Body Scanning

[RealityCheck4U]

Flyersrights.org.....hmmm, seems to me that if I choose to fly, I have the right to ensure I fly safely. Why would someone even consider flying with someone who refused to be checked for weapons or explosives? If you feel so strongly in your principles that you consider yourself above having the scanning or body search, then don't fly with me. If we didn't do the scanning and body searches, would feel safe putting your spouse and children on any flight to anywhere at anytime? I doubt you would. Government intrusion some might cry? Give me a break. It seems the Government can't win no matter what they do. I call these people anarchists without a life looking for their fifteen minutes. Use your fifteen minutes to book a slow boat to China and let me know how it works out for you over there.

[tickedofftraveler]

If there is a choice between the full body scanner or a pat down, why are the TSA employees in the Corpus Christi TX airport doing both? I have yet to see ANY person go through the scanner that is also not patted down.
And, if the scanners are so damn good, why are we still taking our shoes off.
I have a simple choice - keep flying or give up a job that provides an excellent living for my family and me, that I enjoy and get a lot of enjoyment from doing.
I do not feel a bit safer today than I did on 9/10/01. Get out of my life. Spend the money to secure our national borders and the rest of this becomes unnecessary.
No, I am not giving my real name - I do not need to be tracked down and harassed by TSA goons at every airport in this country I pass through.

[Pacifica815]

FINALLY — A great alternative to intrusive body scanners at airports . . .

"Innovative inventors are developing an airport security device that eliminates the privacy concerns that come with full-body scanners at the airports.

It’s a booth you can step into that will not X-ray you, but will detonate any explosive device and/or devices you may have on you. They see this as a win-win for everyone, with none of this crap about racial profiling. It also would eliminate the costs of a long and expensive trial. Justice would be swift. Case closed!

You're in the airport terminal and you hear a muffled explosion. Shortly thereafter an announcement comes over the PA system . . .
"Attention standby passengers — we now have a seat available on flight number 1234!"

Hats off to the inventors!!!!"

[PilotPassenger]

I have read all of the posts in this tread. I am a cooperate pilot that uses the airlines quite often to travel to my airplane. I have passed the same TSA background checks that the airline pilots have passed. I agree that we need to do everything within the law to try to keep terrorists off of our planes. But it sickens me when I read all the posts from people that do not care that their constitutional rights are being violated. One poster said that the "4th amendment was drafted a long time ago"....WHAT??? You cant be serious..... You are basically saying that if a police officer thought your home looked suspicious he could violate your 4th amendment right (because its and old and antiquated right) and enter your home without warrant. I am totally against the pat downs. I think chemical sniffing machines or even dogs would be a much better solution to this problem. As far as the scanners go, I dont mind that they take an image of my naked body, its who sees and what is done with that image that concerns me. The government says that the images are not saved but the government is known for telling us what we want to hear to pacify us.

As far as another 9/11.......has everyone forgotten how it happened? First of all, every cockpit door has been strengthened so there is not way to get through it. Next, before 9/11 we, the flying public, had no reason to believe that the plane we were flying on would be used as a weapon. Now I would find it hard to believe that anyone who stood up on a US flight trying to hijack it would not be subdued by every passenger in ear shot in seconds. It was not the TSA security measures that stopped the shoe bomber or the underwear bomber. It was the passengers on board the aircraft.

I am so glad someone has pointed out that cargo in commercial airliners is not screened. It amazes me that the government officials always say we have a "determined enemy" but they still leave major loop holes for them to attack us. I am sure this stretches far beyond aviation safety as well.

Anyway, I do not have all the answers as I am sure most people posting in these forums do not either (even though they think they do). I am just trying to say that if we continue to allow the government to impose illegal searches on us at the airport we can expect them to impose them on us everywhere else in the future. And if this happens, in my mind the terrorists have won...........

[Kendall]

@PilotPassenger: Thank you. We do not have all the answers, and I think FlyersRights is asking the hard questions. Blog responders, of course, always have all the answers
@RealityCheck4U: Your false logic is that these intrusive, unconstitutional procedures are the only way to be secure. Nonsense. Like PilotPassenger, I just can't fathom how so many people like you are willing to sell your liberty for a little perceived safety. As Ben Franklin said, you deserve neither.

[bccmee]

I feel a sea change. Some representatives are now talking about having the TSA "reconsider use of the controversial enhanced pat down protocols" according to this story: http://hsc.house.gov/press/index.asp?ID=595

And you might have already heard about Rep. Ron Paul's proposed American Traveler Dignity Act.

So far I've written to the President, my State Representative and my Congresspersons. I have also called Ron Paul's office to show my support even though I am not one of his constituents. I wrote snail mail letters and called my Congresspersons too. I also called the Orlando Sanford International Airport to express my approval that they are eliminating the TSA from their airport.

