Whole Body Scanners Opt Out Stories [merged]
Dec 22, 2012, 8:51 am
#3316
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,063
I also think that telling the TSO in advance of your intention to opt-out might provoke a slowdown of the screening process. Furthermore, you don't know 100% if you'll be selected until the moat dragon has motioned you to go through. I've seen the NoS get roped off when there have only been two or three people between me and an opt-out.
Dec 23, 2012, 5:48 am
#3317
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 616
Small victory at ALB
Just now at ALB friendly agent changed gloves on demand. This was the first time I asked for a Pre swab and he refused. He called a sup and she refused but I kept my cool and was forceful yet friendly. At the end of the day she slipped up and said "I don't want to give the passengers a sense the machines don't work" and she patted me on the back as I left. I consider that a victory in that she acknowledged that I know my stuff but the refusal had me fuming inside. I made conversation during the pat down to help diffuse the situation and it worked. No hair, no bare areas touched. Pretty light honestly. You may not get your way when you stay polite, but sometimes you'll get a break because they know you're not an idiot like the other travelers.
Dec 23, 2012, 7:51 am
#3318
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Delta Diamond Medallion 1MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, National Car Executive Elite
Posts: 550
(Oh, and I've been told by EWR TSOs many times that I don't need to watch my things on the conveyor belt; that they have cameras everywhere that will let them know who took my stuff if someone takes my stuff. The intellectual capacity of these people just overwhelms the imagination...
They look at me as if I were crazy when I tell them that seeing who took the stuff after it's gone is stupid when I can watch the stuff and keep it from being stolen in the first place!)
And, I was standing right at the WTMD, as my bags were going into the X-ray machine, when I told the TSO I would be opting out.
But I appreciate your comments nonetheless.
Dec 23, 2012, 8:00 am
#3319
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: IAH mostly.
Programs: I still call it Onepass every now and then. Platinum.
Posts: 500
Flew out of MHT yesterday with my wife and kids and I continue to be amazed at how little kids are something like an anti-security talisman. TSA barely even paid attention to us as we strolled right through the WTMD and walked out of the checkpoint. Not to be too cynical, but why wouldn't a bad guy just take a kid with him? Or, more accurately, if they think these perfunctory procedures are ok for people with little kids, why not for people without kids.
Dec 23, 2012, 1:42 pm
#3320
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: ONT
Programs: AA Gold, WN A-, UA S, HH ♦, IHG Spire, Hertz Prez O, TSA Disparager
Posts: 2,159
Dec 23, 2012, 11:51 pm
#3322
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Minneapolis, Hong Kong
Programs: United Airlines 1K MM, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 248
Just now at ALB friendly agent changed gloves on demand. This was the first time I asked for a Pre swab and he refused. He called a sup and she refused but I kept my cool and was forceful yet friendly. At the end of the day she slipped up and said "I don't want to give the passengers a sense the machines don't work" and she patted me on the back as I left. I consider that a victory in that she acknowledged that I know my stuff but the refusal had me fuming inside. I made conversation during the pat down to help diffuse the situation and it worked. No hair, no bare areas touched. Pretty light honestly. You may not get your way when you stay polite, but sometimes you'll get a break because they know you're not an idiot like the other travelers.
Dec 24, 2012, 8:14 am
#3323
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 616
I went thorough something similar in ORD earlier this week. The glove testing request was refused. My response was that I was doing everything I could to prevent a similar incident as what Shelby Walser had to endure. ( the young, wheel chair bound girl with brittle bone disease traveling for medical treatment). Learn her name. She is my hero. Gloves were tested immediately and my grope was marginal. You really should have gone to a level above the back patter. Never fume inside. Insist on being treated appropriately. I am always polite but I wouldn't tolerate sloppy testing. Especially when I am the one at the receiving end of a resolution grope.
Best part about flying Southwest at FLL...metal detectors only! Can't wait for Wednesday!
