Airport Screener Answering Questions

[dis4me]

Frann I was told by American Airlines that Strollers and car seats do not count toward carry on nor luggage allotment. They are considered freebies.I would check with Delta but an American Airlines supervisor told me this at LAX last week.

 

[mom2smjn]

I have a question
We will be flying with my mother who is on oxygen. She will be emptying her O2 before boarding the plane and the O2 compny will be waiting when we disembark to refill it. She will need to carry the empty tank(small fanny pack type helio tank) onboard because she will seriously need the O2 as soon as she lands.
So my question is will she have trouble taking the tank on as carryon?
Also she has an implant that she can't go through the metal detectors as will will mess up the device...who do we tell about this?

TIA

 

[mom2smjn]

whoooops I also forgot to ask...she has a scooter/electric wheel chair.(she can walk so will transfer out to go to her seat) She will need this in the airport so how do we check it and will it be waiting when she gets off the plane?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by frannn
Is it necessary to check in luggage with 20-30 disney pins? I am just concerned that they will be missing out of my checked baggage if it gets opened.

I am carrying on my child's car seat (will count as one carry on), and have an extra large size diaper bag. Can I use the diaper bag as my personal item? It is evident upon opening it that it is a diaper bag, and all the contents will be for DD1. It just happens to be 1.5X larger than your average diaper bag. I figure I will need this bag to be large enough to hold not only her diapers & wipes for at least a day, but food for the plane, bottles & sippy cup, toys for the plane, smaller sized tylenol, orajel, etc. I consider all of these things necessary to have on hand in the plane for DD1. Will screeners/Delta employees tell me that this bag is too big to be considered a personal item? There are no size guidelines Delta can give me for personal items. All of our other carryons are spoken for, by the way, so an additional bag is not really an option. TIA!

Frann,
This is from the Delta site:

Child Restraint Seats
Child restraint seats will be counted as part of the adult's carry-on allowance, unless a ticket has been purchased for the child/infant. Space permitting, an unoccupied passenger seat may be used for the restraint seat as a courtesy. If an empty seat is not available for the child restraint seat, it must be checked. In all cases, the restraint seat may be checked free of charge to the final destination.

All carry-on items must fit easily in a Size Wise™ unit (approximate dimensions 22" x 14" x 9") and must weigh less than 40 lbs.

I found this on their site. http://www.delta.com/travel/trav_serv/bag_info/carry_on/index.jsp#limits

 

[bettemom]

Having been watching and reading this thread I just had to add my 2 cents worth. Last summer we went to WDW and flew out of a North east airport to MCO. At out " local airport" we approached security, and all I can say is I was amazed at some of the things that I was asked to do.

1) I was in a wheelchair with a skycap assisting us. I was carrying crutches and was in a full leg cast, ( had an ankle fusion and 3 steel plates installed about 6 weeks earlier). The screener with irritation asked if I could just walk through the scanner instead of a physical check. Sure, I got up took my crutches and started to go through the metal detector. The screener freaks and says that I can't use the crutches, I explain that I can not put any weight on the cast so you pick how we do this.

2) Finally the screener calls a woman over to " check me out" she was very young and very nice , however once again, not the smartest requests... I kid you not... " please stand on one leg with your arms out stretched" now all of you try this with 2 good legs and no balance issues with 15# of plaster and metal on your leg...

3) She then calls the 1st screener over and asks what to do since I can not stand on my casted leg?. He actually says to me, "can you just take the cast off "?.. Is this for real!!! Sure I tell him, get me a saw and an orthopaedic tech to replace the cast and we will cut this one off so they can see everything.

4) Finally they convince themselves that I have nothing to hide and off we go.


On our return home, no problems with casts, crutches. wheelchairs, but problems with film !!!

I aksed the woman doing the metal detector conveyor belt at MCO to hand screen my exposed file. She actually gets snippy and says that it does not have to be hand inspected, only 800 speed film should be hand inspected. I then tell her if she looked at the baggie she would see that it was 800 speed film. To make my story shorter this discussion went on for ay least 5 minutes, I actually had to quote the the statute that states I can request hand inspection of my film. She became even nastier with me finally a manager came and took the film and a family member with him and checked out the film. By this time my family had been cleared and only my backpack and me remained to be cleared. This woman had a major chip on her shoulder and I was the recipient of her attitude. She then takes my backpack which I by now had been handed and tells me it needs further inspection. Her exact quote to me which was actually a threat was" I could do this ( the inspection of the backpack) the easy way or the hard way"... She then proceeds to do the equivelent of a strip search on my backpack, opening lipstick, candy bars, books and everything else. After 5 mins of this and some more attitude from her I explain that I am not intimidated by her, I travel 80K miles a year for business and I have a 2 hour wait for our filght so if she wanted to take that long searching my backpack then fine, it would not cause me any hardships.
Almost immediately a supervisor appears and tells her to close up the backpack , give it to me and she is to take a break.

