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Old Jun 24, 2016 | 8:08 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by Rare
I've wondered if the RFID chip in the NEXUS card would set off the WTMD, and was too chicken to test it to find out (didn't want to be inconvenienced if it did set it off). Sounds like it's not a problem--thanks for the report!
People don't take eyeglasses off when going through metal detectors, right? Always keep in mind that the senstivity is set so that a small amount of metal is not going to alarm. RFID chips and the like won't, nor will eyeglasses, earrings and most simple jewelry.
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Old Jun 27, 2016 | 4:59 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by pewpew
I've heard the no pocket thing before, but I usually hold my passport + BP (or more often, nexus + bp) in my hand and never have a problem.
Same here - usually state ID + BP, for a longtime a passport (the state ID took a few months to materialise). On one occasion using Pre, the screener quickly thumbed through the passport (presumably looking for any hidden objects, they weren't reading the pages).

I've done the same in non-pre lines, they don't mind me holding a passport in my hand.

Note: my passport has an RFID chip, but no shielding. I think some countries now incorporate shielding into their passports, I'm not sure how that would affect metal detectors.

Last edited by televisor; Jun 27, 2016 at 7:47 am
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Old Jun 27, 2016 | 5:28 am
  #18  
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Originally Posted by Non-NonRev
So why not empty pockets voluntarily? I always do, and have had zero problems in the precheck line.
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Many people are concerned about the potential for theft at TSA checkpoints, whether by TSA employees or others.
Correct so I empty my pockets and put my wallet etc. in my small carry on.
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Old Jun 27, 2016 | 7:40 am
  #19  
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Given PreCheck passengers were to be increasingly subjected to WTMD screening either followed by or substituted with strip search machine screening, such PreCheck passengers' pockets needing to be empty speeds up things a bit for some.
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Old Jun 27, 2016 | 8:01 am
  #20  
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I really haven't changed my long time pre-security routine even now with PreCheck. I find an out of the way location and pretty well empty my pockets of change, keys, cell phone, wallet, etc. All of that goes into my carry on and mostly in interior zipped pockets. Nobody is going to casually slip a hand into my carry on for a quick prize and maybe I've been lucky but never had a bag get out of my sight. Obviously I don't worry about shoes and belts like I used to so that's certainly an improvement.
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Old Jun 27, 2016 | 11:44 pm
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Hundreds of times through PreCheck, I have never removed my wallet, and its never been a problem.
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Old Jun 28, 2016 | 9:30 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by catocony
People don't take eyeglasses off when going through metal detectors, right? Always keep in mind that the senstivity is set so that a small amount of metal is not going to alarm. RFID chips and the like won't, nor will eyeglasses, earrings and most simple jewelry.
Less that two weeks ago my wife and I finally got pre-check on the same flight so we used it. No instructions about emptying pockets, I went through the WTMD with glasses & belt and a metallic zipper and paper money in my pocket like I did in the old days. No problems.
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Old Jun 30, 2016 | 8:24 am
  #23  
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It's generally easier (in my opinion) to empty your pockets at the PreCheck line. 95% of the time you're fine, but every once in a while you'll get the single random beep going through the WTMD. In my experience I've seen three reactions to that:

1) Hold out your hands, they swab them with the wand and put the swab in the bomb sniffing machine (pockets being full is fine)

2) Manual pat down (have to empty your pockets anyways)

3) Reverse through WTMD and go through AIT (if anything is in pockets, it alerts, manual pat down and empty pockets).

YMMV.

Originally Posted by catocony
People don't take eyeglasses off when going through metal detectors, right? Always keep in mind that the senstivity is set so that a small amount of metal is not going to alarm. RFID chips and the like won't, nor will eyeglasses, earrings and most simple jewelry.
It depends on the airport. I had a particular belt and shoes with small amount of metal in them (miniscule amounts for the shoes, to reinforce the holes for the shoelaces, not even visible from the exterior) and there was one WTMD that without fail would alarm if I was wearing one or both of them: The WTMD in IAH Terminal A. I took off my shoes and belt and people tried to "help" me by explaining I didn't need to do it, but having gone through that detector for months I knew there was no way to walk through it without setting it off.
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Old Jul 2, 2016 | 11:59 am
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It all depends on each WTMD's setting. I have often walked through with my belt which has some metal and occasionally some coins (unintentional) without any issue.
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Old Nov 25, 2024 | 2:00 pm
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Not necessarily a CLEAR issue, but seems TSA is now requiring "all pockets empty" going through the metal detector at the Pre checkpoint?

At ORD Clear/Pre checkpoint this weekend I was scolded for leaving my wallet in my back pocket even though it didn't set the machine off. Made me put the wallet in the dog bowl on the xray belt, then walk back through the detector only to have the damn thing alarm and oh, "randomly" selected! Then got the phone swabbed down

Edited to add: The phone was not on my person, it had already cleared on the xray belt ahead of me.

Last edited by paule123; Nov 25, 2024 at 9:41 pm
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Old Nov 25, 2024 | 9:02 pm
  #26  
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Originally Posted by paule123
Not necessarily a CLEAR issue, but seems TSA is now requiring "all pockets empty" going through the metal detector at the Pre checkpoint?

At ORD Clear/Pre checkpoint this weekend I was scolded for leaving my wallet in my back pocket even though it didn't set the machine off. Made me put the wallet in the dog bowl on the xray belt, then walk back through the detector only to have the damn thing alarm and oh, "randomly" selected! Then got the phone swabbed down
My assumption is that it's in the event you get the quota alarm are sent through the "scanner" -- I never empty my pockets, save for my wallet, which alarms with two Amex cards within, and have not had any issues passing through the WTMD with my pen, work ID card wallet (separate from my wallet) and occasionally a mini bottle of Purell.
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Old Nov 27, 2024 | 11:10 am
  #27  
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I follow the same routine every time. Wallet, watch, phone all go into the backpack before I get in line. The only things in my pockets are my ID and BP. Occasionally I get a screener that tries to tell me to take my belt off, but I wear a Frequent Flyer belt for specifically this reason. Never had an issue. One time I did forget that my wallet was still in my back pocket. Three metal cards is apparently enough to set off the WTMD at BNA.
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