Hand swabbing at ABQ
Feb 24, 2012 | 10:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: ONT
Programs: AA Gold, WN A-, UA S, HH ♦, IHG Spire, Hertz Prez O, TSA Disparager
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Hand swabbing at ABQ
Security theatre was in full force at ABQ today.
There was a two-striper clerk swabbing hands after the ID/BP checkpoint. I have never seen this before.
Here's how my encounter went.
Two-striper: "Sir, please set your stuff on the table so I can swab your hands."
Michael El: "Oh geez"
Two-striper: "How's your day going sir?"
Michael El: "It was okay until now." (Eyes rolling)
Two-striper: As he's swabbing my palms. "Sir, we just want to keep you safe."
Michael El: "I'm sure the Germans thought the same thing when they conspired to kill six-million Jews."
Two-striper: Taking a deep breath and gritting his teeth. "You're clear have a safe flight."
There was a two-striper clerk swabbing hands after the ID/BP checkpoint. I have never seen this before.
Here's how my encounter went.
Two-striper: "Sir, please set your stuff on the table so I can swab your hands."
Michael El: "Oh geez"
Two-striper: "How's your day going sir?"
Michael El: "It was okay until now." (Eyes rolling)
Two-striper: As he's swabbing my palms. "Sir, we just want to keep you safe."
Michael El: "I'm sure the Germans thought the same thing when they conspired to kill six-million Jews."
Two-striper: Taking a deep breath and gritting his teeth. "You're clear have a safe flight."
Feb 25, 2012 | 2:49 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Rio Rancho, NM - USA
Programs: DL, UA, WN, Amtrak, Hyatt, Accor
Posts: 1,795
Just be careful about handwashing in the ABQ restrooms. When you use their soap, your hands will test positive for explosives. This happened to me last year and I was taken to the private room, all my stuff was pawed through, and they kept testing my hands over and over until I told them I had just washed my hands in the airport. The 2 TSOs gave each other a "look" (as in - this happens all the time) and sent me on my way.
Feb 25, 2012 | 4:06 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: LAS
Posts: 1,279
This is not uncommon in ABQ. The ID station almost always has a large detachment of the thousands standing around, but has recently added the random say you name game and swabbing to the mix.
ABQ has had mandatory NOS in place for months. Mandatory meaning it is the primary screening system and only option besides groping [except for little kids, military, etc.].
ABQ routinely has ABQ police and CBP officers standing behind the ID checkers. I've never seen them do anything. The worst I've ever counted was 19 (incl. TSA stupervisors) standing behind three ID checkers, but at least they are there to keep us safe.
ABQ has had mandatory NOS in place for months. Mandatory meaning it is the primary screening system and only option besides groping [except for little kids, military, etc.].
ABQ routinely has ABQ police and CBP officers standing behind the ID checkers. I've never seen them do anything. The worst I've ever counted was 19 (incl. TSA stupervisors) standing behind three ID checkers, but at least they are there to keep us safe.
Feb 25, 2012 | 8:17 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: ONT
Programs: AA Gold, WN A-, UA S, HH ♦, IHG Spire, Hertz Prez O, TSA Disparager
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Just be careful about handwashing in the ABQ restrooms. When you use their soap, your hands will test positive for explosives. This happened to me last year and I was taken to the private room, all my stuff was pawed through, and they kept testing my hands over and over until I told them I had just washed my hands in the airport. The 2 TSOs gave each other a "look" (as in - this happens all the time) and sent me on my way.
This is not uncommon in ABQ. The ID station almost always has a large detachment of the thousands standing around, but has recently added the random say you name game and swabbing to the mix.
ABQ has had mandatory NOS in place for months. Mandatory meaning it is the primary screening system and only option besides groping [except for little kids, military, etc.].
ABQ routinely has ABQ police and CBP officers standing behind the ID checkers. I've never seen them do anything. The worst I've ever counted was 19 (incl. TSA stupervisors) standing behind three ID checkers, but at least they are there to keep us safe.
ABQ has had mandatory NOS in place for months. Mandatory meaning it is the primary screening system and only option besides groping [except for little kids, military, etc.].
ABQ routinely has ABQ police and CBP officers standing behind the ID checkers. I've never seen them do anything. The worst I've ever counted was 19 (incl. TSA stupervisors) standing behind three ID checkers, but at least they are there to keep us safe.
This was also the first day I've seen the mandatory NoS.
Feb 25, 2012 | 1:07 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
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The hand swabbing station, right behind the ID checkers has been there for awhile, but the first time I saw anyone doing hand swabbing was my last flight out on 2/13. Swabber was actually going down the line BEFORE the ID checker swabbing hands.
Considering the chaos that was reigning that morning, w/only 2 lanes open & NoS' in action (lines into the NoS were upwards of 6-8 each, the swabber & the roving gate check crew would have been much better off doing something useful like opening up another lane.
But, then again, this is the TSA & they've never done anything useful during the course of their entire existence
Considering the chaos that was reigning that morning, w/only 2 lanes open & NoS' in action (lines into the NoS were upwards of 6-8 each, the swabber & the roving gate check crew would have been much better off doing something useful like opening up another lane.
But, then again, this is the TSA & they've never done anything useful during the course of their entire existence
Feb 25, 2012 | 5:40 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: DL MM Gold
Posts: 1,687
Using a new swab for each person and running it back to the machine, or using the same swab on multiple people assuming they will all be negative, and that nothing gets transferred from pax to pax on the magic antiseptic swab?
Feb 25, 2012 | 7:20 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Houston
Programs: CO Platinum
Posts: 283
I'm sure its much much cleaner than the airplane seat you might touch and your laptop computer. It's a silly thing to be worried about IMHO. The real concern should not be that they touch you with a test strip, it's really that they have no idea what it actually means when the screen turns red (hint: it doesn't actually mean explosives!), and that they think that the logical way to clear this situation is to grope you some more...
Feb 25, 2012 | 7:29 pm
#9
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Feb 25, 2012 | 11:20 pm
#10
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Feb 26, 2012 | 1:54 pm
#11
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Feb 27, 2012 | 6:46 pm
#12
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BOS
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As to why it's made out of a DuPont product? Heat resistance since part of the process involves vaporizing the sample so it can be ionized and analyzed.
Feb 28, 2012 | 6:37 am
#13
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Vaporized Teflon is scary, scary toxic.
Feb 28, 2012 | 8:06 am
#15
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