According to a document I received from the TSA, these airports currently do not use TSA security:

1. San Francisco (SFO) CA, 2. Kansas City (MCI), MO, 3. Sioux Falls (FSD), SD, 4. Rochester (ROC), NY, 5. Tupelo (TUP), MS, 6. Jackson Hole (JAC), WY, 7. Charles Shulz-Sonoma County (STS), CA, 8. Key West (EYW), FL, 9. Roswell (ROW), NM, 10. E. 34th St Heliport (6N5), NY, 11. Havre City-County (HVR), MT, 12. Lewistown (LWT), MT, 13. Glasgow (GGW), MT, 14. L.M. Clayton (OLF), MT, 15. Sidney-Richland (SDY), MT, 16. Dawson Community (GDV), MT, 17. Frank Wiley Field (MLS), MT

Unfortunately, even private contractors are required to use the TSA's enhanced patdowns and other procedures. Hopefully it's still a step in the right direction.

I'm also boycotting commercial air travel. Not sure what other steps I can take. I'm thinking of making pamphlets to take to one of my 3 major local airports on Opt-Out Day that in part explains that even going through the strip-search scanner does not necessarily exempt a passenger from the enhanced pat-down if there is an anomaly in the scan.

Any other ideas? I feel so strongly about this issue I want to do all I can to stop this travesty and trampling of our rights and our bodies.

[RealityCheck4U]

@Kendall: I can assure you that I am neither naive nor closed minded to think that body scans are the only way to help us remain secure. It's just one more tool among many. I stand by comment that I would prefer to be scanned along with all other passengers who fly. Unlike you, I have nothing to fear or hide when I fly. Intrusive? Unconstitutional? You sound like the everyday anarchists who will twists things around to fit his own imagination.

And might I add another quote from Ben Franklin for you: "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do".

[Pacifica815]

RealityCheck4U - Here is a recent post that I had sent to another person..."As a corporate traveler and in the medical field (30 yrs long), I can afirm that these images are indeed very revealing, right down to the folds of the skin, etc. The reason that I opt out is because I do not want more radiation exposure. I work in Electrophysiology, Cath and Interventional Radiology labs nation-wide and am exposed to radiation (for which I wear leaded appearal) for up to 10 hrs per day/5 days a week. The TSA claim that the radiation is minimal, I disagree with their claims due to my knowledge of imaging systems and the amount of radiation that is needed to give the type of clear details that are seen with these scanners. By all means, pregnant women and any cancer survivors should not be going through these scanners at all. The other troubling issue is that there are no leaded barriers around these machines which means that there is radiation scatter being emitted all around the area of the machine exposing EVERYONE in that immediate area. Another troubling aspect is that none of the people operating these scanners, nor any of the TSA people standing next to these machines are wearing radiation badges (RAD Badges) which is an OSHA and Dept of Health requirement for EVERYONE standing within 6ft of imaging equipment, plus the TSA person operating the imaging machine is NOT a certified, licensed imaging/radiology technician."

[exGSC]

The United States has just done a knee jerk reaction and is just simply not looking at the big picture. If we look at where the latest threats in air travel initiated, we will find that those flights came from overseas, NOT the US! It is not to say that such threats could not be discarded, like 9/11.

I am a furloughed airline pilot that was also qualified as Ground Security Coordinator (essentially TSA in private charter flights) and we never had to abuse our customers (and yes, we were trained in pat-down procedures as well). Before any of our high profile customers/passengers could even board our aircraft, company had already cross-referenced and checked out the FBI files and such for security clearance purposes through a simple process: passport check and other information. This simple process could be implemented when purchasing an airline ticket to "weed out" the possible threats. Obviously, this process would translate in higher prices due to the extra work and access to such information that regular airlines may not have, thus increasing their overhead.

If any "regular" passenger has to be subjected to any extra process, we should NOT discriminate and allow passengers who claim that due to their religious beliefs can hide under their garments and not be processed like everyone else. All passengers should be treated equally, we know we have to take our jackets, sweaters, shoes off. Therefore, hats, and other garments with religious backgrounds should also come off. Bring the bomb and drug sniffing dogs back.

It is of concern as well that in a US air carrier based in Atlanta, employs a flight attendant that used her muslim outfit rather than her standard airline issued uniform. Besides, being a hazard for its bulky and excess fabric construction in case of an emergency egress, it makes me wonder what her real intentions are. In case of an emergency, passengers are trained and accustomed to see a standard uniform and would not follow her instructions thus rendering her duties as flight attendant questionnable.

[exGSC]

I agree with PilotPassenger.