I and my family are the kind of people who at Christmas bring the secutiry people cookies and treats and never carry anything on board that could possibly cause problems . However one "bad attitude" screener definately has my guard up for how some screeners at MCO treat the travelers. I will be at MCO in a few weeks again carrying 800 speed film, but I shall be walking this time and hope that everything is smooth with the security checks.

 

[bmartin1206]

Bummer story. I have not traveled to other airports since TSA took over. There is no excuse for this type of treatment. There is and has been a bit of a learning curve as to what makes common sense and what must be checked in detail. Sometimes a screeners fear of letting their guard down makes them over react. Not that I'm making excuses but the screeners at the checkpoints get verbally and sometimes physically attacked all day long for no reason at all.
I'm sorry about your bad experience. Hopefully much has been learned and corrected since your last visit. Thanks for adding to the discussion.

Brian

 

[jlambrig]

Hi Brian, thanks for taking the time to respond. My only question has to do with the setup at IND where concourse B & C are combined into one security checkpoint. I go through that airport frequently and cringe every time I have to go to one of these concourses. I don't understand why there are 2 combined. The A checkpoint flows beautifully but the other drags like molasses at Santa's house. Are they ever going to change this or do we have to wait for the new terminal?

 

[vhoffman]

To Bettemom,

I've traveled with casts, canes, and in a wheelchair. Usually they just wand or pat me down while in the wheelchair, although I've offered to get up and walk through the detector. I guess it just depends on who you get. However, to cut the security guard some slack--the one who asked you if you could remove your cast--he did ask if you could remove it, not to remove it, right? Well, some foot casts are removable, a sort of walking boot. I've had both. Maybe he was just trying to find a solution. Of course, you can't remove the fiberglass (plaster?) ones without a saw! Just remember, they're not medical professionals. I would be taken aback by that request, too, but I don't think he meant to suggest anything so absurd as removing a permanent cast. However, I, too, have had problems with the screeners at Orlando (read my above posts) and I'm in the process of filing a complaint with TSA. I feel everyone who files such a complaint validates the complaints of others. However, would such a complaint subject me to even more scrunity???Airport Screener, what's your opinion on this?

 

[megan&joeysmommy]

When you're talking about locking a checked bag with plastic ties, are you refering to zip ties where you stick one end through a hole on the other end and pull until it's tight? Should this be done before arriving at the airport or when you give them the bag? We'll be flying out of Omaha (if this makes any difference.)

 

[bmartin1206]

Yes, zip ties are what you need. I'd do it before you go to the airport.

Brian

 

[FallDisney]

Originally posted by megan&joeysmommy
When you're talking about locking a checked bag with plastic ties, are you refering to zip ties where you stick one end through a hole on the other end and pull until it's tight? Should this be done before arriving at the airport or when you give them the bag? We'll be flying out of Omaha (if this makes any difference.)

We flew out of Kansas City in March and took the luggage without any type of locking device. When we checked the bags, we asked the ticket agent if he/she could lock the bags, which they did gladly. However, once the bag went on the scale, we were not to touch it again. The agent HAD to put the zip tie on it.

The trick came when we got to the hotel and had to get the bags opened! Had an awful time getting sissors! (Not a Disney hotel.) Any advice on this one, as I'm sure you can't carryon sissors!

Did the same thing on the way back home, but food had tripped the alarm apparently because when the baggage came up to the carousel, there was no tie on it whatsoever and no sticker. I thought when they searched your checked luggage, it had to have a tag showing it was searched and they had to replace the zip tie?

 

[bmartin1206]

Each airlines may do different thngs but that is up to them. Once TSA receive it, if we have to reopen the bag for further inspection we will cut the tie and SHOULD re-seal it. In the future you may want to have some fingernail clippers on the outside pocket of luggage or elsewhere. They cut the ties nicely. You can have scissors if they are safety scissors (rounded tips).
Most of TSA has swithched over to different tag that should be able to be pulled off. I like it because it's easier to get off but don't like it ... cause it's easier to get off. Ultimately if anyone really wants to get into a bag, a tie, a lock or anything else won't stop them.
I'm not sure I understand your last concern. Was it sealed before you turned it over for the return trip as well? If so, it should have ben resealed.

