of them. If the scanner is so "critical", then they should NEVER close them off for ANY reason, especially staffing. Hire more agents if you have to, but don't lie to us and tell us that it's so darn important and worth the invasiveness and indignity, because it's clearly not. And it's insulting and disrespectful for them to tell the American people otherwise.

FliesWay2Much

It's clear that Pissy understands that he's on thin ice with the Cancer Boxes. He's also smart enough to know that their hinges on the amount of time it takes to funnel all the sheep through them, because that is how they have framed the discussion from Day One. (The people have allowed this to happen. Shame on us, but, that's another discussion.) They close them down at the drop of a hat when things back up beyond acceptable levels. If this doesn't define 'security theater," I don't know what does.

dan1431

I had a similar experience at the UA terminal at DAL where by there was a line of people waiting for patdowns (for various reasons) and by the time I reached the AIT machine and opted out, the agent begged me to re-consider and use the machine.

When I held firm that I wanted to opt out, he walked through the AIT machine, closed it off with one of those Tensa barrier type things and had me walk through the metal detector.

I said really and he said we are short staffed today, two guys called out sick, so I do not have enough people to perform the extra patdowns, your lucky day.

Listen, IMHO it is not the front line employees who are creating the security theater (they are the actors) it is Washington writing the script. I am sure that the "playwrights" in Washington do not want employees saying things like not enough staff today so no AIT, that happens because employees are employees, but the fact that it happens at all shows it is security theater none the less.

If Washington said AIT is so important to protect aviation security, than it does not matter why there is a backup (not enough staff, only one machine operational, because it is Tuesday , etc.), AIT should always be used, regardless of the fact that it is gumming up the works.

If employees have the right to discontinue use of the machine for any circumstances other than a true emergency just shows that the whole things is a very expensive, poorly written and poorly acted play (to stick with the theater theme).

Dan

FliesWay2Much

We can only hope that the union frequently calls for a lot of cases of "Blue Flu."

ND Sol

Perhaps I was not clear in what I meant by documentation. The documentation I am looking for is the procedures to deal with medical/ineligible passengers, which seem to be that they should go through the WTMD and if they alarm, then only resolve where the alarm is and if no alarm, then no pat-down.

It appears that none of us "non-covered persons" have this in writing, it is only what some have been told orally.