chollie

It is possible that a few TSOs are starting to realize that no matter how offensive they make the frisk, there are always going to be folks who have to be frisked - folks medically unable to assume and hold the position (including frail elderly and small children who don't/can't hold still). There are still going to be full-body frisks to 'resolve' NoS anomalies.

Perhaps a few TSOs are realizing that if they don't like frisk duty, they need to talk to their management. Making the process unnecessarily crude doesn't accomplish anything if your pax is an involuntary medical opt-out or if your pax is an involuntary NoS resolution frisk.

mikemey

I agree with this 100%. The RDU TSOs are just about the worst in the country, with the exception of one certain TSO at EWR, but that's another story for another day.

RaginPlainsman

I'd previously been able to avoid the NoS at least half a dozen times through the high-tech "look ahead and go to the other lane" technique, but the luck ran out today at IAD.

We read about the Dulles Diamond line on FT so after visiting the Air and Space Museum branch (great for long layovers, btw) we headed for the nearly abandoned line. If I'd edged out the wheelchair in front of me I could have gone through the magnetometer. But I didn't so I got called over to the backscatter.

It was time to put my body where my online comments and letters to congressmen were. Mrs. Plainsman opted out too so we got a couples massage courtesy of Uncle Sam.

The TSO was very polite, said it was just fine that I'd opted out, offered a private screening which I declined and explained the process step-by-step. Mrs. Plainsman's TSO was the same. Not a pleasant process, but not so bad that I won't plan on opting out again and until we get a sane security policy in this country.

VegasCableGuy

LAS WN gates today. Got pulled out of the line going thru the WTMD because NOS freed up. Said no thank you, got a really confused look. Got pulled aside for a two minute wait for a male assist. There was a female opt-out already waiting in front of me. My groper was very polite but seemed like a rookie. He went over his lines very, very slowly. I kept saying "yeah, okay, let's do this, let's get going, fine, I understand, let's go" but he had almost two minutes of stuff to say and he wanted me to acknowledge all of it. Of note today was the lifting and digging under my collar and him digging pretty far down into my pants - the most of any grope so far. He was pushing in so hard in that my pants ended up a couple inches lower than when we started. I've never gotten fingers all the way down to the bottom of the curlies before; fortunately I wasn't going commando. Got the expected karate chop to the resistance twice as he went up each leg. One weird thing: When he stood behind me and rubbed down my back, he then reached around and rubbed down my front while still standing behind me -- kind of an awkward hugging/rubbing type of thing.

Never the same thing twice. It's always "planned inconsistencies", never poor training or incompetence...

chollie

EWR has had so many problems that they are getting special attention from HQ to try to straighten the mess out. I don't know why they don't start by firing the very managers working there who apparently say it's been going downhill for several years. What exactly were these managers doing while it went downhill (besides collecting bonuses)?

Anyway, one suggestion to improve things at EWR is to increase weekly training to 8 hours a week!

Anyone on this board ever have a permanent job with one day a week strictly for training? Good thing our military doesn't need to spend one day every week in training - not quite sure how that would work in a war zone.

Of course, that will create manpower issues, so they're also proposing hiring more folks.

Where does it stop? Why not four days a week training and one day a week forgetting/ignoring what you were (allegedly) taught.

goalie

Bolding mine: Since we know what will happen if we opt out, why not save the TSO the trouble and undo one's belt, uznzip (or unbutton for me as I wear Levi 501's) and fold down one's pants to give the TSO a good look?

Jebby_ca

If they're rubbing down bare skin, I don't see how folding down your pants will help.

Global_Hi_Flyer

Easier access to your "resistance"

mozgytog

Did the SDPOO he at BOS today, and let a guy in from the other line so he could do one with me (past TDC he realizes he's lined up for NOS).

Now we have Boston's finest at C11 with an assault weapon. Damn TSA.

chollie

If someone with two waistbands is getting frisked (someone whose pants are really sagging without the belt/suspenders/hands to hold them up, or just a kid making a bit of a fashion statement whose pants droop below his boxers), which waistband do the screeners stick their hands in?

The outerwear waistband (which may be inches higher than the underwear waistband), the underwear waistband - or both (double your pleasure)?

AngryMiller

Did that once at a gate grope session years ago and was threatened with DYWT.T and possible arrest. Was wearing underwear at the time so it would have been no worse than at the beach.

average_passenger

Every guy should just show up at the airport wearing boxers and a t-shirt. Is there a law against wearing boxers? I'm sure you can find ones that almost look like summer shorts.

Females should wear sheer almost see through clothing, there's no law against clothing like this
http://www.victoriassecret.com/ss/Sa...ame=vsdWrapper

I've seen girls wear similar style dresses (with a denser, less lacy material) at nightclubs. Just don't wear anything underneath until after you clear security, keep your undies in your carry-on. Just wear a longer jacket and take it off when you approach the security screening area. If they choose you for a pat-down, then you know the person choosing you "randomly" is a pervert!!

VH-RMD

but there have been examples of where they refuse to screen until clothes are put back on, I can think of a couple of cases - a dentist in a swimsuit and wheelchair and a young guy in bathers, both were refused.

average_passenger

Well, I've seen girls out at the mall wearing "lingerie" like dresses, so it's suddenly not allowed at the airport? Seriously, they are going to tell a girl to change her dress? What is she dresses like that ALL the time and her whole suitcase is filled with similar clothing? There is no rule against short dresses, esp. since they still allow a passenger to stand with feet shoulder width apart.

chollie

Anyone remember the young woman WN threw off a plane because her skirt was too short (it was very very short)? I wonder if she's changed the way she dresses now.