Opt outs have to walk through scanner?
 

Leaving out of SJC this morning I was told that opt outs are not allowed through the map and have to pass through the scanner. They said it was a new policy that had been in place for weeks even though I flew out of SJC Tuesday. When I told the agent this she basically called me a liar. How nice. Also half the time I don't even walk through either they just escort me through a gate.

Anyone else encountered this?

Stand firm. The answer is "No, I am not going into that machine. Period."

^^^ And I'd file a formal complaint after the fact, CCing your member of Congress if applicable.

I once opted out at LAX T2 and the TSO still asked me to walk through the BKSX to get to the groping pen. I said, "Sorry, but I am not walking through that thing. I don't care whether it's turned off." He rolled his eyes and made it seem like I was disrupting their whole operation (i.e. challenging their authoriteh), but it really didn't take much effort for them to watch me walk around it.

Sounds like the policy was one that was made up for whatever reason (maybe its easier for the agent to have people do that). I havn't had this experience yet as all of my opt outs have sent me through the WTMD first before the patdown. Standing firm is pretty much what you have to do here. It seems ridiculous to require someone to walk through the same machine that one is opting out from having to go through.

Yup ^ and call the TSO out on not knowing policy by demanding (n.b. demanding) that the Supervisor come over and explain (in front of you) to the TSO that they are wrong as the opt-out procedure has not changed :mad:

On my last opt out the TSO did not want me walk through the WTMD. I just went through the gate. But as said call out the TSO on their BS of having to walk through the nudiscope.

Side question, when are the backscatters going to be removed from SJC anyway? I thought the were all destined for the warehouse? Family and I are heading through there in February (although with two small kids, assume we'll get the WTMD anyway).

I don't go through BKSX airports often (and that's by design). When I do, I refuse to go through the scanner for any reason. It gets me a lot of huffing and puffing from the one-striper who has to go through the trouble of unsnapping the rope so that I can go through the WTMD, but I've yet to be given a DY...T over that.

FYI, they love the line, "I'll walk through that scanner just as soon as you start wearing a dosimeter to work."

For as uneducated as TSOs are, it always surprises me how many of them know exactly what a dosimeter is.