Another Airport Security Question...Underwire Bras

[TWIRLYWIG]

Okay, my friends are telling me that wearing an underwire bra through the airport security gate will set off the scanners. Has anyone had a problem with this or heard of problems with this? The last thing I want to do is be stopped and searched because of my bra. Oh, and is it okay to pack a pair of tweezers? Imagine attacking someone with a bra and tweezers. That brings to mind all kinds of wierd images. Seriously though, what is the scoop?

Thanks,

Twirly

 

[TWIRLYWIG]

I just read another post with the www.tsa.gov (Transportation Safety Administration) web site posted on it and went to it. The site answered my question about the tweezers. They can be taken in carry on or checked luggage. However, the bra question still stands. I'd appreciate your input.

Twirly

 

[ducklite]

Nowadays most underwire bras are not made with metal wires, but with plastic ones. I waer underwires exclusively and have never set off the detector with them. The steel shanks in my shoes are another story--I always take those off and put them through the machine.

Anne

 

[NCRedding]

DH and I were both "tagged' by security 2 weeks ago. My watch face set it off, and when they did the wand, my underwire did cause it to beep. DH had left gum wrappers in his pocket. TSA said that gum wrappers do it every time.

 

[TWIRLYWIG]

Ducklite,

Thanks! As crazy as it sounds, this has really been bothering me. It's difficult to find a bra without an underwire that will work. I have not flowen since 911 and during all my prior trips, my carry ons have always been searched. For some reason, security pulls me aside everytime. Guess I am just a suspicious looking person, shifty eyes or something.

Twirly

 

[TWIRLYWIG]

So NC, did they inquire about it, or just let you go?

 

[eeyore74]

My underwires usually set them off, but they just wave a wand over you and check that it's the underwire. They don't hardly touch you to do that, either. If you're wearing jeans, you might have to turn the button over to show them it's really a button.

But it also depends on the airport - some I get through just fine, others, like Chicago, everything on my body set it off.

Tweezers are fine. Don't worry about the bra - it doesn't take them more than a minute to wand you.

 

[Geoff_M]

Funny story on this topic...

Years ago my former manager was traveling with her grandmother. It was in the early days of metal detectors at airports. The grandmother was a prim and proper woman who was born in Great Britian. The woman kept setting off the metal detector. No matter what small bits of metal they found and took off of her, she still set off the walk through scanner (they didn't have handheld wands at that point). Finally, the security agent asked in a somewhat exaserbated tone "Mam, is there ANY other metal on your body????" My manager's grandmother looked at him in the eye and shot back "Young man, the ONLY other bit of metal on me is the underwire in my bra! And I'm NOT taking that off for you!!!" The agent blinked for a second and said "Have a nice flight mam!" It was some time later they realized that her artificial hip might have had something to do with it!

 

[CarolA]

I have only had this happen once.

However, I am average size. I did have a large breasted woman tell me it happens to her all the time.

And yes, in my bras those are WIRES. I have actually gotten stabbed by one and pulled it out to investigage,

 

[Shannon G]

Yes, it can happen. I primarily wear underwires, and have set the metal detector off, but only once. As someone else posted, if it sets the metal detector off, they pull you aside to be wanded. In my case, the wand beeped near where my bra would be, and the security person (they did call over a female) asked if I was wearing and underwire, and then said she would just have to check with the back of her hand to make sure that's what it was - she simply lightly patted under my breasts to feel the wire, and that was that. It was really much easier than it sounds now that I describe it. I wouldn't worry about it too much - as I said, it has only happened once, and I've flown 5 - 6 times since 9/11.

 

[mcnuss]

Originally posted by TWIRLYWIG
Thanks! As crazy as it sounds, this has really been bothering me. It's difficult to find a bra without an underwire that will work. I have not flowen since 911 and during all my prior trips, my carry ons have always been searched. For some reason, security pulls me aside everytime. Guess I am just a suspicious looking person, shifty eyes or something.

Twirly

My underwire sets off the detectors about 20% of the time. Most times, they just want me and I am done, no touching. I travel on a plane 3-5x per week.

My DH gets pulled out for extra screening (not the extra screening dictated by the code on the boarding pass) about 75% of the time. He is 5'9", red hair, blue/green eyes, freckles - he jokes that they must think he is IRA!! It has gotten comical.

 

[NotUrsula]

"Nowadays most underwire bras are not made with metal wires, but with plastic ones."

Actually, this isn't true. The only US brand that routinely uses plastic underwires is Playtex. Olga, Warners, Bali, Vanity Fair, and Jockey all use metal, except in styles that are specially noted as having round underwires. The reason for this is that metal underwires can be bent where you want them to be, and the bends stay; plastic won't do that, and they have discovered that customers want to be able to bend that underwire in certain spots to make it more comfortable.

I've had the scanners go off on underwires all the time. (And yes, you might call me well-endowed.) The trick is to just be matter of fact about it; don't get all blush-y, wearing a bra is a perfectly normal thing, and not a big secret.

 

[HappyMommy2]

I had been warned about the underwire bras so purposely wore a non-underwire one when flying shortly after 9/11, and guess what-- my bra still "beeped"! What set off the alarm was actually the tiny little metal adjusters on the bra straps. The security lady immediately figured this out and let me go on through.

That only happened to me at that particular airport (and it happened a couple of times). I guess the machines were set to be really sensitive there.

 

[eeyore74]

HappyMommy2 - I had the same thing happen, too! She just felt the shoulders where the adjusters were.

 

[mep319]

Being one of larger b**bs...I always wear an underwire and have never set it off! The rivets on my jeans did...trust me I wish they had to pat my chest instead. Most bras contain wire/metal. If you don't wear an underwire you still have clasps in the back and the adjustable straps which mostly are mental...unless you wear a front hooking one. I've never seen this happen...I hope it doesn't to me!

 

[TWIRLYWIG]

Thanks all. You've eased my mind considerably. I'll be knocking on WDW's door in 5 days!!! YAHOO!!!!!!

Twirly

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I've been worried about it (and my trip isn't until next October!). Guess I'll just wear a pullover sports bra.

I'm more nervous about my shoes. It would be very embarrassing to take off my shoes - my feet should be classified as biological weapons! (I say that here and around family/friends, but I'd never joke about it in the airport, of course!)

 

[Disneyolic]

The one thing that gets them checking my carryon is always my eyelash curler. They can never figure out what it is on the scanner. I can't live without that so I'll never pack it in my checked luggage.

~DawnMaree

 

[kandmwedding]

I think an underwire bra alone is not enough to set off the alarm. The last trip I took I did set off the alarm and had to be "patted" down. First they had me take off my shoes and they whisked them away to go on the conveyor. A lot of women's shoes have metal in the shanks (mine did, of course). They used the wand and made me show them the button on my jeans. Then the lady patted down my sides to make sure it was an underwire bra I was wearing and that I wasn't concealing anything. They gave me back my shoes and I went on my way.

The return trip home I just took off my shoes and put them on the conveyor belt and walked through without any problems. My underwire bra didn't set off the alarms.

 

[mep319]

Not to be smart... but why would you have metal shanks in your shoes??? Do shoes routinely have metal shanks??....I thought only those ugly orthopedic shoes and boots have those.