Airport security with a hip replacement?

[jerseygirl81]

Our upcoming trip will be my first time flying since having 2 hip replacements. I know that I have to show my card from the Dr and get a pat down instead of going through the metal detector. Where do I tell them I have a hip replacement is it the security guard at the entrance to the screening area and someone told me dh and ds can come with me instead of them going through the detector they will get a pat down as well? Linda

 

[jmartinez1895]

You will need to tell the first TSA agent that you come to. At our airport ( I'm not sure if it is different at other airports is if there is a national standard) if you get the pat down you just get pulled to the side and all other members of your party will go through the detector. If for some reason they need to do a more extensive search then they will take you to a private area and I belive this is when you can have someone with you.
The other members of your party can always request a pat down ( I think), but it will go much faster if they go through the detectors.

 

[Strawberry's mom&dad]

DH has a pacemaker and can't go through the metal detector and they can't use the wand as it may shut it off. We always tell the people right as you put your stuff on the belt and they tell him to go stand in a certain place and then they come take him to the pat down area. I stay with our stuff and gather it up after it goes through the scanner. If your airport has the full body scanners than that is even quicker. Sometimes he's done before our carry-ons are through.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

If you're in an airport with the back-scatter scanners, they might be able to scan you that way (if you're okay with that). I believe that hip replacements don't set those off and the only requirements for using them are that you be able to stand with your arms above your head for about a minute.

I'm a wheelchair user so I get the pat down every time. Usually it's pretty public and in an area where I can see my bags go through the x-ray machine. The pat downs have gotten more thorough (including checking the inside of pant/skirt waists) since the back-scatter scanners came into effect and, sadly, even if you're getting a pat down for a reason that doesn't involve setting off a scanner, you get the more thorough pat down. You can request a private area if you'd like, but I generally wouldn't bother for a normal pat down. If you're female, wearing a skirt (no stockings, but socks are okay) will speed up the process slightly as then they don't have to pat down where they see skin. For everyone this is also true about short sleeved vs. long sleeved shirts.

Since I'm still in the same area as "normal" security for the pat down, if I have friends or family with me they just go through the normal metal detector and wait for me with our carry-ons. Personally, I wouldn't ask anyone else to go through a pat down just because I need one. They're not the worst thing I've ever experienced (although I once had a truly horrid experience in Charles de Gaulle, but that wasn't US TSA and was before the new scanners), but they're not fun and they are a bit intrusive.

Do plan for it to take up to 15 minutes longer to get through security because they may have to call for someone to do the "assist". (I don't know if you're male or female, but I almost always have to wait for them to get a female TSA agent over to do my pat down and that can take 5+ minutes.) Also, until you're cleared, you can't touch any items of yours that have gone through x-ray and you can't touch other members of your party who have already been cleared. If you're traveling solo and are moved to an area where you can't see the x-ray belt, you can ask the TSA agent to grab your things off the belt for you and bring them to the area.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I have never been asked to show my card about having a metal hip; I just tell the agent and am directed to the side. Also, I cannot take my shoes off (or back on) while I am standing. So I go off to the waiting area.

Anyone with you will still have to go through the metal detector, as it is much faster.

 

[jerseygirl81]

Thanks for the info The reason I wanted to stay together is because our DS20 is autistic. We used to have one of us go through the scanner and DS would stay with the other one of us and then we would send him through and the other would follow and then watch him and get our shoes on and gather up our belongings. It was chaotic enough making sure you have everything while keeping an eye on him. It would be too much for DH to do while I was getting at pat down. Linda

 

[twocat]

They won't even look at the card so I wouldn't bother bringing it. It's just one more thing to keep track of.

My last pat down was a bit more intrusive than in the past. Let's just say, don't wear low waisted jeans or pants and I most definitely wouldn't wear a skirt. Their hands stop when they 'meet resistance'.

 

[bidnow5]

I wear an abdominal support with metal stays and always go to a little room for a search I always just tell them at the belt