Changes in security since the last time I flew...

[Bitsmommy]

Ok. I must admit, I am a little nervous. I am flying with my 2 year old, who has special needs. Many of them are sensory and he can have MELT DOWNS when faced with strange situations, change, crowds... you see where I am going with this. The pro (if you want to call it that) is that his vocal cords are paralyzed and although he can make noise and sound, he isn't super loud. But he can kick... boy can that kid kick.

Having said that, the last time we flew he was 9 months old. I know that some changes have been made with security since we flew. What are they??? I need to be able to prepare him as best I can for the security portion of this trip or I am just asking for a very...LONG trip to Disney World. Please don't refer me to the TSA websites as I have already looked there and it seems that things are just the same as they always were. Everything gets put on the belt, no liquid take your shoes off. If that is the case, just say so...please!

 

[Missytara]

Ok. I must admit, I am a little nervous. I am flying with my 2 year old, who has special needs. Many of them are sensory and he can have MELT DOWNS when faced with strange situations, change, crowds... you see where I am going with this. The pro (if you want to call it that) is that his vocal cords are paralyzed and although he can make noise and sound, he isn't super loud. But he can kick... boy can that kid kick.

Having said that, the last time we flew he was 9 months old. I know that some changes have been made with security since we flew. What are they??? I need to be able to prepare him as best I can for the security portion of this trip or I am just asking for a very...LONG trip to Disney World. Please don't refer me to the TSA websites as I have already looked there and it seems that things are just the same as they always were. Everything gets put on the belt, no liquid take your shoes off. If that is the case, just say so...please!

Basically, the security items have varied little in the past several years. You checked the website, so you are aware of the items you must be aware of.

Quite frankly, if it were me, I would be focusing on the fact is that traveling in general has changed for you. Your son is now older and the situation has changed. I would not be so concerned about going through a few minutes of security. You seem to be missing the entire boarding and flying experience, which is going to last much longer.

I would familiarlze myself with the boarding procedures of your airline and decide a couple of plans on how you are going to handle a "meltdown" in midair, what kind of disruption could be caused to other passengers and how you are going to it.

 

[Bitsmommy]

Thanks, he is my son and I am well aware of what he can and can't handle. I specifically asked about the security changes because that is my concern. Wile I appreciate your advice, I know that the process of sitting in an airplane HAS NOT changed and I am well aware of his limits and means to help him cope. I just wanted to make sure that he was not set up for failure because I wasn't expecting a security process that I wasn't aware of.

 

[Missytara]

My apologies, you asked about TSA changes. I just wanted to bring to your attention while very little security changes, airlines have merged and boarding policies have changed even more.

 

[Allison]

Basically, the security items have varied little in the past several years. You checked the website, so you are aware of the items you must be aware of.

Agreed, I am not aware of many changes in the last 18 months or so regarding security.

 

[DebbieB]

I'm not sure if they had the body scanners the last time you flew.

http://www.tsa.gov/approach/tech/ait/index.shtm

At most airports, people are selected randomly for the scanner vs the metal detector. You have the option to ask for a patdown instead. I'm not sure what the rules are for selecting children. I believe age 12 or under can opt for a modified patdown.

 

[sam_gordon]

I'm not sure if they had the body scanners the last time you flew.

http://www.tsa.gov/approach/tech/ait/index.shtm

At most airports, people are selected randomly for the scanner vs the metal detector. You have the option to ask for a patdown instead. I'm not sure what the rules are for selecting children. I believe age 12 or under can opt for a modified patdown.

I was going to mention the body scanners. During our trip in June, EVERYONE was going through the body scanners, BUT, when they saw we were travelling with three kids, our entire party was waved through the metal detectors. This happened going & coming.

This isn't a guarantee of the same thing happening to you, but I would think the odds are good.

 

[Bitsmommy]

There weren't body scanners last time we flew. I am guessing the have taken the place of the metal detectors that we walked through. From the picture, it looks like they have to walk with their hands up in the air. Is that the case, or is that just a bad demonstration?

