Full body scan AND pat down???

[J-hop]

So neither bothers me. But I just came back from the US and received a full body scan and then was pulled aside and given a full pat down.

What gives? I thought the whole purpose of the full body scan was so they didn't have to do pat downs to get that added level of protection. I also thought you had the option of which one you got.. What are they possibly going to feel through my thick clothes that they couldn't see on the scanner?

Anyone else have them do this?

[J-hop]

Sorry, forgot about the travel forum.

[pheoxs]

Usually it's one or the other but I have had the machine pick up the zippers in my track pants before which triggered a pat down around my pockets. Perhaps something set it off which is why they did it or it was a new person and misunderstood the process

[ExtraSlow]

Sometimes they do one extra step for training or other purposes, but more likely they saw something on the scan and were doing the Pat down to investigate it.

[J-hop]

Could be. They swabbed my hands for explosives which I get as the machine isn't going to help them there. Just found it weird. Could have been training, that would make sense as it didn't seem that invasive. They brushed the sack but no deep investigation haha.

[gretz]

Originally posted by J-hop
Could be. They swabbed my hands for explosives which I get as the machine isn't going to help them there. Just found it weird. Could have been training, that would make sense as it didn't seem that invasive. They brushed the sack but no deep investigation haha.

I love complementing them on their soft hands while never breaking eye contact

[rx7_turbo2]

I've had them do both. I've also asked not to have the scan but to have the pat down instead, there was no issue they respected my request.

[killramos]

This one time I got 4S's stamped on my boarding pass during check in.

I think it was a training thing to make sure they are looking at the boarding passes. As soon as they saw it they announced it out loud to all the staff to break out the lube.

So yea some combo of training, QA, and random detailed screaming I think. Mine was assigned by the computer before I ever got to security.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by J-hop
Could be. They swabbed my hands for explosives which I get as the machine isn't going to help them there. Just found it weird. Could have been training, that would make sense as it didn't seem that invasive. They brushed the sack but no deep investigation haha.

The agent probably just found you too cute not to touch :love:



:rofl:

[RealJimmyJames]

Had a really cute security agent once who was set up on a folding table at the gate. Was checking folks seemingly at random as we boarded. Have never seen that setup before or since. I gave her serious eye contact, and she must have been into it as I got "selected". Had a nice long chat with her as she searched my carry-on. Eventually she told me I really ought to board the aircraft. Overall, it made my day, even though my sack did not get brushed.

[JohnnyHockey]

You got selected because you creeped her out and she told you politely to get going because you were trying to pick her up? Lol

[shakalaka]

Originally posted by J-hop
Could be. They swabbed my hands for explosives which I get as the machine isn't going to help them there. Just found it weird. Could have been training, that would make sense as it didn't seem that invasive. They brushed the sack but no deep investigation haha.


Sitting at the Miami airport right now and just went through the same. Machine scan, then the guy checked around my back pockets and then swabbed my hands. I thought that was for drugs but could have been explosives too. Don't really care though.

[jwslam]

Recently went through IAH. Forgot to take off my watch and was expecting to be pulled aside; nope. :dunno:

[Xtrema]

If given a choice, I always go for the pat down instead scan.

[RealJimmyJames]

Originally posted by JohnnyHockey
You got selected because you creeped her out and she told you politely to get going because you were trying to pick her up? Lol That's one possibility.

[acedia]

Maybe these people get bored and want to feel people up.

I don't let it bother me, but last time I flew 3 out of the 4 of us were taken for advanced screening procedures. I didn't get checked, I guess the wives and the other dude were better looking than me. :D

[revelations]

Originally posted by jwslam
Recently went through IAH. Forgot to take off my watch and was expecting to be pulled aside; nope. :dunno:

Lot depends on the watch. I usually travel with mine on and have no issues (cheaper watch).

[Mitsu3000gt]

Threat levels are elevated because of New Years, it could be that simple.

[botox]

I get the "random" screening all the time to the point I think I'm being flagged or something. But it's no bid deal, adds like an extra 30 seconds to the process. It could also be something as simple as a piece of paper in your pockets that the scanner picked up, this happened to me once.

[J-hop]

Yea certainly doesn't bother me. Just made me wonder what the whole point of the expensive scanners was if they had to pat me down anyways. Maybe they saw something they liked.

