Originally Posted by doober (Post 7644627)

And is that carrier inspected if your cat (or dog) flies in the belly of the aircraft? No it is not - so why even bother to take the animal out of the crate. If it's not going to inspected going into the cargo hold there should be no requirement to x-ray it when going into the cabin.

Originally Posted by Global_Hi_Flyer (Post 7644805)

Having had to listen to a cat loudly *yowl* in the C cabin on a flight from CDG to ATL one day, I'm with Bart on the behavior of said cats in the cabin.

Originally Posted by vassilipan (Post 7646746)

I've never heard a single cat "yowl" while on board an aircraft. Too bad I can't say the same for screaming babies.

Originally Posted by JakiChan (Post 7646022)

Clearly that had been put there for a reason which begged the question: Who had been putting their babies through the X-ray machine?

Originally Posted by cestmoi123 (Post 7646460)

Not true - there are lots of things (i.e. guns) that could be hidden in a carrier that wouldn't present a risk when in the cargo hold, but could when in the cabin of the aircraft. If you believe that WTMD and X-ray are appropriate screening tools for carry-on baggage, they should apply to all carry-on baggage.

Originally Posted by Bart (Post 7643597)

At one of my classes, I asked how many TSOs had ever x-rayed an animal. Several hands were raised, and the majority of them were the more seasoned screeners. The ones who didn't raise their hands, a great majority of them having less than a year of screening experience, looked at me in horror when I asked the question. I smiled and told them, "we don't want it to happen; we don't let it happen, but it happens. You haven't really earned your stripes as a screener until it happens to you."

Originally Posted by vassilipan (Post 7644421)

Apparently you do not own a cat. A cat can be "controlled" while in a carrier, but once the door is open, anything goes.

I still do not understand the need to put the carrier through the X-ray, with or without an occupant. Most carriers are fairly thin and can easily be inspected by hand - at least in the same amount of time it takes to remove and replace an animal. This seems to be a policy for the sake of uniformity.

Originally Posted by Flaflyer (Post 7645837)

OT: So justify to the rest of us why TSA considers it safe to have ME walk through a backscatter XRAY machine? Even if the dose is lower than that used on your normal dirty underwear sterilization machine.

Originally Posted by Bart (Post 7647462)

Expecting the rest of the world to conform to your expectations is unrealistic.

Originally Posted by JakiChan (Post 7646022)

At some random airport, and memory suggests it was YVR or ORD, I saw a sign on the x-ray machine that said that babies were to be removed from carriers before putting the carriers through.

Clearly that had been put there for a reason which begged the question: Who had been putting their babies through the X-ray machine?

Originally Posted by YEG Guy (Post 7647071)

So how much of a shock is it to see two beady eyes starring back at you on the xray monitor??? What about seeing an object move unexpectedly?

Does seeing an animal on the xray become a "just part of the job event" (like IT people finding porn on coworkers laptops)?

Originally Posted by Bart (Post 7647462)

If you're going to travel with a pet, understand the rules.

Originally Posted by Bart (Post 7647462)

Veritas! Vigilantia! Victoria!

Originally Posted by birdstrike (Post 7647713)

Fighting rules like this is the duty of every citizen. If I ever have to subject my cats to the ministrations of the TSA, you can be sure the screener will be invited to carry said cat through the arch.