ByeByeDelta

Last week I was flying out of Raleigh and taking two company laptops with me. TSO picks up the first one to do the swabby-thing. I'm waiting with the rest of my belongings when the machine starts beeping and the screen turns red. TSO calls out, "ETD alarm!" Another TSO walks over and gives me a quick pat down while the first writes in what appears to be a log book.

That was it! Not a second look was given at the offending laptop, a second ETD swab nor were any of my other belongings looked at. I asked what set it off and got the, "We can't tell you" bull. I realize the whole security thing is just a facade, but couldn't they at least make an effort (beyond confiscating water bottles) to appear like they are doing something?

LessO2

Did they give the machine a whack? Did they use a fresh sample cloth? Did they take your personal information?

jonesing

Last trip out of DEN the baby's car seat set off the ETD! Now first of all they weren't happy that it couldn't fit in the x-ray (his car seat and wheeled attachment looks a lot like this). So they had to do a hand check including ETD swab.

Supervisor comes over and she swabs again. Alarm. So then they go through the whole deal of wiping down the metal table and wand with alcohol, getting a new swab clotch, wiping the sensors etc. Alarm. Super says something to the effect of the unit being troublesome all day...based on his observation there's no threat (not that he even checked the seat himself) yada yada yada and sends us on our way. I'm assuming it was indeed the machine since we had just washed the car seat cover a few days prior to the trip.

flyinbob

By "we can't tell you", they try to mean that you're not important enough to tell. But what they mean is "we're too stupid to know, nobody tells us what it means, so we can't tell you".

LessO2

Washing means using soap, soap has glycerine, glycerine triggers alarms on the ETD machine.

Jaimito Cartero

I've had items that alarmed a few different times. They always shrug, and try a different machine. Adds another minute or so to my wait.

IceTrojan

Terrific. I feel so safe now.

N830MH

Good. Are you feel safe from ETD machine?

RocketHokie

Note to self: don't indulge in a twilight model rocket launch before flying to DFW next week and don't even think about recycling any of those spent blackpowder rocket motors to make display stands or adaptors for mini motors.

My work and hobbies make ETD have a meltdown!

TakeScissorsAway

Which Ckpt ?

Did it go thru the X-ray first ? Was it opened after it alarmed ?

essxjay

Well, ByeByeDelta, did they?

Jaimito Cartero

I have an "L" engine casing around. Perhaps I should bring it through security, and see if it alarms.

Texas_Dawg

Why would they do that?

They are there to do what it takes to get paid. Period.

Since you, I, and they know this, why should any of us expect or even ask them to do more than what these people did in this situation?

ByeByeDelta

No machine whacking, no second sample, no personal information, no panic, no nothing!

Departing Terminal C. Computer went through x-ray, TSO #1 took it to swab, alarm goes off, TSO #2 comes over and I get a very quick pat down, TSO #1 writes something in a log book, TSO #2 says, "Thanks, have a good flight," I pick up the laptop and walk away.

Pat89339

Thanks LessO2! It's always bugged me that my freshly washed sneakers trigger the alarm on the ETD machine. Now I know why.