Need Advice for Going Through Airport Security.

Post Reply New Topic

Next week I am going to be flying for the first time in years. Last time I flew was after the 3 ounces of each liquid in a zip lock baggie rule but before the whole underwear bomber thing.

They had the metal detectors and a sniffer machine that didn't work. No body scanners or pat downs.

I am kind of nervous because my husband who travels a lot has been swabbed and patted down, and once made to strip, just about every time he has had to go to the airport. They once almost cut up his sneakers because the x-ray machine couldn't "see through" the air pocket cushion inside the sole.

We figure since it always happens at the same airport either someone at TSA has it out for him or it's because he rarely has carry on's. Just checks his luggage.

And all those TSA horror stories...

I am willing to do the body scanners and what ever it takes to not get the invasive pat down or have to strip. Any ideas on staying calm and cooperative?

I've never been searched but I was on a small flight once, maybe 8 people and I'm 6' 2" 200lbs with a beard and rather unkempt appearance. I was waiting in line when the TSA guys came up and I thought for sure they'd pull me out of line but instead took the 14 year old girl in front of me and the 80 year old grandmother behind me cause that makes sense. Wouldn't want to profile the sketchy looking dude or anything.

Wear tight fitting clothes, if you wear a jacket take it off and place it in the scanner with your bags. Do not wear a belt or any jewelery. I often wear a tight shirt with no sleeves and thight trousers, that way you can not hide anything. Take of your shoes and place them in the scanner with everythig else. You might have to do this anyway (only compulsory in some airports like eg. London). Do not wear anything metal if you can avoid it.
Do not bring liquids in your carry through bags, place it in the suitcase.

This ususally works for me but sometimes they will choose people randomly (eg. every 10 person), you can ask for a same gender person to do the patting down if it happens.

I was searched on the trip back from London, the gate flashed red. I was annoyed by it since on the trip to London I wore the same clothes (apart from the underwear and the shirt) without problem. In addition, my luggage had been found suspicious, too. I was already a bit late. Patting down wasn't a big problem for me but all the things together made me rather angry, I told some not-too-polite words and claims to the officer, luckily could contain the biggest part of my anger (and could get away with it).

In your luggage, try not to pile to many electrical gadgets next to each other and no tangle of cords. If you bring a computer you have to take it out of the bag and place it seperately on the mashine.

The "portals" you walk through can have different sensitivity to metal objects, that might explain why one portal will go beep and another will not.

Do not wear coins in your pockets.
Some portals will react on studs in jeans.
High heeled shoes sometimes have a metal reinforcement in them and will make the machines go beep.

I agree with the other suggestions, but to make things easier, I would suggest wearing slip on shoes as you do have to put your shoes in the bin, and before you leave, make sure you check your carry on bag for liquids and either put them in your checked bag or leave them at home.That also goes for nail clippers, it's best to leave those at home. The only thing I've been through other than a metal detector was one of those scanners, but everyone else had to go through them as well. I found that I'm more likely to find that my checked bag is often one of those randomly selected to be opened and searched, but that's it as far as added security.

I'm so terrified of them touching me that I don't even plan to fly again. I haven't flown since before 9/11.

If I tried to fly and they wanted to search me I'd either have to refuse and hope they'll let me leave with little trouble or force myself to let them do what I would consider a sexual assault on me and just be distraught and traumatized after.

I insist on alternate screening in a private area. The "advanced" machines are basically pointless.

I'm really worried about this when I go to America next year. I've heard the security/border people are really scary. And I'm transgender, so I really, really want to avoid a search.

I'm just planning to wear a t-shirt, hoodie and shorts with elastic rather than a zip so there's nothing metal. I may take a couple of samples of my medication just in case my bag is lost, with a letter from my doctor stating why I need them, but no other liquids or electrics other than my phone.

I didn't have any trouble with my prescriptions last time I flew, I just made sure I had my paperwork.

I haven't flown on a commercial flight since about 1992 so I haven't had trouble with the TSA.

From what I understand, older people who are far more likely than younger people to have various surgical implants, are picked out far more often for screening. I have stainless steel surgical suture inside my heart and that sets off the metal detectors if they are set too sensitive. I would imagine that just about every TSA checkpoint would single me out for intrusive searching.

