Woman Says TSA Forced Piercings Removal

[DandyDon]

I have to take out my laptop, camcorder, etc. - and I insist on staying with it all. I go thru when it enters the machine, and I stay with it when it comes out. If they want more from me, they have to follow me as one of us gathers my stuff.

 

[Cacia]

If you want a list of places to avoid based on your experience in the US, let me know.

I'm curious...

I expect them to yell at me and it is a game I play with myself to try and figure out what it will be. I always want to look in the amnesty box.
I think if you have metal in/on your privates, they need to see what it is. I also think anybody that has a nipple ring probably shouldn't pretend to be too shy.

 

[mempilot]

I think if you have metal in/on your privates, they need to see what it is.

Really? What if it's in your head or joints?

Interestingly enough, there is a type of machine that sort of x-rays (low power) the entire body and points out areas graphically where there is metal on a pictorial body. It also gives indication to how big. I was exposed to this machine at the crew security checkpoint at Schiphol in Amsterdamn while based there this past summer. Pretty cool. I found out that a lot of Dutch flight attendants wear metal.

I also think anybody that has a nipple ring probably shouldn't pretend to be too shy.

There is a difference between prettending to be shy and being humiliated. It was handled improperly. They had some options. But hey, she may have been looking for an incident and the pay day as well. Who knows?

 

[mavdog]

TSA is to make all the lemmings feel safe. They are not real security.

 

[Scared Silly]

This is a procedural discression call. Obviously, conducting a pat-down of the privates isn't going to happen, and the TSA agent should have asked the traveler to either exit to the restroom to remove them in private and return through security, or not pass. Taking them to the screened area was BS, but I don't know that we have all the facts of what actually was said or discussed.

Once flagged the pax can not be allowed to leave the area with any unidentified objects. The TSA is basically screwed in this case, the woman had three choices - remove them, a nipple pat down, or skip the flight. In either case, the pax would have raised a stink.

The TSA is between a rock and hard place. Their job sucks. Given them break - learn the system and things go much faster. This comes from some one who has had several major battles with them (lost some and won some) but currently have a great relationship with some of my local officials.

 

[Shallow Draft]

The USA is not alone in the insanity of security. I was flying on a turbo prop regional flight in nothern Alberta, Canada [security is taken very seriously in Northern Canada]and triggered the secondary screening.
It turned out to be very obviosly the rivets on my jeans. For some reason these required a touch by a female of each rivet to make sure they were real rivets and not small copper colored peices of C4.

 

[TheScream]

I won't coddle you on this one. There are big pictures of this by each security checkpoint.

And as I said, in this particular instance (about a year ago) there was no sign visible to those coming form the customs area.

Hard to believe you didn't hear the PA announcement - that thing is so freakin' irritating, along with the TSA guys chanting it over and over while you're in line

As I said, I had only been out of the customs area about 30 seconds before my bag got scanned and they weren't "chanting" at the time.

I have had to take my laptop out in all the airports in Australia I travel through - Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Bribane - in the past 12 months. I'm surprised you haven't had to, but it's another great example of no one really seems to have a clue what the "rule" is.

I think this is newer in Australia. When I left Australia for the holiday, I didn't have to remove my laptop from my bag when going through security.

I'm not writing off the US as a destination because of one incident, its because of the whole attitude of all the TSA staff. One of my bags has a "zip holder" which prevents the zips from moving and can optionally be locked with a combination. The TSA guy in LAX loudly and rudely pointed this out to me that it was locked (when it wasn't) and refused to accept my bag until the zips were ejected from the holder.

Yes, the US got hit by a bad terrorist attack 9/11. Australia experienced a bad attack on its citizens the year after (in fact, almost as many were killed per capita as in the 9/11 attack but because Australia is small, most Americans didn't hear about it) but our security people are almost always friendly, helpful and nice.

 

[mempilot]

Once flagged the pax can not be allowed to leave the area with any unidentified objects.

Not true. They can leave the secure area and back out to the unsecure area.

Whether they miss the flight or not depends on whether they can ever get through security.

The TSA is between a rock and hard place. Their job sucks. Given them break - learn the system and things go much faster. This comes from some one who has had several major battles with them (lost some and won some) but currently have a great relationship with some of my local officials.

Ummm. This directed at me, or in general?

If in directed in general, then ok.

If directed at me, well... Just after 9/11, as an airline pilot and part time paid volunteer, I helped train new TSA agents at the Memphis International Airport. I continued to work with TSA for improvements for handling flight crews through two national pilot unions. I have also interfaced with TSA in S FL to help them understand rebreathers and their chemical sorb. From it's conception, I passed through a TSA checkpoint on average 260 times a year for 6 years. In 2007, I was a passenger on over 110 commercial domestic and international flights requiring, you guessed it, interaction with TSA checkpoints. In that same year, I operated about 20% of my live flights from US commercial terminals, again requiring TSA interaction. I know many of them in the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale airports by name. Even the ones that know me by name don't expect any break from me, just as I don't expect any breaks from them. Although, I do get an occasional courtesy that I won't divulge here.

 

[Scared Silly]

Not true. They can leave the secure area and back out to the unsecure area.

The pax can leave but not the object unless it has been identified. If said object is connected to the pax then the I bet the pax ain't leaving without an escort.

Ummm. This directed at me, or in general?

If in directed in general, then ok.

In general.

 

[DandyDon]

Excerpting heavily here....

I'm curious...
I also think anybody that has a nipple ring probably shouldn't pretend to be too shy.

Catherin you're a much more assertive woman than most - to the extent that while I appreciate the female view greatly, I don't know if that broad stroke is applicable. I imagine that some would not like the world to know their personal affairs.

There is a difference between prettending to be shy and being humiliated. It was handled improperly. They had some options.

That's my thot. They damn could have patted her down, or taken her to the police office there (it's 20 ft away) to lock the door for a strip look.

And there are the unconfirmed reports of snickers. While we await the TSA side, I have to wonder...?

Not true. They can leave the secure area and back out to the unsecure area.

True, unless busted, one can always leave.