Hello

Last December we went through lax, JFK & orlando and no issues with security. No pat down, no scanner, metal detector only.

Last week we went thru lax, metal detector only. Yet upon leavin Ohare as I went thru the metal detector it buzzed.

I had no metal and was told it was not metal it was random.

They put me in a glass room while my family watched
Guy came in wipped my hands came back 30 seconds later and relEased me?

The machine has a random infrequent alert so that a small percentage of passengers get extra screening regardless of whether or not they had metal. I've only gotten randomed once or twice that I recall - they just pulled me aside & wiped my bags for chemical markers. It's not profiling related.

Thank you
Makes me feel better
BTW: they never tested my carry on, just my hands
Thanks again

Got the same last Friday at MOB. Except, they tested for explosives my laptop (I have Macbook Air). Not me or anything else.

Got it one time last month. They did a quick patdown and sent me on my way.

I've been hit 4 times now in the last month. Once at SNA and MSY and twice at PDX. It's a "new" thing (as explained by the friendly TSO at PDX). Quick 10 second swab my hands, or at PDX, my shoes.

This started happening after Bin Laden was killed. In fact, I never remember hearing "random selection" alarm prior to the beginning of May.

JFK was doing that on the exit from the Customs area to the DL concourse 2 months ago.

Really annoying given the multiple security checks leaving IST (X-Ray/WTMD to get in terminal, interrogation at check-in, WTMD/x-ray entering gate followed by a HHMD check 5 feet later, then a grope 15 feet later, then a swab of the bag, then another inspection of BP and passport by security personnel who recorded the information and forced you to sign a document).

This happened to me at FLL on 4/1.

Happened to me at ORD T2 last month. Since I had no metal I watched if some one "picked me" but after the hand wipe was allowed to proceed.

Since the usual retaliatory harassment and "little old lady" screenings are diversions from what might be real threats, the random machine-triggered screenings might actually enhance the chance that they would focus on a random bad guy. Of course, 0.0000001% is larger than 0.000000001%, but it's the appearance that counts.

Its also random what we test. And its not left up to the discretion of the TSO at that point.

I doubt it. Most likely thing is that you had metal that you didnt realize that you had.

Another possibility is that you touched the metal detector as you passed through. Most TSO's know about this being a problem and will have you go through again, but if they missed the touch then most likely not.

Last possibility is that an outside influience of some sort set off the detector. The magnetic field tends to extend all around the detector, not just in the doorway. Excess metal around it or some other EMI could have caused the alarm.

One of the two above answers from people with TSO in their names is actually informed by fact. The other isn't.

At an unnamed airport the other day, the sheet that shows the "random screening profile" was actually left on top of the x-ray tunnel. It indicated that from 3:30 to 4:00, for example, a "random alert" would trigger hand ETD, while from 4:00 to 4:30, it would trigger bag search and ETD (example only).

Happens about 15 times an hour at my airport. Cell phones are the most common cause, followed by belts, jewelry, and of course lots of change ($) in the pocket. It only takes once to get additional screening.

This also happens daily, but not as often. 4, maybe 5 times an hour. Most times the TSO notes the inadvertent or intentional touch (people trying to steady themselves) and has the passenger go back through and try it again. Again, it only takes once to get additional screening, especially if the TSO misses the touch.

EMI = Electromagnetic Interference. The causes of EMI are pretty wide ranging, and the magnetic field of the WTMD can be affected by it, no matter the form. The magnetic field of the WTMD is focused into the doorway, but not confined there. Next time you are at the airport watch what happens when someone in a wheelchair or a vendor with a metal hand-truck or some other form of metal cart goes between two WTMD�s, they usually both go off.

As for the other possibility, well that was covered in post #2 of this thread and needed nothing further from me. I presented a few alternate possibilities that the individual who made the second post to the thread did not. The additional information may be quite valuable to many who read here and may just prevent them from getting that additional screening that seems to have upset you so. I�m sorry that you failed to see the value-add to the thread.