TSA helpline for travelers

Binney4

TSA helpline for travelers

Binney4

Summer holiday time is just about here (or winter holiday, for those of you to the south who might be planning a jaunt to the U.S.), so some of us might find this information useful. You can call the new "TSA Cares" info line before you travel with any questions, or just to be sure they have a heads-up about any gear you may be traveling with. Here's their information page:

http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2011/1222.shtm

Some time ago I tried out their "Talk to TSA" contact site (it's linked near the end of that article) and received a prompt email from the Customer Service Manager at my own airport, offering to meet my family and see us through the process personally. I was impressed. So if getting through the TSA check-point with your wrapped arm (or your Flexitouch, or a prostheses, or whatever) is making you nervous, do give them a chance to prove they can "ensure that all passengers are treated with dignity and respect" by calling ahead.

I usually travel with a supply of the Juzo patient brochures (you can order them free from Juzo) to hand out to any and all. Never hurts to educate!

Please do report back about your experiences. Thanks!

Happy trails!
Binney

kfinnigan

I was taken to the side and given the "wand" when a TSA security pointed to my wrapped arm/hand and said to another TSA..."what do I do about this?" and the other gal said "I don't know" and walked away.  So the guy did the wipe test on the wraps and wanded me...let me go when everything came back 'normal'.

carol57

I find it remarkable that my sleeve/gauntlet sometimes triggers extra vigilence, sometimes does not. It's totally inconsistent, even when I'm going through identical equipment, i.e the backscatter image booth.  And I'm just in a sleeve--wrapping is more elaborate and likely to confuse the TSA folks more. Different airports have different criteria, it seems, so I think Binney's suggestion is a very good one, and think about making that call for both coming and going, because it's very possible that what the outbound airport doesn't care about, TSA at the airport you're returning from, might question.