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Underwire bra dispute causes woman to miss her flight
First it was loose change in your pockets, then it was jewelry, and then it was shoes. For Jet Blue passenger Nancy Kates, it seems like bras might be the next thing to go in the airport security line. A big-busted woman, Kates was wearing a large underwire bra as she went through the security check at Oakland International Airport but when it set off the metal detector she was pulled aside by a TSA agent.Kates accuses the agent of getting a little too personal. "The woman touched my breast. I said, 'You can't do that,' " Kates said. "She said, 'We have to pat you down.' I said, 'You can't treat me as a criminal for wearing a bra.' "
Refusing to be fondled, Kates asked to see a supervisor and then the supervisor's surpervisor. Kates reminded the TSA agents that the Constitution bars unreasonable searches and that "scrutinizing a woman's brassiere is surely unreasonable." She was offered a private room to have her pat-down, but Kates refused. Instead she asked if she could simply remove her bra, to which the TSA agent agreed. This isn't the first breast related TSA incident, but the whole escapade took 40 minutes and caused Kates to miss her flight. Jet Blue was nice enough to put her on another one.
Being a woman, I myself have had the bra pat-down several times, and I'm sure there are other fellow females on the Gadling team that have gone through the same experience. Normally such pat-downs are off limits to fingers; TSA agents only use the side of their hands. But all the same it's still a little unnerving. As Kates said, "If I was carrying nail clippers and forgot about them, I wouldn't have gotten so upset. But here I was just wearing my underwear."
What are your thoughts? Is it humiliating to get a pat-down to make sure the underwire in your bra is what's setting off the metal detector?
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Filed under: United States, Airports, Consumer Activism
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 17)
Melissa Aug 28th 2008 10:31AM
I agree with you! The public is forgetting what events led the government to putting these rules and checks in place to begin with. It's not perfect, but untill the scorners come up with a better idea, it's what we have to work with.
Kari Aug 27th 2008 2:57PM
Yest another reason I never wear a bra -- evil horse harnesses that they are.
fortmyersmike Aug 27th 2008 2:58PM
Another sign that air travel is currently like travel by prison bus.
fortmyersmike Aug 27th 2008 2:58PM
Another sign that air travel is currently like travel by prison bus.
Misty Aug 27th 2008 3:00PM
Just wear NO metal.
Your flying! Remember the detectors are there and then make sure you dress accordingly. HOW LONG HAVE WE KNOWN THIS?????? NO SURPRISE; GET WITH THE PLAN.
JANINE May 7th 2009 11:39AM
FLY IN EUROPE, THEY KNOW WE WOMEN WEAR UNDERWIRE. THEY WAND YOU, HAVE YOU JIGGLE THE BOTTOM OF THE BRA, AND LET YOU PASS.
THAT IS HOW YOU HANDLE THIS ISSUE. NOT EMBARRASS YOU IN FRONT OF EVERYONE. THERE IS A RIGHT WAY AND A WRONG WAY. TSA IS THE WRONG WAY - EUROPE IS THE RIGHT WAY.
YOU MUST NOT HAVE ANY BOOBS AT ALL. MINE ARE VERY LARGE AND I HAVE TO WEAR A UNDERWIRE BRA. I DON'T WANT THEM ON THE FLOOR AND I CAN'T GO WITHOUT A BRA DUE TO THE PAIN I SUFFER WITHOUT IT. TALK ABOUT INSENSITIVE A*S PEOPLE ON THIS WEBSITE. DON'T JUDGE UNTIL YOU ARE IN OUR SHOES - NO BOOBS MISTY AND OTHER NON UNDERSTANDING IDIOTS ON HERE - YEAH I AM TALKING ABOUT YOU MEN.
TSA NEED SOME TRAINING FROM THE EUROPEANS.
Bruce Bennett Aug 27th 2008 3:01PM
What a great concept -- boobs checking boobs.
Sleep well America. TSA has the situation well in hand.
Tami Harris Aug 27th 2008 3:07PM
This happened to me at LAX. I was stunned. I wanted to pursue the issue but was afraid of missing my flight.