The last time I flew on a commercial flight was a trip to California to do some work in Pasadena for a few days in 1992. When I entered the airport to fly back home, some security schmuck with a hand held metal detector scanned me over and over and over again for like 10 or 15 minutes. Of course, every time he went over my chest with the detector, it would beep. He didn't want to listen to any explanations about having had heart surgery at all -- he was convinced I was hiding something somewhere.

I just recently went on not one or two, but three airplane trips. One airplane to my destination, and then two to get back home.

The first airplane trip, the TSA officer checking my boarding pass asked if I was going on my first flight, because I "looked anxious", and then complimented my hat. She continued her conversation about my hat and where I was going after she did my boarding pass and checked my ID, but then left me alone when I said I was only going for the weekend.

The second time, the TSA officer responsible for helping people go through the metal detector sincerely asked me how old I was. He thought I was twelve or younger, so why did I put my shoes in the plastic bin? I also got a pretty non-invasive pat down, probably because I might've moved my arms a little when I was in the bodyscanner (I have mild CP, and putting my arms over my head is a tad difficult).

When I was leaving the airport on the way home after the third trip, I did get a "clear throat glare" from one of the TSA officers. I'm not sure why.

Agents are trained to read behavioral cues among other things. Things that register on their radar are: lack of carry-ons, computer totes without computers, lack of proper items (if a man in business attire is carrying a briefcase with no documents in it, that is "suspicious"), unusual attire (if someone is wearing a thick coat in the middle of July and it is well above 98 degrees Fahrenheit), unusual anxiety/aversion (not making eye-contact, refusing to speak to agents or others, appearing to make an effort to "hide" or blend in with the crowd)/sweating (persons with ASDs fall into this category quite often), certain "suspicious items" such as firearms (obviously), knives (even if you are a vendor), surplus items (even camo), books referencing certain themes (survival, uniforms, and making weapons/explosives are often utilized by terrorists or narcotics traffickers).
When the agents engage you in conversation, they are reading your responses and noting any change(s) in behavior. Just remain as calm as possible and treat them with respect. If you feel like you are on the verge of a meltdown, politely ask to be taken to a private area to talk about it. If you have medical issues, disclose them to the agents if you feel it is necessary to do so. This may help speed the process along.

Last time I went through airport security they chose my laptop to be spot checked. They asked me to open it, but I was so freaked out by the spontaneous nature of their questioning I almost forgot how! Fortunately, I did manage to get it open, or else my poor laptop could have been chopped to pieces on bomb suspicion I suggest you be prepared, so everything you need to take off and such is ready before you enter the lines for the screening, to prevent yourself getting in a flap trying to sort everything out and looking suspicious.

Ivenever been patted down, but my mum gets picked out by either the metal detectors or the operators every single time. Seriously, she has never been through security without a patdown

Thank you to all who replied or took the poll. It's an early morning flight so hopefully I'll just breeze right through.

Your in luck. I'm a female aspie, and I work at TSA. Don't be so fooled by our uniforms. Underneath, everyone is a normal nice people, mostly, especially if you're flying out of Texas. No one is singling you out, if they do, its because they are just trying to do a good job. Don't get intimidated. I've worked at TSA for 4 years now, and all those stories you hear on the news, would never happen where I work. I think those stories are either false, or extremely exaggerated. Also, passengers can make mountains out of molehills.

Here are the rules: Shoes, belts, jackets off. Everything out of your pockets including paper and candy. Your bags and stuff go in the bucket which goes through the xray. If you're going through the metal detector, think ok do I have any metal. Take everything metal off your body. If you're going through the bodyscanner, all you do is stand on the yellow feet and hold your arms over your head. It doesn't see you naked. If it alarms, it doesn't mean you have anything and no one is targeting you. There could be a wrinkle in your pant cuffs, and they will say they need to pat your ankles down, no big deal, and you're done.

My advice: lose the judgement that TSA is out to get you and you'll be fine. If you hold that judgement while you're walking through security, you'll just attract attention to yourself.

Let me know if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.