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TSA PreCheck "Random" Extra Screening?

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TSA PreCheck "Random" Extra Screening?

   
Old Oct 18, 14, 9:24 pm
  #61  
 
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Originally Posted by guflyer
Himeno, when you mentioned that there were random hand swabs in the precheck line, do you mean that people with the random beep received hand swabs or was this separate?
At JFK? No.
There were 3 line entry points. Precheck signed, priority signed and 'normal'.
There was a TSO directing random people from the start of the normal line towards either the precheck side or the normal side.

Each side had 2 TDCs. The precheck side had a ETD post set up with a number of TSO's operating it after the line split and before the TDCs.
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Old Oct 22, 14, 10:24 am
  #62  
 
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Originally Posted by Mats
Here in Seattle, the PreCheck WTMDs are clearly calibrated at a much more sensitive level. I have a pair of timberlands with not the slightest identifiable bit of metal, but they set off the PreCheck WTMD. So I now carry "PreCheck Shoes." It's better than being barefoot. I wear running shoes now.
The metal detector at the Precheck lane in IAH Terminal A is extremely sensitive, with my belt (leather, metal buckle but not big) and shoes (leather dress shoes) setting it off. Both go into the X-ray. It's fun when I have to go through there because people see me in the precheck lane and assume I'm somebody who got diverted into the lane and doesn't have a clue (two laptops so one needs to go in a bin, plus the shoes and belt being taken off).

None of the other terminals (in my experience, although it's mainly been terminal C) at IAH, nor any other airport with Precheck I've been to, are sensitive enough for those same items to set them off.
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Old Oct 22, 14, 6:33 pm
  #63  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
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Originally Posted by phltraveler
(two laptops so one needs to go in a bin, plus the shoes and belt being taken off).
I keep both mine in my backpack, but I've got one of those "checkpoint friendly" style ones that I use for travel. The smaller one goes in the main area of the backpack, the bigger one goes in the lay-flat zip-out portion.

I guess since they're not on top of each other, I don't get hassled.
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Old Oct 23, 14, 10:24 am
  #64  
 
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Originally Posted by Mats
...One will have to be careful to avoid being in line behind crew members. Even when not on duty, they are exempt from random beeps...
Do you mean that, if the WTMD beeps on a crew member, TSA ignores the beep?
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Old Oct 23, 14, 5:33 pm
  #65  
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Originally Posted by Schmurrr
Do you mean that, if the WTMD beeps on a crew member, TSA ignores the beep?
The WTMD indicates whether or not it's a "random" alarm, though; it displays "RAND" or something like that. IME the beep is somewhat delayed (about a second), compared to the immediate beep for metal, but I doubt it's very often that someone tailgates so closely that they get hit with the "random" alarm for the prior person through.

I could see TSA ignoring a "random" alarm for a crew member if they know it's truly a random alarm; that wouldn't surprise me at all.
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Old Oct 23, 14, 9:59 pm
  #66  
 
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Yes, crew members are exempt from random alarms.

I was subject to the hand swabbing because there were random alarms but crew members set them off. So they had to attend to the random with the first available non-crew member.
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Old Oct 24, 14, 7:10 pm
  #67  
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Originally Posted by Mats
Yes, crew members are exempt from random alarms.

I was subject to the hand swabbing because there were random alarms but crew members set them off. So they had to attend to the random with the first available non-crew member.
Well, that's about as "logical" as anything else the TSA does. "Ooh, it beeped for the crew member! So subject the next person in line to it..."
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Old Oct 24, 14, 9:11 pm
  #68  
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I had it at ORD. Nothing in my pockets. I got the nudeoscope and full pat down. Not happy.
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Old Oct 25, 14, 10:53 am
  #69  
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Random beep at Pre-Check at ORD (UA) this morning. Told new procedure was the nude-o-scope. Told them to forget it. Give me my stuff back and I'll leave.

The sup then asked if the swab was okay. Fine with that. ^
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Old Oct 26, 14, 1:46 pm
  #70  
 
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Iluv2fly,
You have more courage than I do!
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Old Oct 30, 14, 7:29 am
  #71  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
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"Random" alarms in the pre-check line are now happening at SEA. I observed it happening at checkpoints 3 and 4 (not sure about the other CP's but my best guess is that its going on throughout the airport. Can't confirm that though). When the random alarm hits, they are directing people through the NOS

Also, I've seen the alarm go off on two people in a row at PDX. So if the person in front of you gets the random alarm, don't assume you are necessarily safe from avoiding it.
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Old Oct 30, 14, 9:16 am
  #72  
 
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...and TSA still hasn't responded to the 5,000+ public comments on the NOS NPRM.
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Old Oct 30, 14, 10:06 am
  #73  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
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I have seen a significant increase in "random" WTMD alarms recently, with the selectee steered to the AIT scanner. When it happened to me this week, I refused the machine and got a patdown. No genital grope or karate chop though, and they didn't search my bags even though they said they were going to.
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Old Oct 30, 14, 11:32 am
  #74  
 
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Originally Posted by BSBD
Yes. If you alarm the WTMD you are now not given another chance to go through it - it's an immediate shuffle to the AIT scanner. Plus, the random beep now means you'll likely get the scanner instead of a hand swab.
I set off the metal detector alarm at the PreCheck line at SEA on 10/22 and I was allowed to try again after taking my wallet out of my pocket... no one suggested I needed to go to the body scanner.

It was my brand new SPG Plat for Life card which I had put in my wallet..it's made of metal and it was the reason the alarm went off. So I now know I can't carry it in my wallet when I travel (which is kind of unfortunate).
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Old Oct 30, 14, 12:17 pm
  #75  
 
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Originally Posted by SEA1K4EVR
I set off the metal detector alarm at the PreCheck line at SEA on 10/22 and I was allowed to try again after taking my wallet out of my pocket... no one suggested I needed to go to the body scanner.
Looks like you were fortunate not to encounter a martinet.
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