sbagdon

Posted elsewhere. DFW international arrivals to domestic, terminal D, if you don't want the drama, go to another security point (didn't see any other AITs while walking around the ring, inside security). TSA agent taking all approaching pax, then directing them to either WTMD or AIT. WTMD is many times faster, so it's more like they are keeping the AIT in constant use, and sending everyone else to WTMD. Opted-out, no retaliation, new gloves without asking, rub-down vs. pat-down, told to hold onto pants (no belt at that time), then they explosive-sniffed the gloves that went over pax and inside carry-on. No drama, professional, yet would be interesting to see what would happen if the opt-out number really went up at one specific time of the day.

doober

Any reactions from other passengers to this?

Back of hands used at all?

sbagdon

Didn't think to remember. Don't seem to remember back-of-hands. Long-sleeves were rolled up a bit, and they made a point of unrolling them, so must have been front. Been patted-down using the back-of-hand, and rubbed-down using the front-of-hand, and one actually has a hope of doing anything of value.

gj83

I am still trying to avoid these things at all costs, but today's circumstances led me to the machine.

* I was running late leaving my house today due to laundry issues
* I realized about half a mile from my house that I didn't have my wallet and I had to turn around and go back
* I hadn't printed my tickets at home (just checked in and printed to PDF)
* the Airtran kiosk takes 5 minutes to locate a PNR

All that transpired and I went to the C check point with about 30 minutes before scheduled boarding so I had a bit of time. The C check point had about 40 people in line while the D check point had 4 so the were urging people to go over there. Since I don't use the elite line while flying AirTran (whether the TDC would stop me or not is not something I'd like to waste time to find out) I decided to go to D. D is the farthest from AirTran, but all other checkpoints had about the same queue length as C.

I got in line at D and quickly noticed where the body scanner is. It is the second line from the left of 4 total lines. The left-most line was moving fastest so I entered it.

The lady in front of me was taking forever to clear the WTMD (belt, hitting the side, who knows) so while I was waiting behind her the lady manning the body scanner asks me if I have anything in my pockets thinking she means just things that would set of the WTMD I say "no" although I have my boarding passes and ID in my pockets. She then determines I should go through the nude-o-scope instead (why me? why not the lady who took 3 times to clear the WTMD???)

I politely said "I will not go through that thing"

She says I don't have to, but I will get a special screening. I have to wait for about 3 minutes for my special screener to arrive. In that time the lady manning the WTMD motions me through so I go through. The lady manning the body scanner (who had since closed it off anyway) asked me what I was doing. Well...your coworker let me through I thought, but instead I just made the VERY VALID claim that I was keeping an eye on my stuff since it had long since cleared the x-ray and I had no line of site from where they had me waiting.

Finally Officer arrives and explains front of hand, back of hand, etc. She was professional. I wasn't thinking and assumed a position not looking at my stuff and she quickly turned me around so I could watch my stuff. She told me right away that I had the right to request a private screening. Heck no! If you are going to grope me I'd prefer to be where I have witnesses if I need them. She was thorough but not inappropriate so it wasn't an issue. There were a lot of things I wanted to say, but since I was approaching 15 minutes before boarding and I had to walk to the opposite end of CLT I didn't say anything. The screening ended after massaging my feet (do the body scanners really see the bottoms of my feet? If not then why are you touching my feet) and taking one of the explosive detecting wipes to my ID, BP, and officer's gloves. I came out clean and they let me go.

I wish I had remembered the name of the lady who pulled me aside and forced me through the ordeal. I paid attention to the TDC and the secondary screener, but missed the other lady's name. Her ego was crushed when I didn't want to play her game and even though she shut her machine down and I cleared the WTMD without an event I still needed to waste 2 officers' time with my secondary.

ScatterX

Nobody took it seriously or as a potential threat (that I could tell). Many folks were giggling or trying to hide their giggling.

clrankin

I'd have shouted something like "Don't you recognize me? I'm Rolando Negrin!"

That would work especially well for laughs at MIA, don't ya think?

VegasCableGuy

Just as an update, I haven't received any reply or acknowledgment regarding my complaint aside from the "Thank you for you feedback" after submitting the message. However, this article as mentioned in the "new belt rules" thread seems to indicate that aggressive, front of the hands contact on sensitive areas (now called Enhanced Patdowns) is the new "business as usual" for TSA. It appears that aside from the lack of an offer for a private screening, I have no valid complaint here.

