SMF gets the MMW
Oct 28, 2011 | 9:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 2,978
SMF gets the MMW
Sigh. My home airport (Sacramento, California) has crossed over to the dark side. Of course with the new terminal you just KNEW it was going to happen sooner or later. Turns out to be sooner...
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/28/401...l-airport.html
Does anybody else find it ironic that the positive quote comes from somebody with the last name of Justice and the negative quote comes from somebody with the first name of Mohammad?
I guess I'll find out how the Opt Out goes in the new terminal this coming Monday morning.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/28/401...l-airport.html
Five new scanners have been installed in new Central Terminal B; three will be added in Terminal A. They cost $150,000 to $170,000 each, financed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
(...)
Melendez said all passengers will be asked to go through the scanner. Once inside, they are told to stand sideways with arms overhead for a second before exiting. Passengers who decline will be required to go through a metal detector, then undergo a pat-down search.
The scanners emit radiation, which has caused concern among some passengers. Federal officials say radiation amounts are smaller than people are exposed to with a cellphone call or while flying on a plane.
Passengers at the Sacramento airport Thursday morning seemed more concerned about getting through security quickly than about the new machines.
"I think (the controversy) is a lot of fuss over nothing," said Michael Justice of El Dorado Hills. "As long as it is real safety and not the illusion of safety, I'm fine with it."
Passenger Mohammad Kian of Los Angeles was not impressed. "I understand the reason for it, but I think it's wasting government money. I think this is overkill."
(...)
Melendez said all passengers will be asked to go through the scanner. Once inside, they are told to stand sideways with arms overhead for a second before exiting. Passengers who decline will be required to go through a metal detector, then undergo a pat-down search.
The scanners emit radiation, which has caused concern among some passengers. Federal officials say radiation amounts are smaller than people are exposed to with a cellphone call or while flying on a plane.
Passengers at the Sacramento airport Thursday morning seemed more concerned about getting through security quickly than about the new machines.
"I think (the controversy) is a lot of fuss over nothing," said Michael Justice of El Dorado Hills. "As long as it is real safety and not the illusion of safety, I'm fine with it."
Passenger Mohammad Kian of Los Angeles was not impressed. "I understand the reason for it, but I think it's wasting government money. I think this is overkill."
I guess I'll find out how the Opt Out goes in the new terminal this coming Monday morning.
Oct 28, 2011 | 11:24 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: An NPR mind living in a Fox News world
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8830/4.5.0.138 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)
"Passengers at the Sacramento airport Thursday morning seemed more concerned about getting through security quickly than about the new machines."
This is why we're losing the war.
"Federal officials say radiation amounts are smaller than people are exposed to with a cellphone call or while flying on a plane."
The cooperative media repeats this so often that it's now accepted as truth and never questioned.
And then, there's Nico. I'm glad I can pull up the article on my BB and read everything he said.
"Passengers at the Sacramento airport Thursday morning seemed more concerned about getting through security quickly than about the new machines."
This is why we're losing the war.
"Federal officials say radiation amounts are smaller than people are exposed to with a cellphone call or while flying on a plane."
The cooperative media repeats this so often that it's now accepted as truth and never questioned.
And then, there's Nico. I'm glad I can pull up the article on my BB and read everything he said.
Last edited by FliesWay2Much; Oct 28, 2011 at 11:25 am
Oct 29, 2011 | 2:38 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 54
Oct 29, 2011 | 10:57 pm
#9
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
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For god sake to TSA!!! This must stop install the bodyscanner at airport anymore. They had it enough!!! I am being too tired of them put everyone go through the bodyscanners.
Good riddance to TSA in SMF!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enough is enough!!! Elimination them immediately!!
Good riddance to TSA in SMF!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enough is enough!!! Elimination them immediately!!
Oct 29, 2011 | 11:08 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: ONT
Programs: AA Gold, WN A-, UA S, HH ♦, IHG Spire, Hertz Prez O, TSA Disparager
Posts: 2,159
Pick Terminal A airlines quickly. I flew out of SMF Term A Thursday and they only had one lane available for use. They're remodeling security like fighting a fire so the NoS' will be there soon.
Nov 1, 2011 | 11:32 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 2,978
Brand new Terminal B yesterday morning around 6am. Three MMWs set up, two in use, all primary with WTMD roped off and a TSO barker standing guard in front of the rope directing the sheep into the MMW. I walked up and simply said "Opt Out". Somebody came over to do their duty on me in less than a minute. The grope was fine, all gropes considered. The groper put on new gloves without my reminder, said he'd get me out of there as quickly as possible, and did a grope w/o genital contact.