Dec 24, 2012, 10:45 am
#3325
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
Why? Females may in fact have it worse, although I suspect that statistically males may travel more in the US (or are at least more vocal online, while women may be more embarassed to share their experiences, or to stand up for themselves) There is a theory that women travelling alone also present a path of less resistance for TSOs and are thus more likely to undergo poor treatment.
See the post upthread about the woman wearing the maxi pad. More women wear skirts than men; more women wear underwire bras than men; more women wear external sanitary protection than men.
And some of my worst encounters with TSA over the years have been with female clerks or supervisors.
There are very few times in life when I have any regret about my gender, but when it comes to flying in America I do think that the men may have it slightly better than the women.
See the post upthread about the woman wearing the maxi pad. More women wear skirts than men; more women wear underwire bras than men; more women wear external sanitary protection than men.
And some of my worst encounters with TSA over the years have been with female clerks or supervisors.
There are very few times in life when I have any regret about my gender, but when it comes to flying in America I do think that the men may have it slightly better than the women.
Dec 24, 2012, 11:18 am
#3326
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
That may be individual, generational, or cultural, but it's one of a number of factors reducing our flying.
Dec 24, 2012, 1:49 pm
#3327
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: DL, WN, US, Avis, AA
Posts: 662
Next time TSA wants to play the name game with me I think my reply will be "Shelby Walser." How would TSA react if the entire FT community began to respond that way when asked to state our names?
Dec 25, 2012, 4:28 pm
#3328
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: DCA / WAS
Programs: DL 2+ million/PM, YX, Marriott Plt, *wood gold, HHonors, CO Plt, UA, AA EXP, WN, AGR
Posts: 9,388
I've been trying this at EWR lately, but it appears there is another, super-secret procedure not well known to us frequent travelers.
Each time I've tried this, I was right at the entrance to the X-ray machine for carryon bags, and as I was putting my things onto the conveyor belt, I told the TSO standing right there "on guard" that I would be opting out and to please call for the "assist" person now rather than wait. Each time, I was ignored by the TSO -- studiously.
When I repeated my statement in a louder voice, the TSO looked at me then turned away again. Again, no call for "assist" person.
Mind you, each time I tried this, the long lines at security were really bad... I'd already been standing in line for 25 minutes.
Finally, I made a sarcastic comment about how we sure don't want to help speed up the already slow, inefficient, government-sponsored process any more, I guess -- then the TSO looked at me and said, "I cannot call for anyone until you're right at the gate." I said, "I am at the gate." He said, "Not yet; you're still putting your things into the X-ray machine."
Only the government can propogate such stupidity and call it a deterrent.
Each time I've tried this, I was right at the entrance to the X-ray machine for carryon bags, and as I was putting my things onto the conveyor belt, I told the TSO standing right there "on guard" that I would be opting out and to please call for the "assist" person now rather than wait. Each time, I was ignored by the TSO -- studiously.
When I repeated my statement in a louder voice, the TSO looked at me then turned away again. Again, no call for "assist" person.
Mind you, each time I tried this, the long lines at security were really bad... I'd already been standing in line for 25 minutes.
Finally, I made a sarcastic comment about how we sure don't want to help speed up the already slow, inefficient, government-sponsored process any more, I guess -- then the TSO looked at me and said, "I cannot call for anyone until you're right at the gate." I said, "I am at the gate." He said, "Not yet; you're still putting your things into the X-ray machine."
Only the government can propogate such stupidity and call it a deterrent.
Dec 26, 2012, 2:33 am
#3329
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,444
The problem is of course that the TSA insists on employing the wrong methods because they completely lack any understanding of Science. As long as they insist on using imaging technology, they will continue to harass maxipad wearers.
Dec 26, 2012, 9:41 am
#3330
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,425
For the rank and file, absolutely. But I think those at the top must know the limitations of the machines. If this is all for show, or mostly for show, just alter the script a bit so women are not humiliated like this for this reason. They've already altered the script for children.