FriendlySkies

Some interesting quotes on that article:

exbayern

I quoted the same bit on another thread but I was a little more lavish with the eyerolling than you.

doober

Personally, I totally disagree: you were grabbed and squeezed, that's sexual assault.

What are they going to do with women wearing sanitary napkins - put their hands into the crotch and poke and prod the napkin to determine if they can "feel" anything? What about individuals wearing incontinence products - are they going to push and prod those products also?

I think you should file an assault charge against the man who did this to you. If enough people file charges, perhaps practices like this will stop.

VegasCableGuy

I certainly don't think it's right. What I mean to say is that my complaint won't hold any weight with TSA if they claim their new policy says it's proper to include aggressive contact with sensitive areas during screening.

I will say this tho: Media articles are notoriously fast and loose with details so I'll wait for others to weigh in with their experiences with the new procedure as well as an official TSA statement. I'm concerned that they're launching this without notification or even a mention on their blog. It leaves all sorts of questions up in the air. Was I subjected to a poorly executed Patdown 1.0, or was this a routine Enhanced Patdown 2.0?

I'll give them a few more days for a reply to my message. If it wasn't placed in the circular file, I expect they're communicating with the guys at OMA to review procedures and formulate a reply.

gleff

Opted out at DCA yesterday.

Screener was truly perplexed, "this is for security, this isn't a choice."

Me: "I believe I am allowed to take a secondary."

Screener: "Well you're going to have to wait awhile then."

Me: "Is the delay retaliatory for my opting of the nudo-o-scope?"

Screener: "Umm, no, it'll be just a moment until someone arrives."

Two screeners confer, sounds as though asking that they take extra long with me. But while not the quickest secondary I've ever gotten, was completely professional.

PhoenixRev

How is this crap happening?

Every single TSO that is at the moat should know full well that passengers have the right to opt out and they should have know prior to the machines being turned on for the first time.

That is absolutely no excuse - NONE - why any passenger should hear something like what was said above.

TSOs like the one above are either blithering idiots, untrained and therefore should not be anywhere near an airport, or on power trips. There is no other reason why any TSO would ever say that to a passenger.

Pathetic.

Xyzzy

I opted out recently at AMS. I was on a very tight connection to a US-bound flight and had just run across the whole airport to the gate. Screening in AMS takes place at the gate, so I was now relieved to be in view of my outbound aircraft. I answered the traditional Four Questions (Why is this flight different from all other flights?, Did you pack your own bag, etc.) and then opted out of the nude--scope. The security apparatchik were not amused by my choice, and tried to talk me into going through the machine. They handed me a pamphlet that extolled the virtues of it. (According to the pamphlet, the AMS machine is all automatic, with no human operator and therefore no nude--viewing. The pamphlet also states that use of the machine is, "Still optional.") I thanked them for the reading material but still chose to opt-out.

I was told that I'd have to wait for my screening. After a few minutes, I asked what was taking so long. They replied that the supervisor had to be present. After a few minutes more, I asked again. This time I was told that the supervisor was there. I could see him a few feet away in a small circle of people. Evidently, the drones were circling their wagons and, I guess, trying to decide what to do with me.

A few minutes later, the screening began. I walked through the WTMD, and did not alarm. I then received a rather thorough, but entirely professionally done, pat down. It was when I attempted to retrieve my belongings from the X-ray machine belt that things got interesting. They made me turn on my computer and other electronics. They then proceeded to examine each and every item in my carry-on. They went through every pocket. They conferred in huddles about certain innocuous items. (Interestingly, they didn't ask why I had three cellphones.) They wasted lots of time, probably trying to scare me into thinking I would miss my flight. An airline representative even came by to ask me my name -- they had standby passengers who were eager to take my seat. At one point, when I thought I was the last person left to board, I made a comment to one of the screeners who was standing by watching. He whispered that I should not worry and that I'd make the flight. Fortunately, I did. The whole process took about 15 minutes.

to AMS.

doober

One complaint might not hold any weight, but many complaints certainly will.

It happened back in 2004 (?) with all the poking and prodding of women's breasts - complaints by the thousands forced TSA to change its procedure. Thousands of complaints can force a change in this procedure also.