Empty pockets at PreCheck line?
#16




Join Date: May 2005
Location: Dulles, VA
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Posts: 2,777
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.
#17


Join Date: Sep 2015
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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
#18
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#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.
#20



Join Date: May 2011
Location: San Antonio, TX
Programs: AA EXP, DL Silver, Global Entry
Posts: 1,876
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.
#22
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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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.
#23


Join Date: May 2013
Location: New York
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Posts: 1,239
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.
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.
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.
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.
#25


Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: CLE
Programs: UA Silver
Posts: 1,285
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.
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
#26
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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
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

-- 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.
#27



Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: OSH
Programs: SWRR, HH, SM, TSA Pre
Posts: 942
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.

