Travelling this week I got two head pat downs on separate days, courtesy of the TSA in Dallas. Very creepy. I have no discernible hair issue that could trigger the pat down "necessity": rather thin hair, flat, no accessories in it... Any info on a reason for this or just the usual power trip "because we can" TSA stupidity?

The most common answer I can think of is that the AIT alarmed in that area (if you go through the AIT). If you do not use the AIT, then I have no idea - I would have to see the hair, and the style it was in when you came though the checkpoint.

That would be my first thought, as well - MMW AIT often alarms on sweat, if you can believe that. So if you've come into DFW out of a hot Dallas September and you have some sweat on your head, the AIT might think it's a Soviet MIRV-6 from an SS-22 air launch vehicle, containing 14.5 kilograms of enriched uranium and a plutonium trigger, with a nominal yield of 30 kilotons. Or worse, a 3.5oz bottle of non-prescription eye drops.

I am somewhat puzzled, however, by the idea that TSOs would actually search your head to resolve an alarm if, as you say, you have thin, flat hair that could hide no weapons, explosives, or incendiaries. I can only conclude that the TSOs are mindless automatons just followink orderss, and cannot be reasoned with, cannot be bargained with, and don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear, and absolutely WILL NOT STOP - EVER - until you are dead inside from their attentions.

I mean, it's either that, or they're intentionally being abusive jerks for some reason. But I have too much faith in the basic nature of the average TSO to believe that, absent some compelling evidence. After all, one should never attribute to malice that which can be easily explained by stupidity.

Not surprising to me. I've had my bare arms patted down to resolve an MMW "alarm" when I was wearing a short-sleeved shirt. And I've seen women with hair no longer than 5 mm get a head patdown after the MMW. TSA continues to be unimpressive in its performance.

Maybe dandruff is setting off these stupid machines? What really bothers me about this is not just the stupidity - having a person wearing oversized blue gloves and the power of "authority" run their fingers through your thin hair is creepy.

But most probably WillCAD has the answer: "I can only conclude that the TSOs are <redacted> just following orders, and cannot be reasoned with, cannot be bargained with, and don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear, and absolutely WILL NOT STOP - EVER - until you are dead inside from their attentions."

The thing to remember is that nothing the TSA does has anything to do with aviation security. Since the beginning, their goal was to be intrusive and to enforce their authoritah. They are taught that intrusiveness=safety, and the more intrusive they are the better they protect against terrorism. Thus the crotch-grabbing, the focus on water, peanut butter, and brownies resulting in missing 95% of weapons and explosives, the pawing through passports and the general blaming of passengers for the failure of TSA clerks to learn and follow the rules. Pawing through hair is intrusive; therefore it's seen as a good thing.

They are trying like crazy to find some sort of explosive residue on you. They rub really intensively on your body parts with their gloves hoping against hope that you test "positive" for some obscure component of explosive compounds. Then, they can detain you in the private room and take it from there. All of this helps to boost the morale of the TSA clerkforce.

TSA cannot detain anyone for anything unless you agree to if. I would call 911 and wait for the police to arrive long before I would agree to a TSA screening room.

Head fetish?

Never go into a private screening room. Two years ago I made thier explosive residue alarm. I felt the agent had done something wrong so I demanded a manager to supervise the screening. I lost my TSA pre for 3 years for demanding a manager. That was in public. Imagine what they will do in private.