Is there TSA screening minors procedures in place ?

[ahutton]

We had a screening problem in Sept of 2002. DH and I were flying out of Portland with DD2 and DD-7 Months. DH and I both beeped (shoes - before the days of taking them off) and we got pulled aside. I had the baby, but neither of us were allowed to touch our 2 year old. I asked her to stay by the stroller and she did but it was one of the most stressful times I've ever had. We were lucky we had an understanding screener who screened DH quickly, let him get DD2, and then screened the baby and gave her to DH, then did me. We go through security differently ever since. Now if DH gets stopped or pulled aside I hold the kids until he is clear and then send them through one by one to him before going through myself. I'm sure I've frustrated many in line, but that is my happy medium for airport security and child safety.

 

[Becky2005]

So, to sum up: if a total stranger came up to my 13yo at the airport, took her from me without my permission and removed her from my vicinity, I could have them charged with kidnapping.

But if said stranger is wearing a TSA badge, I wave bye-bye prettily and move on with life.

Interesting.

That's pretty much my take on it -- plus the fact that they were telling the parents to get on the plane! WHAT THE HECK! What would have happened if the minor didn't make the flight? She would have been in the airport stranded at 13 -- Hmmm...then would the parents be charged with abandonment? What about if there wasn't another flight going out then and the child had to stay at the airport hours or even overnight? I don't think so!

This is one reason I'm just too freaked out to fly if I don't have to. Just basically any TSA agent can do anything they want at any time and have no repecussions/accountability as far as I can tell (maybe "after the fact" but by then the damage is done).

 

[ducklite]

That's pretty much my take on it -- plus the fact that they were telling the parents to get on the plane! WHAT THE HECK! What would have happened if the minor didn't make the flight? She would have been in the airport stranded at 13 -- Hmmm...then would the parents be charged with abandonment? What about if there wasn't another flight going out then and the child had to stay at the airport hours or even overnight? I don't think so!

This is one reason I'm just too freaked out to fly if I don't have to. Just basically any TSA agent can do anything they want at any time and have no repecussions/accountability as far as I can tell (maybe "after the fact" but by then the damage is done).

I'd like to know if it was TSA or the airlines gate agents telling the OP to get on the plane. I'd like to know if the OP or her daughter identified her as a minor.

And if for some reason the daughter wasn't allowed to fly, I have no doubt that the entire family would have been pulled off the plane as well--and probably everybody else while the plane was searched and entire passenger manifest rescreened. The plane wouldn't have left with the parents on it while the teen was detained.

Anne

 

[Becky2005]

I'd like to know if it was TSA or the airlines gate agents telling the OP to get on the plane. I'd like to know if the OP or her daughter identified her as a minor.

I don't know I was just going based on this information for getting on the plane:

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

The plane wouldn't have left with the parents on it while the teen was detained.

Anne

I just don't have that much trust in the airline industry that somehow the plane *wouldn't* have taken off without the minor in it for any number of reasons. I don't know what airline it was but I know airlines have no problems switching assigned seats so that 2 year olds are seperated from their parents, lost luggage, etc... I'm not about to trust them to realize a family is seperated. The TSA agents wouldn't care if the flight took off without a passanger on it even if the passanger was a minor. I'm probably just too paranoid but there is no way on earth I would board a plane while my minor child was being pulled aside. Heck, I wouldn't even let the rest of the family board probably, I would choose to miss the flight if need be rather than take the remote chance that my child gets stranded.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I don't know I was just going based on this information for getting on the plane:





I just don't have that much trust in the airline industry that somehow the plane *wouldn't* have taken off without the minor in it for any number of reasons. I don't know what airline it was but I know airlines have no problems switching assigned seats so that 2 year olds are seperated from their parents, lost luggage, etc... I'm not about to trust them to realize a family is seperated. The TSA agents wouldn't care if the flight took off without a passanger on it even if the passanger was a minor. I'm probably just too paranoid but there is no way on earth I would board a plane while my minor child was being pulled aside. Heck, I wouldn't even let the rest of the family board probably, I would choose to miss the flight if need be rather than take the remote chance that my child gets stranded.

yeah - not much faith here either...sadly! I am not gonna risk it either!

 

[ducklite]

I don't know I was just going based on this information for getting on the plane:





I just don't have that much trust in the airline industry that somehow the plane *wouldn't* have taken off without the minor in it for any number of reasons. I don't know what airline it was but I know airlines have no problems switching assigned seats so that 2 year olds are seperated from their parents, lost luggage, etc... I'm not about to trust them to realize a family is seperated. The TSA agents wouldn't care if the flight took off without a passanger on it even if the passanger was a minor. I'm probably just too paranoid but there is no way on earth I would board a plane while my minor child was being pulled aside. Heck, I wouldn't even let the rest of the family board probably, I would choose to miss the flight if need be rather than take the remote chance that my child gets stranded.

My point is that if they found a reason to detain her, I can't imagine they wouldn't deplane her entire traveling party to question/search them as well.

Anne

 

[Becky2005]

My point is that if they found a reason to detain her, I can't imagine they wouldn't deplane her entire traveling party to question/search them as well.

Anne

I suppose but I'm also thinking along the lines of "gee, that took longer than expected...OOPS, the plane already taxied out/left", etc... I'm not even thinking sinister things, just snafu's that could happen. I just imagine 101 things...they DO take her to a different area for screening & it takes longer than they thought to get back or whatever. I could see them doing a "oh we have PLENTY of time, no problem --- Oh crud, problem"

 

[Mskanga]

I'd like to know if it was TSA or the airlines gate agents telling the OP to get on the plane. I'd like to know if the OP or her daughter identified her as a minor.

My daughter is 13 and she does not look like 18 , besides that her ticket was clearly marked as "child" .
the airline agents were the ones telling us to go on to board the plane ,but the TSA agents witnessed these whole thing.

My point is that if they found a reason to detain her, I can't imagine they wouldn't deplane her entire traveling party to question/search them as well.

There was no reason to detain her again , the reason why they did the second time is because they did not punch her ticket after having been further screened the first time. Was it an oversight ? perhaps and I am not saying that mistakes don't happen , but I should have been allowed to be with her or close to her.
The reason why we felt comfortable with her going last was because we did not expect additional screening at the boarding gate , I have never seen anyone pulled there before but this for sure was a lesson.
The airport was Allentown , PA.