New Airport Screening - Anyone Been Through It Yet?

Here is a really good article about it:

http://m.npr.org/story/131275949

I personally will not let my children go through the body scans. There is a lot of disagreement about how safe that radiation is - I do not intend to let my child be a guinea pig. I also would not allow my child to be patted down without me present. But it's illegal to refuse both the pat-down and the radiation if you are selected to be screened - you can be arrested for fined for refusing both. So decide before you go what you would do if you are chosen.

Personally I would opt for the pat down, simply because there has been no testing done on the full body scans and the amount of radiation exposure and its affects on children. Many things get tested on adults whose bodies have fully developed and are NEVER tested on kids- why should our children be the guinea pigs for this technology?

As for the pat-down- I am not happy about it, but as long as it is done professionally and I am RIGHT THERE with my son, it seems like the lesser of two evils, since at least there is no potential health risk.

We'll be flying next summer and I've already decided that my daughter (5) and I will opt for the pat-down. I'm completely against being radiated for a non-medical reason, personally.

They will and do do full pat downs on kids under twelve, I have read of them doing every thing, including the groin check, on an 8 year old. The choices right now are a full scan, or full pat down, or no flying. I know it sucks, but as they say, flying is not a right and we all have to be safe. I personally think this has all gone way to far, but what can I do? Not a whole lot. I can refuse to fly, but than the only one being hurt is me since I would never get to see my family. TSA does not care if I choose to fly or not.

I raelly don't udnerstand everyone's craziness about the body scan - we all get physical exams, it's not as if it's a color graphic photo - and they are viewed by same gender employees. I'd much rather have my image scanned than be touched so intimately by strangers - particularly kids! My mom has hip replacements and so has been patted down in the past - and that was before the enhanced pat-dwon. It's VERY invasive. Just go for the scan - your kids will have no idea of what's being seen. Keep in mind that the screeners scan thousands of people each day. Unless you're exceptionally different, either really beautiful body or obese - they won't glance twice at your image. I think it will be such a busy travel time that there will be no time to pause to consdier people's image. We need to just get over it.

Regarding the radiation – I just read yesterday that the radiation exposure from the screening is equivalent to 3 second of the radiation you’re exposed to when flying 30,000 feet, so that should not be a concern. Also they’ve said that the extreme of the radiation screenings would be 1000 per year, and pilots don’t even fly that often.

If this will stop lunitics from trying to blow up my plane, I'm ok with it.

They are not doing the scan or pat downs on everyone. It's supposed to be random so you might not get it done at all. I just flew last weekend and from what I saw going through security they were not doing it to anyone unless they set off the metal detector more than once.

I tried searching for the 'rules' regarding the scanners for you, but couldn't find it. Perhaps I should've gone to the TSA website. From what I hear, you can do the scan, you can do the pat down, or you can not fly. But it sounds also like not every single person is put thru this measure. It's "Random." which I won't go in to how ridiculous that is. Not all airports have them, but may have them soon. Saw a video on tv the other night of a little girl age 3 screaming and holding onto her mom and wiggling like crazy while the female TSA agent did a pat-down on her. AWFUL to watch a child touched by another person they dont' know. What trauma she went thru. Interesting video of it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ciZjAAaK_4

I'm glad you asked b/c I'll have to deal with this shortly too. But, I read an article in the paper today that said Ben Gurion airport is the safest in the world and they are refusing use of these scanners b/c they don't work! They can view knives, guns, etc but cannot detect plastics, liquid or other items used post 9/11. I gotta say that the terrorists are most probably laughing hysterically at the bs we are now being subjected to 'in the name of safety'.

i don't know what people are complaining about regarding the body scan process either. i've been through it multiple times and it's no big deal at all. it's not like it's on a big screen displayed for everyone in line to watch =)

i recommend just talking through the process with your child. something like, "before we get on a plane, the police and security need to make sure we are not bringing anything on the plane we're not supposed to. we have to take any metal off our bodies like a watch or belt and take off our shoes. you might also have to go through a small machine that double checks everything. this happens to be sure we are as safe as possible on the plane."

even go through a trial run at home. i like to do this with my 3 year old- not only to give him experience but it's also fun to act things out.

if your child has to be pat down, explain that process too. say something like, "they really want to be sure we are following the rules and laws so they want to be extra sure no one is carrying anything illegal under their clothes."

i like the advice of your children taking your lead. odds are if you're calm your children will be more calm.

good luck and enjoy!

I'm not sure how old your kids are, but we flew A LOT when my daughter was pretty little - like between 3 and 7. Until she got pretty comfortable, we would "practice" going through the security checkpoint. So she would unpack a backpack of her stuff onto a sheet that I then pulled through the hallway doorway. Then she would walk through the doorway really slow and quiet-like. Every once in a while I would have it "beep" and we would have to do it over.

I would say to practice for the body scanner you have her stand in the shower and hold her arms straight up for however long it takes (not sure on timing).

Also - for the pat down - you can practice with her. They don't actually TOUCH any private areas but they will go up right to the area.

I know there was that case of that 3 year old freaking out last week, but the whole time I flew (which was even right after 9/11) when my daughter was little (in and out of airports all over the US) TSA was generally pretty considerate with kids - although there are always exceptions I guess. Mostly I would get your child prepared to follow their directions without you right next to him/her and to go slow - when kids run through the metal detector it sets it off.

TSA will definitely take their lead from you. They are humans after all- If you are calm and your kid is calm TSA will be calm - generally.

Good luck and have fun wherever you are traveling!

We just flew last week - there was only 1 body scanner and 4 other lines available - they sent all families with children through the other lines (not the body scanner). No big deal.

I agree with Rachel K. I would rather be safe than sorry. I think terrorist would use anything they can, even kids. They have people blowing themself up for a "cause". I just heard they govt just broke up an international spy ring in the United states. I have not done an ounce of research, but if a pat down is required for everyone to be sure the plane is safe, im all for it! Uncomfortable but what if they dont and something slips by?