I almost always remove everything from my pockets before walking through the metal detector, as I'm never sure what will cause it to beep and what will not.

But a couple of weeks ago at PHF (which has some of the most laid-back TSA staff I've ever encountered) one screener said, "oh, you can leave your wallet in your pocket" as I was placing my keys, pen, coins, and such in one of the little doggy bowls provided.

I walked through with my bulging wallet in my pocket and did not set off the detector.

I'm curious: does TSA SOP require wallets (and/or ALL items) to be removed from pockets? I can see how a screener might think a bulge in someone's pocket might be some sort of "non-metal threat."

You don't have to remove anything from your pockets if you don't want to. However, do consider that if it is metal, then you are more likely to set off the WTMD, which will send you to secondary. In addition, unusual bulges may get you sent to secondary as well. (Can't wait for the responses to that sentence.)

I pretty much never remove my wallet while going through the WTMD, though I have been asked to remove it during secondary.

As the above poster stated, wallets dont have to be sent through xray if you dont have any metal in it. Some guys alarm because they have forgotten they stashed a key in the wallet.

If you are sent to secondary however, then the screener should be taking a look at your wallet after you divest yourself of it to be hand wanded.

Exactly. Where the screener is apt to count your currency bill by bill and examine each credit card very closely. And comment upon same.

Why in the world does my wallet that does not contain a milligram of metal need to be examined? Several weeks ago, I did not have to divest myself of my wallet when hand wanded during a random secondary (like a dutiful sheople I removed my non-WTMD alarming penny loafers and put them through the X-ray, did not have SSSS on my boarding pass). Did that TSA crew violate SOP, or do the teams that require divestment of wallets violate SOP? Is there even an SOP regarding wallets? Again, why should wallets be removed? TSA - what a horrible, expensive bad joke that is eroding our civil rights!

I've never removed, or been asked, to remove my wallet. The closest thing to metal in it would be the magnetic stripes on a few cards.

sigh...oh yes we spend hours discussing your American Express credit card....sheesh...

As I already stated once, if your wallet doesnt contain metal you dont have to send it through the xray, if however you are sent to secondary screening it will be looked at. If you are a Selectee your wallet, carryon luggage, and even your belt will be checked and you are hand wanded as well as given an upper body patdown. That is what it means to be a Selectee, you are selected for further screening.

If you alarm as you go through the xray, you should be hand wanded and go through the patdown. Dont really know what you mean by "random secondary" and as people here tend to leave out certain facts wouldnt care to guess.

Several times I have found razor blades in wallets and during an xray procedure a straight razor was found. I know I know, how dare we take away razor blades or straight razors.

One Saturday afternoon, when I putting my shoes back on at DEN about two months ago, I learned that one of your colleagues have a fascination with Kate Spades, and even went as far as thanking her colleague for the search that she got to do.

And about two years ago, after I refused to remove my shoes, I was lucky enough to learn one DEN TSA's brother-in-law had the exact same size 16 shoe as I do. I found that fascinating.

On June 10 at Flagstaff (FLG), I was "selected" because the idiot checking IDs had never seen an INSPASS before. My wallet was already in my carry-on bag, but the TSA guy took it out and carefully went through everything inside. I really hate that. It's soooo stupid! Of course, when I asked why they would do something so stupid, the guy chanted some ridiculous nonsense about razor-sharp credit-card knives. Really!

Bruce

Actually, credit cards are about the most dangerous thing that you own.

The whole point behind checking people is to make certain that planes are not hijacked but with a single credit card, assuming it has a large enough line of credit, you can lease a jet and make the pilot take you anywhere!

As I already stated once, my wallet does not contain metal and has never set off a WTMD. For that matter, I do not set off WTMD because I fly often enough that I know what to place in my carry-on bag. I do not send my wallet through the X-ray because I never let it out of my sight/control.

I presume that what you mean by "Selectee" is SSSS on the boarding pass. Despite being born in the U.S. Midwest, an attorney licensed in two states, a member of frequent flyer clubs for AA, NW, WN, and UA, and flight tickets almost almost always bought at least a week in advance with the firm's credit card, I receive SSSS very often. My wallet has been examined only once or twice during SSSS screenings.

I thought that "random secondary" was self-explanatory. Several weeks ago, at a small airport, I removed my penny loafers, which do not alarm WTMD and have a heel/sole that is about 1 1/4 inch thick, and put them through the X-ray machine like the obedient sheople do. I did not alarm the WTMD. The TSA screener at the WTMD directed me to secondary, where I was wanded in the arms out - legs spread posture and given a pat-down. TSA did the same thing to a female attorney. Neither one of us had bulges, both born in the U.S. TSA did not examine my wallet during this search.

Regarding the razors found in wallets, did those wallets alarm the WTMD? If not, then there seems to be a problem with the WTMD.

Finally, I recently attended a political fundraiser where two U.S. Senators and President Bush spoke. My shoes did not come off, my wallet was not removed, and security there told me to go through the WTMD with my watch on my wrist.

I have never been asked to remove my wallet either pre-WTMD, during secondary screening, or during selectee screening. I used to remove it for a while post-9/11 and bury it in my laptop bag when the WTMDs seemed set so sensitive that a credit-card or dime would set them off (I once during this era set off the WTMD and the only metal the hand wand found was an errant dime in my pocket.), but I have long since stopped that. Presumably my wallet does not alarm the wand, because I have made it through secondary and selectee body wandings without incident.

If a screener tried to take my wallet out of my sight for x-ray or any other reasons, I would complain and might call for a LEO. If a screener tried to palm through or read through my wallet, I would probably ask for a witness and maybe a LEO. There's too much opportunity for slight-of-hand with a credit card or some cash, and I know how quickly someone with a photographic memory can memorize a credit card number.

There's no reason to paw through a wallet that doesn't alarm a metal detector. A razor blade will set of the detector. "Non metal" threats that would fit in a wallet are a farce.

If they want to x-ray my wallet, I'll be happy to put it in my zippered laptop bag (myself) and let them run it through, but no way I'm handing it to them and letting it sit out in the open in one of those little bins.

I was recently asked to remove my wallet at FRA and send it through the device with the carryon stuff.

It was explained that the wallet was thicker than they would allow through the walk-through. "Thin wallets are OK there, thicker ones need more scrutiny", or words to that effect.

None of the contents were stolen by FRA personnel.