TSA: No more taking shoes off

[Lewisc]

I have been screamed at multiple times for removing my insulin pump and putting it in a ziploc so it can be hand screened,

It can't be hand screened in a ziploc. The agent generally has to remove it from the bag, look at it and swab for explosives.

The tsa agent shouldn't yell at you, but you are slowing down the process.

Your pump can go through the walk through metal detector.

Diabetic pumps are common. TSA is used to dealing with them. Waiting for you to put your pump in a bag, so the agent can immediately remove it is probably annoying and a waste of time.

 

[elvispursley]

It can't be hand screened in a ziploc. The agent generally has to remove it from the bag, look at it and swab for explosives.

The tsa agent shouldn't yell at you, but you are slowing down the process.

Your pump can go through the walk through metal detector.

Diabetic pumps are common. TSA is used to dealing with them. Waiting for you to put your pump in a bag, so the agent can immediately remove it is probably annoying and a waste of time.

No, I am not slowing down the process as I remove it while I’m waiting in line. I put the pump in a ziploc back so that my cannula tubing is not catching on something nor coming into contact with it. And the current pump I have does set off an alarm at off the standard metal detector (the CGM does not) going through precheck. When I wore an Omnipod, I could go through the metal detector.

And as common as insulin jumps are, there are many TSA agents who have told me I can go through the body scanner wearing it. My physician and pump company have explicitly said NO.

I have certainly noticed that there are agents in certain airports that are more irritable than others. Worst I’ve encountered have been in SEA and LAX.

 

[dioxide45]

My #1 main reason for getting TSA precheck was so I didnt have to remove my shoes. Not the time savings.. it was the shoes.

For us, Pre-Check is also about not having to disassemble. Taking out laptops (we carry three), iPads, pulling out the quart size bag of liquids. I also didn't like taking the shoes off, so that was a plus to. Pre-check will still prevent us from having to empty our carry-on of electronics.

 

[bluezy]

Just reporting my experience at both SAN and PHL last weekend. Kept shoes on at both airports and only had to take large electronics out of bags. Things seemed to move very quickly. Had less than a 5 minute wait at SAN (at about 8:00 a.m.) and less than 15 minutes at PHL (at 7:15 a.m.). I did notice that some people were still in "auto mode" and took their shoes off and pulled out their liquids. I haven't flown in years, but my SIL flies frequently and felt that not taking off shoes sped things up.

 

[dioxide45]

Just reporting my experience at both SAN and PHL last weekend. Kept shoes on at both airports and only had to take large electronics out of bags. Things seemed to move very quickly. Had less than a 5 minute wait at SAN (at about 8:00 a.m.) and less than 15 minutes at PHL (at 7:15 a.m.). I did notice that some people were still in "auto mode" and took their shoes off and pulled out their liquids. I haven't flown in years, but my SIL flies frequently and felt that not taking off shoes sped things up.

You are still supposed to pull out liquids, aren't you?

 

[pooch]

You are still supposed to pull out liquids, aren't you?

I haven’t had to in the last year or so.

 

[bluezy]

You are still supposed to pull out liquids, aren't you?

They only announced to remove large electronics at both airports. In fact, when I was in line between the ID station and the scanners at PHL a woman took off her shoes and pulled out her liquids and the TSA agent told her to put her shoes back on and put her liquids back in her bag. I've heard that it has to do with the scanning equipment -- that the newer equipment is much better and the TSA agents can see everything they need to see from the scans.

 

[sam_gordon]

You are still supposed to pull out liquids, aren't you?

Pretty sure that depends on the scanners in use at a given airport. Although I've had Pre for three years now, so can't say with certainty.