Is there TSA screening minors procedures in place ?

[Mskanga]

We flew last week , at the airport we were screened on the security checkpoint , my husband my oldest and I were picked for additional screening which we had no problem with , they allowed my 9 year old through without further screening. When we got to the boarding gate my youngest my husband and I went right infront of my 13 year old and led into the plane, I looked back to make sure we were all going together and realized that they were pulling my 13 year old to the side and they were not letting her on the plane , she was frantic , did not know what they were doing and couldn't see us. I asked the lady at the boarding gate what they were doing with her and she said she needed further screening , I asked to be able to be with her and they denied my request. I yelled at my daughter to cooperate and not be afraid and that I could see her and I would not leave her. The same two agents that did the first screening came and did the second . The problem was originally the metal hooks on her bra , but also the problem was that they never punched her ticket as the additional screening having been performed.
I do not have a problem with the screening , I am all for security and safety however I believe that when it comes to minors , parents or guardians should be allowed to be present during the screening. On the other hand my friend was traveling with us and she was able to get on the plane with a tube of lipgloss that was not in a ziploc bag , go figure !

 

[CathrynRose]

I asked the lady at the boarding gate what they were doing with her and she said she needed further screening , I asked to be able to be with her and they denied my request. I yelled at my daughter to cooperate and not be afraid and that I could see her and I would not leave her. The same two agents that did the first screening came and did the second . !

Umm - Cathryn wouldnt have been flying that day. Cathryn would have ended up in the slammer for a tad...

There's no way - NO WAY - NONE that I would allow "additional screening" of *my* minor without me being there.

WTH are they thinking?!?!?

 

[ducklite]

Frankly they *probably* could have taken her off and strip searched her without your being there or consenting if they had a reason to suspect she was hiding something or otherwise a security risk.

Not saying it's right.

In the future you might want to have one of the adults in the party board last in line after the rest of the party to be sure that everyone gets on OK. Hope your trip was smooth after that.

Anne

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

wow! i don't know what i would have done!

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

Umm - Cathryn wouldnt have been flying that day. Cathryn would have ended up in the slammer for a tad...

There's no way - NO WAY - NONE that I would allow "additional screening" of *my* minor without me being there.

WTH are they thinking?!?!?

that would be me as well! - right or wrong!

 

[CathrynRose]

Frankly they *probably* could have taken her off and strip searched her without your being there or consenting if they had a reason to suspect she was hiding something or otherwise a security risk.

Not saying it's right.



Anne

Ummm - I highly doubt that it'd be legal to strip search a 13 y/o without a guardian present, no matter what they suspect.

Where do you live that underage strip searches would 'probably' be okay???

 

[va32h]

Ummm - I highly doubt that it'd be legal to strip search a 13 y/o without a guardian present, no matter what they suspect.

Where do you live that underage strip searches would 'probably' be okay???

In America under the Patriot Act?

Nah, I'm being facetious. When I traveled with my kids, then aged 4 and 8, they were pulled aside for additional screening too. It's insane.

 

[Mskanga]

Frankly they *probably* could have taken her off and strip searched her without your being there or consenting if they had a reason to suspect she was hiding something or otherwise a security risk.

Not saying it's right.

In the future you might want to have one of the adults in the party board last in line after the rest of the party to be sure that everyone gets on OK. Hope your trip was smooth after that.

Anne

Somehow I doubt that this is legal with a minor and no parents or guardians around but then again nothing would surprise me . The reason why she was allowed to walk behind us was because she had already been screened and cleared , like the rest of us , we did not expect this.

 

[minkydog]

That would have really upset me! I have a 13yo DD too, and I would not have taken kindly to us being separated and her being questioned or searched. I think it would scare her half to death. I can feel Mamma Tiger mode coming on right now

 

[Mskanga]

Trust me minkydog , I got myself in the middle of that door and watched them the whole time , I did not let her off my sight , she was about 60 feet away but the way they had her positioned she could not see us. If they had taken her somewhere else I would have gone with them regarless of what the airline agents would have said or done. She was scared to death , crying because she didn't know what the heck was going on , there was no need for them to do the screening this way.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

I've been detained and even brought into another private room to figure out what was beeping. If that had happened to one of my kids there is no way I wouldnt be there to lessen their fears!

Off TSA website.

We have to screen everyone, regardless of age (even babies), before they can go through the security checkpoint. We will not ask you to do anything that will separate you from your child or children.
http://tsa-7.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/t...nBfcHY9JnBfY3Y9JnBfcGFnZT0x&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

[Mskanga]

That sure wasn't our case , they were telling us to get in the plane while they were doing this.......yeah right.....

