Has TSA Backed Off?
 

Was through Terminal 8 at JFK on 1/22/11. All lanes had nude-o-scopes, but none were being used. Everyone went through the standard metal detectors. I wonder if our threats of prosecution may have had some effect???

I think you were lucky - TSA will not be backing off voluntarily.

According to Blogger Bob, if they are roped off, then they must be down for maintenance. As we all know, TSA would never do this intentionally.. ;)

Last couple of times through ORD (T1) they have been roped off.

Still in use at PIT yesterday. Hopefully not at DCA today!

I agree...the machines have not been in use at any of the airports I've been to in the last few weeks. Maybe I just got lucky...?

Has anyone ever SEEN maintenance being performed on a roped-off pervert scope?

Maybe so, maybe no. I think we still must work to make the TSA's activities clearly circumscribed by law.

If they just back down, then they can ramp up their unethical behavior when they get the urge.

I know it sounds mean, but TSA has to be smacked down. Anything less still leaves Americans open to abuse.

I hope I never do, since I would have to imagine they take the same level of safety precautions when they crack the case on one of those as they do when using them on the public.

Then again, given the frequency with which they are roped off at PIT (every Monday morning on the main level one or the other is roped off) it seems they're being maintained constantly.

When I arrived at JFK 2 weeks ago for a late afternoon flight the security line was backed up worse than I'd ever seen. I had to wait an unusual 20 minutes or so at the elite check-in area. By the time I got in line for security--and the elite line still took about 15 minutes-- the lines had gone back to nearly normal, and all the nude-o-scopes were blocked off. My guess is that the earlier back up was due to their being used, and that the NOS were temporarily roped off only to process pax more quickly.

Yes, I saw a MMW machine being worked on in DCA at the US shuttle CP. There was a guy inside it on a ladder working on the top interior portion of it. If I had been in that lane, I probably could have seen the internal workings of it.

One time when I opted out, I caused a ruckus because they tried to push me to the side to "wait for a screener to become available." After refusing to move to the side, the line behind me for the NoS became quite lengthy (with people that were "randomly selected" for the NoS). When one of the 2-stripers saw how long the NoS line was, he told the TSA agent directing traffic to send everyone in the NoS line through the WMD.

This gave me two thoughts. First, I thought once you were "randomly selected" for the NoS that hell would have to freeze over before you were allowed to go through the WMD. Second, everyone there in that line should have tipped me $5 for taking care of the opt-out process for them. :D

Not at SFO AA Terminal 3. Just before midnight on Tues 1/25 they were channeling everyone through the Nude-O-Scope, and everyone seemed to be cooperating happily. I threw a wrench into the works by opting out, which seemed to make the WTMD "guard" quite angry. There seemed to be more screeners hanging around than there were paxs, but he quite agitatedly told me that I had to wait until a "male assist" was available. (During the time I was there only one other person, a young lady, opted out). I had deliberately given myself lots of time to make my red-eye, so I waited quite patiently. Had the same experience Saturday, 1/22 for the 7:05am to JFK.

I do not know if my observation is unique, but I had previously thought the SFO screeners at AA behaved with some civility. Now they seem to go out of their way to be rude.

That's not been my observation since 1/4. AIT was in use at JAX, MCO, and SFO when I went through. In fact the elite lines I used at JAX and SFO are pointed directly at lanes with AIT, and plenty of passengers (but not airline or airport employees) were being directed through them. I opted out in SFO and again in JAX.

I didn't see any at the LGA Delta checkpoint.

That was a diversion to prevent you from getting eyes on that super-secret form that they fill out when you don't bring ID.

Hmmm....I think you are on to something in the way that you firmly, politely and correctly asserted your right to be screened next, as you were next in line.

NEVER