I had plenty of time to kill so I sat around in the post-inspection area and watched for a while. No other opt-outs in the 30 minutes I sat there. Everybody got a pat down after going through the MMW. Youngsters were also being sent through the MMW and getting a pat down which I didn't think was supposed to happen?
I had plenty of time to kill so I sat around in the post-inspection area and watched for a while. No other opt-outs in the 30 minutes I sat there. Everybody got a pat down after going through the MMW. Youngsters were also being sent through the MMW and getting a pat down which I didn't think was supposed to happen?
Dec 1, 2011 | 8:30 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 2,978
Terminal A - They're here...
The MMW devices are now in full use in Terminal A (United/Continental, US Air, Delta).
Yesterday morning I flew out of Terminal A during morning rush hour. At 5am the line at security was backed up to the entrance of the Disney style rope lines. By the time I cleared security 25 minutes later the line had stretched back to the pedestrian bridge but not quite onto the bridge yet. There is no elite access to bypass the queue to the TDOC podium although disabled paxs can use the crew bypass line.
There are three MMW machines now in use in Terminal A and all are primary inspection devices. All lanes still have the WTMD and occasionally the moat dragons would let pax through the WTMD but most got directed to the MMW. All items must go through x-ray including wallets and belts.
I was directed to the MMW and simply said "Opt out" to the moat dragon. She replied, "That's YOUR choice" to which I responded, "Yes it is". She then directed me to stand to the side of the MMW (I could easily see the x-ray belt and keep an eye on my belongings). A TSO showed up within a minute, took me over to the belt and had me point out my stuff. We then walked over, him carrying all my belongings, to the naughty mat. As he was changing his gloves I complimented him on doing so without prompting. He asked "Just out of curiosity why don't you want to try our new machines?" I told him that in my opinion they haven't been used long enough on humans to definitely rule them as 100% safe. He responded that "the government tells us they are safe" and I started laughing. He thought about what he just said and told me, "Yeah, you have a point." The grope itself was quicker than most I've had; resistance was futile (he didn't get that high up my leg). Quick check of gloves in the sniffer and I was good to go.
Our departure was delayed several minutes as passengers were still apparently stuck in security. No surprise there; the process of screening the majority of pax through the MMWs really has slowed things down.
If you are flying out of Sacramento SMF during morning rush hour (departures before 7am) in Terminal A you would do well to plan on being in the security earlier than you might have been used to in the past.
Yesterday morning I flew out of Terminal A during morning rush hour. At 5am the line at security was backed up to the entrance of the Disney style rope lines. By the time I cleared security 25 minutes later the line had stretched back to the pedestrian bridge but not quite onto the bridge yet. There is no elite access to bypass the queue to the TDOC podium although disabled paxs can use the crew bypass line.
There are three MMW machines now in use in Terminal A and all are primary inspection devices. All lanes still have the WTMD and occasionally the moat dragons would let pax through the WTMD but most got directed to the MMW. All items must go through x-ray including wallets and belts.
I was directed to the MMW and simply said "Opt out" to the moat dragon. She replied, "That's YOUR choice" to which I responded, "Yes it is". She then directed me to stand to the side of the MMW (I could easily see the x-ray belt and keep an eye on my belongings). A TSO showed up within a minute, took me over to the belt and had me point out my stuff. We then walked over, him carrying all my belongings, to the naughty mat. As he was changing his gloves I complimented him on doing so without prompting. He asked "Just out of curiosity why don't you want to try our new machines?" I told him that in my opinion they haven't been used long enough on humans to definitely rule them as 100% safe. He responded that "the government tells us they are safe" and I started laughing. He thought about what he just said and told me, "Yeah, you have a point." The grope itself was quicker than most I've had; resistance was futile (he didn't get that high up my leg). Quick check of gloves in the sniffer and I was good to go.
Our departure was delayed several minutes as passengers were still apparently stuck in security. No surprise there; the process of screening the majority of pax through the MMWs really has slowed things down.
If you are flying out of Sacramento SMF during morning rush hour (departures before 7am) in Terminal A you would do well to plan on being in the security earlier than you might have been used to in the past.
Dec 1, 2011 | 11:01 am
#15
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When I was through there two weeks ago, about 0515, the line went to the end of the pedestrian walkway and then looped back around towards the bottom. They weren't running them at all then which had me wondering if they shut them down when the lines get too long. Took me 20 mins to get through on that day.