 

[robinb]

Umm - Cathryn wouldnt have been flying that day. Cathryn would have ended up in the slammer for a tad...

There's no way - NO WAY - NONE that I would allow "additional screening" of *my* minor without me being there.

WTH are they thinking?!?!?

... and I would be in the cell next to you. I wouldn't give a rats butt, I would have walked back down the jetway to be with my child.

Mskanga, I know you are a total Mama Bear, so TSA must have been very insistent or you would have not allowed your DD to be alone. {{hugs}}

 

[JR6ooo4]

Not quite the same but we lost our Magic Express leaving the resort because we were preflagged for SSSS. Super Special Security Search. THey flagged us on the way there as well.

Mikeeee

 

[WebmasterAlex]

It's a frustrating situation. They are NOT supposed to do that, their own web site makes that clear. If you raise a stink though you are going to miss your plane and then it's up to the airline if they even want to rebook you! If the TSA detains you it's not the airlines problem and they owe you nothing.
I think the best approach would be to quietly and calmly say "I am famaliar with TSA screening procedure and this doesn't meet the standards. May I please have your employee number?"
That would probably be enough to get them thinking you KNOW something and they may think twice. TSA employees don't have their full names on their nameplates, only their first name and a number. Most people yell i want your name!

 

[grlpwrd]

I think according to the TSA website that it is not allowed. Please take a look at their website...

Then again my dh was detained and arrested by a TSA agent and wasn't given the opportunity to make a phone call or call a lawyer. I am not going to make this political, but I will say it is a time where our constitutional rights are just not a priority and are always compromised.

His case is pending so I can't go into detail, but I think violations to TSA policy happen regularly which is unfortunate. I would at least let them know about it. I have spoken to both a TSA agent and to someone in airport police. It's just not right...

 

[DisnyMama]

You have to be careful with those TSA people. Everytime we fly DS (15) insists on bringing as a carry-on his XBOX-360 (or whatever videogame system he has). It goes through the X-ray machine and they stop it and they get all wigged out about what is inside while looking at the monitor. They take it and him asside which I hate because sometimes they tell me to go away and I tell them I am his mother and he is 15 but they don't care. You should hear the way they question him. Unbelievable. I keep telling him to pack it in a suitcase and check it but he is afraid it will be stolen then I wish he would just leave it home. They seem to have this attitude that they can do whatever they want.

 

[chris1gill]

Children under the age of 12 won't be picked out for the extra screening, anyone above 12 will... I think it's outrageous what they did to your daughter, especially without anyone in her family there

 

[SeaSpray]

We flew last week , at the airport we were screened on the security checkpoint , my husband my oldest and I were picked for additional screening which we had no problem with , they allowed my 9 year old through without further screening. When we got to the boarding gate my youngest my husband and I went right infront of my 13 year old and led into the plane, I looked back to make sure we were all going together and realized that they were pulling my 13 year old to the side and they were not letting her on the plane , she was frantic , did not know what they were doing and couldn't see us. I asked the lady at the boarding gate what they were doing with her and she said she needed further screening , I asked to be able to be with her and they denied my request. I yelled at my daughter to cooperate and not be afraid and that I could see her and I would not leave her. The same two agents that did the first screening came and did the second . The problem was originally the metal hooks on her bra , but also the problem was that they never punched her ticket as the additional screening having been performed.
I do not have a problem with the screening , I am all for security and safety however I believe that when it comes to minors , parents or guardians should be allowed to be present during the screening. On the other hand my friend was traveling with us and she was able to get on the plane with a tube of lipgloss that was not in a ziploc bag , go figure !

AMEN! That's why when we travel, I have DH go first, then both DSs, then myself. I've heard of this exact thing happening before, and it's a startling experience, no matter how nice the security agents are. There really needs to be better protocol put into place so that innocent minors can feel secure while going through the security process.

 

[ducklite]

Ummm - I highly doubt that it'd be legal to strip search a 13 y/o without a guardian present, no matter what they suspect.

Where do you live that underage strip searches would 'probably' be okay???

Uh, you are wrong. If a teenager is arrested or detained on suspicion of "XXX" they CAN be strip searched without a parent present under the Patriot Act. Of course the kid would have had to have done something pretty seriously wrong to be strip searched, but it CAN and DOES happen.

The son of a friend was crossing the border into Canada a few years back with two older cousins when thier car was searched and a pot pipe was found. All three were yarded off and strip/cavity searched in seperate areas where they couldn't talk to or see each other.

Anne