Full body scanners and foobs

I just came back from a trip to Boston and fortunately, was not 'selected'. I plan to say, 'I have cancer and cannot have more radiation. I opt out.' Otter, thanks for the info on getting your stuff first and requesting a private room with same sex mauler.

Unfortunately, I fly at least once a month for work.

I haven't flown in a few years myself, and only once since 9/11.  Really looking forward to it (not!)  The full-body scan doesn't bother me as much as the enhanced pat-down.  However, my husband is an IT consultant and travels out of town every week, so he goes through security twice a week.  That's a lot of radiation exposure. 

My 84 year old dad lost a leg in WWII when he was 19.  The last time he flew, which was about a year or 2 ago, they wanted him to take his leg off to run it through the Xray machine.  This was problematic, because he had to check his crutches with his luggage.  He wouldn't have been able to get the leg back on, as it requires a special sock, and that was in his luggage as well.  The security person was being really a huge ass about it.  They finally got the supervisor, and they let him go through without removing it.  I mean - really?  They thought an 80+ DAV might have a bomb in his artificial leg?  Some of these security agents are just on a big ego power trip, if you ask me.

Thanks for the Ben Franklin quote.  He is absolutely right!  I have avoided flying except once in the past 4 years, and I plan to keep avoiding it, at least out of this country.  I don't need humiliation and public embarrassment to add to BC and LE!

Dawn 

I've been following this closely as well and am feeling rather disturbed about it. I've flown several times since my surgery, and have worn both my silicone protheses and compression sleeves with no problems. That was before these new scanners and enhanced pat downs. I don't want to be groped, exposed to more radiation, or have to get into a drawn-out discussion of my medical history. I'm wondering, now, would the best alternative be to put my protheses in my carry-on suitcase and "go flat" through the screening process, then duck into a restroom and put them on? Or would some yahoo screener pull my foobs out of my suitcase in front of a thousand people and ask for an explanation?

Last month, as I flew out of Salt Lake, the agent let us know which line was for the fully body scanner machine; that was the way by which travelers could opt in or out.  As someone with a total hip, I have been patted down using the old method for years.  I completely understand the frustration over the elderly man being asked to remove his prothesis.  I've had my crutches taken and asked if I could walk through the scanner without them; "do you need these to walk?"  I was asked.  This past trip, I opted for the full scan so they could see what's inside me--rods, joint, clips--and avoid the rub down.  Coming back, from DCA, I was wanded.  When asked to step aside and wait for an agent, I look around and see my fellow potential terrorists--almost all of them middle aged or older, probably with hip and knee replacements.  These are folks who cannot stand on one leg and hold the other in the air.  GEEESH!  There are other ways to accomplish the goal.

The blogs I'm reading recommend that people watch to see if the agent changes gloves, and ask that the gloves be changed if they haven't been.  It's not just a sanitation issue (which it is, considering where those fingers are going nowdays).  The gloves are what they test for residue after they're through with the groping.  It would not be good if the agent touched something with residue on it right before he/she rubbed those gloved fingers on you.

I had never thought about the latex problem.  Are the blue gloves the latex-free ones?  (Maybe someone here knows that.)  Latex allergies can be life-threatening ... I can't believe the TSA wouldn't have thought about that.

Oh.  Never mind.  I can believe it.

Although I do not ever plan to fly commercially again, I can't say it won't happen.  I don't know what I'll do.  I do not want to go through either type of scanner.  It really is a strip-search, but it's the only kind the TSA can get away with at this point, at least on a routine basis.  But, I sure don't want to have to stand there with my arms outstretched while I'm being felt up by a stranger, either.  If you protest, they will remind you that you gave them permission to grope you when you showed up at the airport to fly that day and then opted out of the scanner.  Women have nightmares about these sorts of things....

Apparently (according to statements made by TSA agents), they do check the bra pretty closely when they do an enhanced pat-down, to "be sure there is something in it."  So, I don't know which would be better (or worse) -- wearing my prosthesis, so there would be something in my bra even though it isn't flesh-and-blood, or not wearing a bra at all and being completely flat on one side. 

Right now I'm thinking I might go bra-less through TSA security if I have to fly again.  Finding a boob on one side and a totally flat chest on the other would surprise the inspector but might not trigger as many questions as the discovery of a foob in a bra cup.

otter

So glad I read this thread - really appreciate the heads up. I'm flying on Friday and have permanent implants and LE. I usually put on my compression tank and 'swell spots' inserts at home and put the sleeve and glove on after I go through security. I do not want any radiation, so if I can't do the metal detector, I guess I'll let DH stand there with my luggage while I'm groped - right out in the open. If I'm lucky, they'll make me pop out my 'swell spots' for the world to see. Round trip Phila to Tampa. I'll let you know how it goes at both airports.

I would insist that gloves be changed. The possibility of spreading MRSA or other infections exist even if the pat down was "only" on the exposed skin.

The blue gloves are non-latex -- at least, i've never seen blue latex gloves. Latex is a risk for the TSA agents too, after all. (Oddly enough, i have had a student who was allergic to the nitrile gloves. I gave her a box of latex gloves to take to her lab class. there's all kinds of allergies....)

I've flown once since the new scans, and was patted down - very politely, not at all obnoxiously. Can't say it bothered me, but what some of you are describing is much more invasive.I used to love to fly, but now it's such a hassle, i drive whenever possible.

I'm not sure how the prosthesis would show up  in luggage -- but i think there's a real risk of having it pulled out and examined, because that's what happens to the loaf of rye bread we take with us on hiking trips to the SW! (It's hard to get good bread in the general stores in little towns.) The bread gets  pulled out every time. If it's in the checked luggage, the suitcase is opened. Same happens to a friend who bakes her own to take along, so it's not just one brand (but maybe it is the denser home-style bread. I should try a baguette some day....)

Sherri, If your friend could stand to do it (not sure I could either) she should call every media outlet and journalist she can find until someone is willing to talk about and publish her story. 

These are all horror stories!!! Honestly, if I still wore prosthetics I probably would have just yanked them out of my bra and laid them in the bin on the conveyor belt and sent them through the scanner with my shoes. Wonder what they would think about that. H*lls bells...

Sherri, I've been reading a lot, and believe it makes sense, that TSA is trying to make the pat downs so horrifying that people will shut up about the risks and walk through the new scanners.  This story in my mind reinforces that concept.  I just keep thinking about how the FDA also thought CT scanners and radiation machines were fine.  Human error has lead to some horrific results.  Why they think we trust that the scanners will be different escapes me. 

KerryMac

It's still somewhat random who gets picked to go through the scanners and get the enhanced patdowns, so while not a great deal of comfort, we can all keep our fingers crossed that we won't be the one.  Also, make sure to dress very carefully so as not to set off the metal detector  since it seems like it's usually the people who set those off (aside from the body scanner opt outs) that get the more invasive searches and pat downs.  There's also some hope (although with TSA it's probably very slim hope) that with all the opposition maybe they will tone things down a bit over time.

Well, I'll keep my fingers crossed that I (and we all!) get through as easily as possible!

I am actually flying to Orlando, with a stopover in Chicago....so several places for them to get me! But thanks for the info, I will check out the websites for any info. We are flying Air Canada and United I think....then cruising for 7 nights, so I keep telling myself that any inconvience will be worth it!