Weird thing happened while flying last week

[NikkiDoc 312]

I fly fairly regularly for my job, about once a month on average. I flew in mid August from Philadelphia to Dallas and back. No problems. No flights in September.

Last week I flew from Philadelphia to Manchester, NH and back. On both flights TSA told me my groin area lit up. I was then patted down from belly button to tops of thighs, including between the thighs. My left wrist also was checked. Only in Manchester, NH did they also swab me for explosives.

I had the sleeve and hiatal hernia repair. At first I was thinking maybe my surgeon used a mesh to repair the hernia that was setting off the detectors. However, the more I thought about that the less likely it seemed. I also had ACL reconstruction about 9 years ago and have 2 very large screws in my knee and they don't trigger the detector. If the screws don't trigger it I can't imagine that hernia mesh would. I also don't think my hernia was bad enough to require mesh.

I carry my remaining weight largely in my abdomen and I have two rolls, apron and pannis, plus a little hanging skin on the tops of the thighs. My husband thinks the rolls and saggy skin show up on the advanced detector strange and somehow look like a bomb belt or something.

Anybody have any thoughts or insights on why I would be suddenly needing a pat down by TSA?

[OKCPirate 5,323]

@@NikkiDoc - Well I have a hatred for the TSA, and I notice they always pull out the hot chicks, so that may be it, you are suddenly hot.

But I'd write the TSA about it. There scanner is not supposed go into the skin (unless they were using the old ones which I will not get in). Next alternative is to get the TSA PRE pass (worth every penny).

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I get called out for a pat down every single time I fly, following significant weight loss. Usually the scanner shows abnormalities around my knees, thighs, and upper arms/armpits -- where I have lots of loose skin.

[OKCPirate 5,323]

@Bufflehead- ding, ding. Oh, and they always get me in the summer because the back of my shirt is wet. Yes those $100,000 units are great at picking up loose skin and sweat...shame they are not more effective than metal detectors (only our government could make security simultaneously less safe and more time consuming...not that I'm bitter).

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

It is Manchester NH - they seem to me the most thorough searchers there.

[OKCPirate 5,323]

Seems to happen in Denver, and I fly there a bunch...and I've never been groped ;-( I guess I'm not good looking...

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/denver-tsa-agents-fired-groping-passengers-article-1.2348961

[Sharon1964 2,530]

I always say "medical, I need to go thru the xray". Totally avoid the scanners.

If you cannot hold both arms over your head, you can't go through the scanner. They're not supposed to even ask you what the medical problem is, and you can't let them classify you as an "opt out" which gets you the special patdown. You just calmly say, "no, I'm not opting out, I'm telling you I have a medical issue and cannot go through the scanner, which means you send me through the xray machine."

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Two words:

Pee pad.

[Victoria Mora 40]

LMAO OKCPirate, sorry i know it wouldn't be funny for you but your comment was.

I don't fly out much but when i do i get pulled to the side for a run over with those gadgets. Then a thank you you can go.

But I feel for you cause i would be so annoyed if that happened to me.

[Megdelyn 85]

I got dinged in a few weird areas the last few times I flew. I didn't think anything of it at the time because it was different spots in each airport.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I used to fly alot for business. Manchester was my alternate airport to Logan (my destination is sorta between the two). Serously Manchester was the place where I was very thoroughly searched. After 911, Logan was insane too. The other airport that was very intense was Heathrow in London. I was taken to a private room, separated from my belongings while they searched them. I didn't know why I was suddenly targeted - it even happened in Germany where I had always breezed through - lived at the time and then I realized something... I had a recent Visa for turkey. Turkey is a NATO country and one of our Allies, but, I could not help but correlate that Visa in my passport with the sudden very detailed searches.

I don't resent it - I am not sure I am convinced how safe it makes us - but the TSA people are just doing their jobs that we as a nation (via our elected officials) decided they should do. Thankless and unpleasant job and I try to treat them all very respectfully and just get this dang thing over so i can get on the plane.

[RILEYSMOM22 344]

I have a titanium hip replacement and of course, the staples from my sleeve. I flew buffalo to chicago and got a pat-down in Buffalo, but didn't set off the machines at all in Chicago. I always tell them I have an artificial hip, and in chicago, the guy said "well, its not showing up today."

[NikkiDoc 312]

I don't resent the pat down. I know they are just doing their job. Sometimes I think the TSA person is more uncomfortable about it than I am. Or they are anticipating getting flak for the pat down.

I generally like a good "personal bubble". I don't really like talking to somebody that wants to stand in that personal space and being in crowds can get me a bit weirded out. But for some reason I quick pat down by TSA is no big deal.