Carry On Problems and Procedure
 

Hello

1. As for watching the carry on's:
Since I am traveling with my 8yr old and wife I figured I would let her go first with non valuable items in her carry on. Next our child (which we will OPT out for him for safety reasons). This way she can watch my carry on's with our laptop and cell phones. What do you all think?

2. Question on OPT Out: If my wife and I decide to also OPT out, and do the pat down, can we still keep our ID, cash, Credit cards and cash on us?

3. Question on Jewelry: My wife can not remove her wedding ring. It physically will not come off?? Does this mean automatic pat down whether we OPT out or not?

4. If I OPT out can I keep my watch on?

Thanks and GOD bless

Thanks

1. OK.
2. No. Emphatically no.
3. Probably not an issue.
4. I've seen this handled both ways. Unpredictable.

Bruce

Thank you

Hello

We are getting conflicting feedback and news articles etc on the Pat Downs.

If my wife and I decide to OPT out, and do the pat down, can we still keep our ID, cash, Credit cards,watch and cash on us?

At the very least will they let us hold them in our hands. I do not want to put these items thru the tray or carry on. Whats to stop a TSA agent to take my watch out of my carry on while I am being groped?

If they wont let us hold them in our hands than I will go for the scanner.

I'm hearing that the rule is nothing in your pockets, and nothing in your hands, when you pass through the WTMD/AIT or get a pat-down. The best you can do is keep eye contact with your personal items, while they are on the x-ray belt, or have them brought to you during the pat-down.

(6000. AIT has been the best thing ever, for my post count...)

I opted out yesterday because I would fail the scanner anyway. I was instructed to go meet an agent. He asked me to stand in one space. I told him I could not see my luggage and requested that it be kept in my line of site for the duration of the pat down. He had my luggage be retrieved and it was brought to my side. I was not allowed to touch it for the duration of the pat down and had to place all belongings--keys, wallet with it when I entered the private room.

So yes your luggage will be kept with you, but you will not be able to access it during the pat down.

DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE the POLICY IN EVERY AIRPORT OR EVERY INSTANCE. The TSO can do anything he/she wants with your "stuff" and you do NOT have the RIGHT to see it while being "inspected".

Nothing in your hands. My suggestion is to put everything in a ziplock bag or whatever, put that in the case, and lock the carry on.

If they need access they will have to wait for you.

There's going to be a huge market for whoever comes up with a carry on with a locking pocket.

Most of my backpack pockets have dual zipper pulls. The three that do not are within range of one of the dual zipper pulls or the main handle. To solve the ID problem, I went to Target and bought a small camping first aid kit - it is a reinforced nylon case (rigid) with dual zips and plenty of space. I lock the first aid kit with a Master Lock combination lock and all of the dual-zip pockets with separate Master Lock combination locks. In addition, my laptop is cable-locked to the backpack.

My suggestion would also be to lock the pocket of your carry on that holds valuables. This is what we do.

If you are worried about what to do with the key or nail clippers (if you use zip ties), go pick up a small combination lock.

I've got a small key one and the key never sets off the WTMD in my pocket.

I don't think procedures are being applied equally at all airports. When I opted out recently at Indianapolis, I was told to remove everything from my pockets, no one brought me my things off the X-ray belt, and I had to protest a bit in order to win the right to (sort of) keep an eye on my stuff abandoned on the belt during the pat-down.

I recommend you take everything out of your pockets and put it deep in your carry-on--and lock your carry-on shut--before you get in the security line. I'm also going to adopt the suggestion of cable locking my laptop to my backpack, though once my cable lock was confiscated as a potential weapon.

This was my experience at IAH two weeks ago. See my post here about it.

I strongly recommend that anything valuable be placed in your carry on bag in a hard-to-find location, at a minimum. Locking it is even better. I've got a small combination lock that works pretty well for my carry on bag, but my purse is another matter.

Considering how paranoid airport security is that you NOT keep your eye on your luggage before you board a plane, it would be high irony if they were the reason you COULDN'T keep your eye on your luggage.

So true. Every 2 minutes, they announce that you should report unattended bags. I wonder what would happen if, once you heard that announcement, you told the TSA agent that your bags were unattended.

Better: What my wife and I always do. She goes ahead, I keep *ALL* of our carry-ons. Only once she's through do I send them through and come through myself. That way our carryons are never unguarded.

I don't know about the nude-o-scopes but mine is very difficult to remove (>1 minute to work it off, although it's been more than a decade since it's been off for any reason so I don't know if that's still accurate) and has never caused an issue.

But will they allow you to just stand there holding on to your stuff until your spouse is through?

As far as the cash, do not just hand them your wallet. If they try to take it from you, take all of the cash and credit cards out, and hang on to those. TSA agents are known for having sticky fingers..

Yes, they will allow one person to stand back with all the carry-ons. We do it the same way. I go through while DH has everything. He puts it in bins, refuses to be hurried (they cannot make you hurry) and waits till I have been cleared before sending everything through.

It has worked very well so far. I am so distractible (and the TSA does everything possible to distract a person, IMO), it would be a bad idea for my stuff to be in the x-ray machine and on the belt with just me watching it.

Does anyone know how our 8 year old will factor into this?

we will not do the scan for him for health reasons...we will do it for us if needed, so how will they handle the order?

Child first? Or do they clear one or both parents first?

Does anyone know how our 8 year old will factor into this?

we will not do the scan for him for health reasons...we will do it for us if needed, so how will they handle the order?

Child first? Or do they clear one or both parents first?

Why not have all three of you opt-out? That would get rid of the need for you or your wife to be irradiated..

That would mean we ALL get the pat down?

Were OK with that as well... but will one of us be able to watch our child or do they put them to the side until were done?

My guess would be the order that the pax are lined up in, so you can choose. Didn't even think about the issue with opting out... my wallet would probably still be separated from me... even though it goes thru the traditional metal detectors with no real issue...

There is no reason for all three of you to go through at the same time. You should stand in line first, with several people between you and your wife and child (they stand and go through together). You take the fewest items with you. Lock your wallet and other valuables in a bag that goes through with your wife.

Frankly, I think all of you should opt out of any body scanning, for health reasons. Make sure you are finished with all screening before your wife and child start through. You can pick up their items coming off the x-ray belt while they are dealing with the pat-downs. Stand nearby in case of any problems.