My wife will soon have hip replacement surgery. Since the prosthesis will be metal (part of it's titanium and part stainless steel, I think), will she have to carry a doctor's letter in the future to show when she goes through the metal detector? Or is there another solution?
Thanks,
Gary

My mother has several joint replacements. She just explains the situation to the TSA officer and asks to be hand searched since her replacement joints will set of any metal detector.

No note is needed. You will alarm the metal detector when you walk through it and will be automatically hand searched. Just tell them as you walk through that you have a hip replacement. It's funny, people with metal replacements always hand us cards or doctor's notes saying they have metal implants and think that's it, thier done and they can just walk to thier gate, but reality is that anyone can get or make a "doctor's note" and they are basically worthless. We just explain to the folks that regardless of what thier card or note might say, we need them to go through a secondary screening to make sure the hip replacement, etc. is all that alarmed.

So you're saying that the lady who posted about having cancer surgery, the woman who has breast cancer and needs water and the gentleman whose relative has no salivary glands must now give up flying because a note from a doctor stating that these people must have access to adequate hydration will not be accepted by the TSA?

I guess that someone is going to have to die before the a**h***s at DHS/TSA recognize that the liquids ban has the capacity to do more harm than any "threat" of terrorism.

He did not say that. He spoke only of matel ringing the detector and said that a doctor's note would not keep one from being screened. Those having a medical need for water, will likely have the water checked.

A bit harsh but with a ring of truth. Today's absurd rules are arguably more likely to cause harm than a terrorist. But remember, the people working on the security linesare not all as smart as the average FTer and are just trying to do their job. It's their leadership that is deficient. Write your representatives and complain.

However, remember that where the average FTer thinks this all silly, the most people (mostly not FFers) believe the rules makes us safer and the politicians usually listen to them more than us. Our only hope is that politicians and their families fly alot and may to closer to us than to the man on the street.

Correct, he was referring to only those who alarm the WTMD. However, by extrapolation, he is saying that NO note from a doctor is acceptable and that is totally unacceptable. Once again, it comes down to pax having to prove that they are not guilty rather than the TSA proving that they are guilty.

Really? I'm a pretty darn frequent flyer and while I find the rules annoying at times, I'm all for piling them on.

Especially because we apparently aren't allowed to PROFILE people using data mining techniques.

TSA has no provisions for anyone to carry water or beverages through security, medical need or not, unless traveling with very young kids. A doctor's note would do no good as beverages of any kind are not allowed through security.

Thank you "mshaikun" for standing up for me so to speak. As far as people with other health problems that may need water to keep hydrated and keep from becoming sicker, these issues will be handled on a case by case basis. There is a provision in the SOP that says if the passenger needs water for a medical issue, it can go. How your going to prove it's health related? I don't know what to tell you. I'm not a supervisor and don't know what will and will not suffice. I,the day after the ban went into effect, allowed an ederly lady keep a 32oz jar of water so she could take the 13 pills that she needed to sustain her life. She said she needed to take these pills every 8 hours. It was clearly the right thing to do and I decided that on my own without involving my supervisor. Thankfully she didn't try to blow anything up with that jar or I would have had some explaining to do. Will every case be handled like this? NO, but hopefully most will. I don't really believe in the liquid ban as it is being handled today. There should be changes made. At least let sealed liquids in or allow people to take things purchased in the sterile area with them on the plane or just get rid of the whole ban entirely. I'm not even allowed to bring my can of soda or bottle of water in with me and I'm the one taking it away from all of you. I know how your feeling, but as "mshaikun" said I'm just doing my job. I don't make the rules.

To quote myself from above:

Not to start a fight between anyone or cause any trouble, but no one has to go without water. You can purchase water, soda, juice, milk, etc. at the concession stands inside of security, drink what they need, toss the left over and get a new bottle from the flight attendant. Yes it is ridiculous and I wish the rules were differant, but for right now this is how it is. If someone needs water they will do whatever they have to to get it. Even it it means paying 3 bucks for a bottle of dasani. Do you remember the man in MKE that pulled out the bottle of water right right before take-off of a Midwest flight a couple weeks ago? The plane was taken back to the gate and after investigating, it was found out that a TSA agent let the man have the water for a medical reason. That person did the right thing and look what happened.

I understand what your saying, but if you think about it, how is the TSA agent supposed to verify the note? If they call the number listed on the note, how can they be sure it's really a doctor? I could make up a note from a doctor and put a friends phone number on it and tell the TSA agent or LEO to call it to verify. They call and the person on the other end isn't really a doctor. They let the water or whatever into the airport. What if that were the SOP? We have to call the number on the note to "verify" the contents of the note. What if a real terrorist did just that? Fake note, fake "doctor." We would follow the SOP and end up letting a bomb on a plane and it gets blown up. You'd be the first to crucify the TSA/DHS or whoever. It's a NO WIN situation.

By doing what you are suggesting, pax are turning over responsibility for their health and safety to third parties, namely FA's and the TSA - which we know is notorious for making up rules and power tripping on pax. No one can be guaranteed that the flight will have enough water on board, no matter what one might have asked their airline to provide (quote from another thread):

The airlines can say that they will do this, but pax cannot stakes their very lives on any verbal assurance on the part of an agent of the airline.

No one can be assured that the FA's will be willing to provide one with all the water needed or that a flight will not encounter conditions where all must remain seated, limiting even a willing FA to get a person additional water.

Pax cannot turn over responsibility for their health to others; they must be allowed to bring all required water on board with them.