Top 10 Tales of TSA Tomfoolery
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northern California, in the redwoods, on the ocean.
Posts: 437
Top 10 Tales of TSA Tomfoolery
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,728
I'm unsurprised by #8. After all, an agency that would force a four-year-old to remove his leg braces and hobble through the checkpoint wouldn't even blink at making a woman remove an ankle brace.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
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More evidence that the mass media is repositioning TSA from heroic protectors to ship of fools. The meta-narrative is steadily changing. It's all good.
#7
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 616
I had also heard of most of these except #8. To make somebody remove a brace and walk without it is dumb, but nothing surprises me anymore. On a similar note, when I flew with a cast on my hand last year, I had some of the best checkpoint experiences in a long time. The TSA would swab my cast after the WTMD and I would be on my way. My cast was definitely not removable though.
#8
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
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Why should this list stop at 10? I'm sure there's "just a few more"
#9
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: JMB Diamond, Hilton Silver, UAL
Posts: 251
My 70 YO mom got held up at PHX because of a knee brace that she wears. She's the easy going sort so just took it off for inspection but she doesn't need it to walk either, it just makes it easier for her. I can't imagine if she had needed the brace BADLY and they were still insistent on her taking if off.
#10
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
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My 70 YO mom got held up at PHX because of a knee brace that she wears. She's the easy going sort so just took it off for inspection but she doesn't need it to walk either, it just makes it easier for her. I can't imagine if she had needed the brace BADLY and they were still insistent on her taking if off.
Security Officers will not ask nor require you to remove your prosthetic device, cast, or support brace.
During the screening process, please do not remove or offer to remove your prosthetic device.
During the screening process, please do not remove or offer to remove your prosthetic device.
#11
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 642
From this page on the TSA website under Prosthetic Devices, Casts, And Body Braces:
Without going through some books, I think it is fair to say that the TSA, and by association, the DHS, is the most ridiculous, offending and stupid agency ever contrived in the US. By a very large margin.
#12
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 733
From this page on the TSA website under Prosthetic Devices, Casts, And Body Braces:
Security Officers will not ask nor require you to remove your prosthetic device, cast, or support brace.
During the screening process, please do not remove or offer to remove your prosthetic device.
During the screening process, please do not remove or offer to remove your prosthetic device.
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,728
I guess the clerks in CLT didn't get the memo.
They just can't read.
#14
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,145
Whether they got the memo or can read is immaterial; they don't want YOU deciding whether you are going to wear your knee brace, use your wheelchair, or leave your prosthesis in place. The problem is YOU, not them.
Hope that clears things up.
Hope that clears things up.
#15
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
From this page on the TSA website under Prosthetic Devices, Casts, And Body Braces:
Security Officers will not ask nor require you to remove your prosthetic device, cast, or support brace.
During the screening process, please do not remove or offer to remove your prosthetic device.
During the screening process, please do not remove or offer to remove your prosthetic device.