 

[sam_gordon]

The ones I saw (but didn't have to use), you stepped in, put your feet on the marks, hold up your hands, and freeze. They scan, and then wave you out.

 

[gmeh1]

My apologies, you asked about TSA changes. I just wanted to bring to your attention while very little security changes, airlines have merged and boarding policies have changed even more.

I don't see the need for you to apologize at all. I found your post to be very helpful. I think I read somewhere that children do not have to remove their shoes anymore.
And, I do agree with you that flying and boarding could be something to be concerned about, just hope they get a bulkhead seat in case this child has a meltdown and starts kicking.

 

[Bitsmommy]

I was going to mention the body scanners. During our trip in June, EVERYONE was going through the body scanners, BUT, when they saw we were travelling with three kids, our entire party was waved through the metal detectors. This happened going & coming.

This isn't a guarantee of the same thing happening to you, but I would think the odds are good.

This is promising. We have a habit of dressing our children in basketball shorts, crocs and T-shirts to fly. This serves three purposes one we don't set off the metal detector,the kids shoes are easy on and off and it is comfortable. Chase won't allow anyone to touch him that isn't a very close friend or family member, so, an optional pat down won't work, and I am not sure if the body scanner will work for him because he won't understand the "ams up stay still approach." Show me any 2 year old that does this well and I will show up a miracle!

 

[Bitsmommy]

I don't see the need for you to apologize at all. I found your post to be very helpful. I think I read somewhere that children do not have to remove their shoes anymore.
And, I do agree with you that flying and boarding could be something to be concerned about, just hope they get a bulkhead seat in case this child has a meltdown and starts kicking.

We put him by the window, my husband in front of him and he is in an airline approved car seat, i sit beside him. He should be fine because he knows the rules in his carseat and is a follower of any type of routine. So, once the car seat buckle clicks, he will know that he isn't getting out. He won't try. Which is why I am not concerned about the actual airplane ride. I am concerned about him going through security and flipping his lid if some stranger expects to touch him.

 

[tjmw2727]

In my experience children are not sent through the new scanners but this is at airports with both options. My older dd at 17 and I were sent through the scanners while my younger dd's were sent through the old style metal dectors.

Children under 12 no longer have to remove their shoes.

 

[Bitsmommy]

In my experience children are not sent through the new scanners but this is at airports with both options. My older dd at 17 and I were sent through the scanners while my younger dd's were sent through the old style metal dectors.

Children under 12 no longer have to remove their shoes.

Awesome!!! Thank you so much!!

 

[bumbershoot]

There weren't body scanners last time we flew. I am guessing the have taken the place of the metal detectors that we walked through. From the picture, it looks like they have to walk with their hands up in the air. Is that the case, or is that just a bad demonstration?

You still go through the metal detectors on the way to the scanners, as far as I've noticed. When I fly with DS I'm not even asked to go through the scanners, and I would opt for a pat-down search if I were sent towards the scanners, so I haven't (and won't) gone through them. But it seems you still go through the detector.

Everything gets put on the belt, no liquid take your shoes off

Well, the shoes thing has been changed for children, and that is on the TSA site, so maybe you could take another look? Maybe there's other info you missed as well.



Whatever you do, get there EARLY. Be CALM. Smile. While I've had *annoying* moments with TSA agents, I've never had a *bad* experience, and the ones I've come across respond well with smiles and kindness (even if they don't necessarily "deserve" it, LOL).

It's possible the child might get to experience a pat-down, so your job is to make yourself as chipper and smiley as possible, to help him get through it.

But the most important thing is to have a HUGE amount of time for security. It's far better to be bored while at the gate, than to have to rush and be frantic, especially with a little child, and especially with a little child with special needs.

 

[Missytara]

I don't see the need for you to apologize at all. I found your post to be very helpful. I think I read somewhere that children do not have to remove their shoes anymore.
And, I do agree with you that flying and boarding could be something to be concerned about, just hope they get a bulkhead seat in case this child has a meltdown and starts kicking.