Yea probably just random or something weird on the scanner. Have flown about 8 times since the scanners were implemented and hadn't had to do that ever before and hadn't seen anyone being patted down who didn't request it so I thought it was different.

[R-Audi]

When you go through the scanner you can turn around and see if there are any portions of your body that come up highlighted for various reasons on a computer screen. Thich material, metal etc. I went through on the 31st and my neck was highllighted as I had a thick collared shirt (thick flannel) and they proceeded with a pat down of that area.

[EK 2.0]

They usually pat me down after the scan....must have something to do with me being African....from the waist down...:bigpimp:

[88CRX]

Originally posted by R-Audi
When you go through the scanner you can turn around and see if there are any portions of your body that come up highlighted for various reasons on a computer screen. Thich material, metal etc. I went through on the 31st and my neck was highllighted as I had a thick collared shirt (thick flannel) and they proceeded with a pat down of that area.

Yup, I’ve had my thicker raw denim jeans show up yellow (whatever that means) on the scanner multiple times.

[schocker]

I had a sweaty back from wearing a backpack and the security guy patted down my sweaty t-shirt. It was pretty funny.:rofl:

[e31]

Another for Full scan and pat down.

I went thru the scanner without alarm, and afterward found it strange they frisked my bare arms (t-shirt).

[Ben]

It happens,

SSSS is generally due to booking last minute, paying at the airport, soon to expire travel documents, or you're on "the list". The odd time it's because you're an asshole to the agent. And that could be when you made the booking weeks or months prior. it's all logged in the booking notes.

Just means full screening. Not the end of the world.

I've had the Body Scan followed by the pat down. Fortunately my last experience the x-ray operator at PSP Intl was on the ball and called his bro over before he could begin. "Sorry for the delay, have a nice flight."

I don't like being groped by someone with inferior training.

[J-hop]

Im pretty sure they have no way of knowing if you were a dick to the travel agent that wouldn't be logged in the tsa system.

[ExtraSlow]

I think he means ticketing agent, like the westjet lady at the check-in counter at the airport.

[J-hop]

Yea I'm not sure. The comment "And that could be when you made the booking weeks or months prior" made me think he was talking about a call centre booking agent at a travel/airline. Don't think any of that would make it into the tsa logs.

[Ben]

Originally posted by J-hop
Yea I'm not sure. The comment "And that could be when you made the booking weeks or months prior" made me think he was talking about a call centre booking agent at a travel/airline. Don't think any of that would make it into the tsa logs.

No but it makes it to the agent at the airport that prints your boarding pass with SSSS on it. That Boarding pass is then handed to who before you can get to the gate? Security.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by Ben


No but it makes it to the agent at the airport that prints your boarding pass with SSSS on it. That Boarding pass is then handed to who before you can get to the gate? Security.

Interesting, I've never heard of this. I assume you work for an airline then?

I have never been anything but polite when booking flights so definitely nothing to do with my experience.

[Ben]

Originally posted by J-hop


Interesting, I've never heard of this. I assume you work for an airline then?

I have never been anything but polite when booking flights so definitely nothing to do with my experience.

No I don't work for an airline. But I have first hand experience.

Spent a lot of time in Airports around the world both for pleasure and on duty.

Like I said, it's generally for the reasons I listed above. Or maybe it's because you're being racially profiled. Either way, embrace mans feat of conquering gravity and transporting people 40,000 feet up at 600 miles an hour.

It's really a non issue since it's all an illusion of safety anyways.

[J-hop]

Yea just chatted with a buddy that works for a major. The check in agent can't flag you for ssss they don't have any control over that, neither does the agent on the phone when you book. TSA selects the list and sets the flag parameters. Also no my boarding pass does not have ssss on it.

Either way as I mentioned I don't care, just makes the scanners seem useless

Edit: looks like they are partially correct, apparently the airline can have its own additional parameters but doesn't appear the agent has any power over those. Agent can flag if you violate their policy (ie: don't have Correct ID) but they don't get to set those flag parameters

[IggyB]

Looking forward to being asked to take my shoes off and still beep. Right foot has plates and small screws holding it together. Left foot has a couple 4" screws through the heel.

2 plates in left forearm and a long piece of Ti holding the thigh together. They'll be thinking it's Wolverine and Robocop going through the scanner.