Full body scanners and foobs

Otter: thanks for telling me about the "we wont fly" page. It would be nice if some of the bc organizations might put a little pressure on the government TSA for dignity of passengers.  I take the train whenever possible but it is not always possible.

Thanks for the info, Otter. I'm thinking I just got lucky on this trip!

Thanks for that info, Celtic Spirit. Having had whole-breast radiation, I really haven't felt good about adding any more rads with the backscatter scanners. I'm flying out of Logan to Miami next week and am glad to learn that Logan swapped out its backscatter scanners and installed millimeter wave scanners in early Oct. I think Miami was an early adopter of millimeter wave scanners, so hopefully I'll find them there, too. So far, there are no apparent health concerns with millimeter wave scanners--let's hope we don't get bad news about them down the road.

My first encounter with a full body screener was last year. Not only do I have 2 artificial hips and an artificial shoulder, 2 expanders were now in the mix. No problems at all. I have been stopped at some airports for my hips and patted down in the "glassroom" but the pat down is nothing too.I think between the full body screening and the patdown, the screening bothers me the most. I can only imagine the person on the other side gawking at the freak on the screen.Silly thought , I know.

I fly a lot, and have had minimal problems at security.  (I had a unilateral mx and wear a prosthesis.) Most of the airports I fly through use the millimeter wave technology, which they seem to alternate with plain, old-fashioned metal detectors.  Usually I pass right through.  A few times recently, I've been stopped for a quick check, for issues that had nothing to do with my mx.  Once it was hairpins in my bun, once it was something on my leg (never did figure that one out).  Both times the check was very quick and unobtrusive -- certainly not a groping, wouldn't even call it a patdown, really. More like a quick wave of the hand over the area in question.  It's been a while since I had my fingers swabbed, though that's certainly happened more than once.

My impression is that TSA has become much more educated about what breast forms and/or implants look like on the screen, and are much less likely to stop people now than when the body scanners first came into use.   Back then it seemed 50-50 whether I'd be stopped and have my bra area checked out.  But even then, in my experience, the TSA agents were always polite and professional . . . I didn't like being reminded of how my body had changed, but I never felt humiliated.

Hope this is at least a little reassuring to anyone who's flying over the Thanksgiving holiday.  Save travels, everyone!

Linda

I've had my first experience with TSAs new screeners...Philadelphia and San Francisco airports. Both showed the same positions under my arm and on my breast. Possibly the markers left for rads. I was told they wouldn't interfer with airport screening...at the time. I was patted down each viewing. I asked if there was a note from the doctor that could help. She answered simply that she is required to pat down when the indicators light up. 

The pat down was brief. Still, it was an embarrassment. I don't look forward to the next screening that is certain to come. I came to the threads to see what others are experiencing and what alternatives there might be. 

Thanks for the FB page Otter. Any enlightenment is welcomed.  Any other ideas? I fly again on 9 Dec. :-(

Just last week went through the Scanner at Miami Intl Airport.  Wasn't wearing the foobs.  Yet something lit up in the chest area.  I'd not been aware of any marker being left in place and said so.  Took me a minute to realize it was the bra/vest zipper.  Explained before she patted me down and she agreed that's what it was. 

Then had to have the gloves wiped since had sleeves and gauntlets on also. 

What they don't tell you is that you can request that the patdown be done pivately. They don't tell you because it's a pain in the neck for them, but I figure, we pay their salaries with our taxes, we can request privacy even if it's inconvenient.

Leah