Thank you. I hope that as disboarders, we can offer a great deal of advice.

 

[lylone]

You may want to let the first TSA agent you come to that you have a special needs child. I would think they would have some procedures in place to help everything go smoothly.

 

[goofy4tink]

You've gotten some good advice here. The thing I would be concerned about would be the scanners or the pat down. Since your ds isn't crazy about being touched by anyone unfamiliar to him, there could be an issue. I'm not sure he'll go through the scanner himself. Do you think he will be okay with that??? You may want to do some play acting at home. Maybe you can practice going through the scanner...get him used to the proceedure. Have him walk into a doorway, stand very still, and go through. You could go through first, then ds, then dh behind him. Or, have him practice being pat down... tell him exactly what is going to happen. You could try saying that the people are making sure he isn't trying to sneak on any candy or such!!! Don't want to scare him needlessly. As already mentioned, I would chat with a TSA agent, prior to actually getting to the security line. They may very well have some addtl options for you. Give them the chance to do something to help you out.

I can't imagine the issues you have to deal with, every day. I can only imagine what you go through when trying to travel. Hopefully, other passengers will take a patience pill and allow you to do what you need to do, for your ds. There seem to be too many people out there, in a huge hurry to get somewhere, and they tend to forget that not everyone has the same abilities that they have!!!

 

[aubriee]

My husband and I took our then 3 y/o GS to WDW this past Feb. We warned him before we left home that we'd all be going through security, had practiced with him, and thought we had everything covered. I had read on the TSA website that juice was allowed for toddlers and assumed a tiny 3 y/o would be considered a toddler (my GS is very small for his age and could easily pass for a 2 y/o--according to his pediatrician, he is not even on the growth chart). Anyway, we had a very early flight down there, so just let our GS sleep on the way to the airport. He woke up as we got him out of the car at the airport and immediately wanted his sippy cup (which he is very addicted to and never without). As we were waiting to go through security we had a TSA agent come over and inform us that his sippy cup was not allowed and the juice would have to be poured out. I politely told him that I thought sippy cups were allowed for toddlers and obviously nothing bad was in it, since he was drinking out of it. The TSA agent said that since he could obviously walk, that he was not an infant, so the sippy cup was not allowed. We had to take the cup away from him and empty it, so had a very unhappy, sleepy toddler on our hands. Then when we got to the front, a TSA agent pulled all three of us to go through the scanner. We moved over to that line, but as I bent down to explain to our GS that he'd need to step into the circular box, stand on the footprints, raise his hands, and the door would then close for just a second, before the other door opened to let him out to me and that I'd go first to show him how and his grandfather would be right behind him, another TSA agent gave the first one a disgusted look, told me to stay in that line, but for my husband and GS to go through the regular metal detector. My GS was not happy again, about me being separated from them, even though he could still see me.

 

[aubriee]

You still go through the metal detectors on the way to the scanners, as far as I've noticed. When I fly with DS I'm not even asked to go through the scanners, and I would opt for a pat-down search if I were sent towards the scanners, so I haven't (and won't) gone through them. But it seems you still go through the detector.

But the most important thing is to have a HUGE amount of time for security. It's far better to be bored while at the gate, than to have to rush and be frantic, especially with a little child, and especially with a little child with special needs.

I've been pulled out twice at DFW to go through the scanners. There they normally have two lines that go through the regular metal detectors, then a third line they randomly pull people into that go through the scanner. You go through one or the other, not both. One other time about a year ago though, I saw everyone going through the regular metal detectors, then afterwards a few were being pulled out and asked to go into the scanner. That day the scanner was behind and off to the side of the metal detectors, so I guess it just depends on the airport and the day.

I don't know if they still use them, but once they were having everyone go through the regular metal detector, then into a box, where they closed the doors and then blew a puff of air at you checking for explosives.