Brian

 

[Daisimae]

Hi:

I have a last minute question. I'm carrying a very small purse. with my digital camera, (I know the scanners wont hurt it), my ID, all my travelers checks, gift certificates and docuementation in it. Needless to say, if I am seperated from it and someone runs off with it my trip will be over before it starts.

Can I request a hand inspection for it instead of putting it on the scanner belt?

Thanks!

Daisimae

 

[Daisimae]

Another question: Is it ok to pack a can of Lysol in my checked bag? Thanks!

 

[missymouse3367]

Wifes log in...anyway, You can request a ahnd check but don't be surprised if you don't get it. We prefer to run everything through the xray.

 

[FINFAN]

How about the disposable underwater cameras? I am planning on giving each of my kids one in a surprise/goodie bag to hand them on the plane. Can I send these thru the regular x-ray machine? I am trying to keep the bags a surprise and would send them thru in a regular carry-on type duffel. The cameras are fuji brand if that matters.Thank you!
Pam

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by FINFAN
How about the disposable underwater cameras? I am planning on giving each of my kids one in a surprise/goodie bag to hand them on the plane. Can I send these thru the regular x-ray machine? I am trying to keep the bags a surprise and would send them thru in a regular carry-on type duffel. The cameras are fuji brand if that matters.Thank you!
Pam

Do not pack them in your checked luggage. The scanners will kill that film. All film should be in a carry on bag. Fuji's underwater cameras are usually loaded with 800 speed film, and IMHO, should be hand checked. xray's are cumulative and I find 800 film to be fragile to xrays. Brian and I disagree on this, but, he is TSA and I was a photo processor and photo lab manager, I saw this stuff first hand.

 

[DisneyDiver]

A bit off topic, but I think it might be a bit relevent none the less...

Apparently, recently here in the UK, a woman had her bag "disposed of" by the bomb squad due to a food item she was carrying in her bag. What was the item I hear you ask?

Turns out that the woman had been carrying home a block of puff pastry in her baggage. The white, cuboid block of soft material had lead the baggage inspectors to believe she was carrying a block of Plastic Explosive in her baggage, and susequently, her bag was blown to bits in a controlled explosion!

Just goes to show that you really need to be careful what you pack... even if it is totally innocent!

Of course, this is a story that a mate told me - I don't know if it's true or not, but I found it interesting whatever!

 

[Amaris]

Oh my goodness, I have a question....

Are certain people "targeted" for extra inspection? In April, my under wire bra set of the detector. I too had the experience of being moved to a room, leaving all of my money, plane ticket, id, my laptop, cell phone, everything on the open conveyer belt. Anyone could have walked off with it. When I asked about it, the people were MORE Than obnoxious. "Step aside" "Quiet" etc....
After the women put her hands up and slid her hands the entire length of my underwire bra, both cups... I returned to an area where I had to carry my laptop computer where they took something and went over my laptop , in and around all of the disk drives.... still my money, plane ticket, everything was out of my site and they would not let me leave, and would not allow me to access my stuff. The whole process took about 45 minutes and I almost missed my plane.

I look nothing like a terrorist, though I guess no one does.. but I am wondering if they count off so many people and then just target one? My flight from Dulles to NY I zoomed right through security, and my return was hell in NY. I was dressed the same, and carrying the same stuff. Different day, different airport.

When I arrived home, I also found that every single bag I had had been ramsacked... with notes inside that they had been inspected. All of my clean folded laundry I had put in had been completely unfolded, and some of my stuff was missing ( some clothing items, gifts I had for my kids). Ugh. New York was the problem point for me.

Just curious, I have a flight the same route coming up in a week. I also worry about the mom who wrote her kids were separated from her. My kids have disabilities and can NOT be unsupervised at ALL. Ugh, scary. Maybe my husband and I should go through , each with one child, and wait between, just in case (?)

Thanks for a great thread, we all can use as much info as we can get!

 

[Amaris]

hand inspections on film:

At Dulles they will NOT hand inspect. Last two flights they refused, they said all film goes through the scanner. and UNLOAD your camera before you go through, this will speed up line time. No loaded cameras go through either.