I do some major traveling Domestic and international yearly and have NEVER had this happen to me again.
I do NOT feel any safer now than before.There is no consistency between airports.
Emma Aug 27th 2008 7:14PM
I totally agree. There is absolutely no consistancy between airports. There have been times when I wasn't asked to take off my sweatshirt or take my laptop out of it's case. Now I'm worried my bra will set off the metal detectors. Good job, TSA. I feel MUCH safer now.
Valerie Aug 27th 2008 3:18PM
TSA has become a joke, pure and simple. Giving passengers a false sense of security because time and time again, people stroll through with contraband. I've inadvertently done it myself with liquids in my purse, etc...
I've had the "girls" pat down at LaGuardia, the one time my underwire set the thing off. Yes, it was humiliating and done in front of a group of friends I was traveling with.
I'm all for keeping the skies friendly, but the overzealous security updates don't seem to have made any difference other than to create annoyance.
Marilyn Aug 27th 2008 3:19PM
you guys just don't get it...we are out to do a job..we don't get a kick out of patting people down but its out job...so many passengers want to b*tch and complain about everything...but in the long run, since TSA has been around, has there been any major situations..NO..
for those that think we are a joke..come work with us to really see what goes down...
dbeaty1957 Aug 27th 2008 3:19PM
That happened to my mom in the 70's in Miami, where we used to have a lot of hijackings. She failed the metal detector and they made her go in a room and strip. You would think by now they would have better sense or equipment!
Marilyn Aug 27th 2008 8:08PM
UNDERWIRE BRAS don't go off...first off...
when you wear those garders to hide your stomach thats a different story..
God Is Good Aug 27th 2008 3:24PM
I agree that these security pat-downs are sometimes to similar to sexual advances. My experience happened in a night club while I was out of town visiting family. My brother wanted to go out and I agreed. Upon entering the night club I was asked to extend my arms for a pat down to ensure I was not concealing weapons. I asked for a female security guard to pat me down because I wasn't about to allow a strange man touch me so intimately. My request was granted and a female appeared. I extended my arms for the pat-down and she proceeded to pat me down but then she grabbed my breasts and began to fondle them. I expressed my dissatisfaction and was told by the security guard that was how she was trained to search club goers. I felt violated and I was mad as hell. I have past lovers that have never touched me like she did during the search. My civil rights were violated and I informed security and management of the facility of my issue and that I would never set foot in their establishment again.
Lynn Aug 27th 2008 3:30PM
I have two replaced hips made out of titanium, I get pulled over every time and probably always will, and I have to say, it is humiliating everytime. However when the security person shows some respect and compassion, but it doesn't seem so bad even though she is still doing her job .....other times the security person will treat me like a common crimnal, those are the times I walk away in tears, really a bad way to start off vacation!
Everyone understands the need for safety. Along with training their staff to do the searches, TSA needs to train them to do it with respect and dignity (and some "common sense") instead of with cold indiference. Coming from someone with lots of experience, this would avoid people feeling violated and things would go a lot smoother.
MM Emond Apr 9th 2009 11:21AM
My situation is similar to yours. I now have 2 knee replacements. Before the 2nd replacement, getting through security was humiliating. I also feel like I was being treated as a criminal - standing there in full view of others going through security, arms straight out and being wanded & touched if even the rivets on your jeans are sensed by the wand. Can't wait to see what happens now that I have 2 chunks of metal in my body. By the way, I've flown several times since getting the 1st new knee in 2005 and only once have I been offered private screening prior to being wanded. That was September 2008 in Portland, ME. I thanked the TSA agent & told her she was the 1st to ever offer. She was quite surprised by that.
Kat Aug 27th 2008 3:31PM
My plan? I wear underwire and I will embarrass everyone there by removing my bra on the spot. This is such a violation and I despise that people have been allowed to do this to our country - both vile, horrible terrorists AND the government that takes is a little further every time (that's ALL parties not just the current administration). I became a master of quick changes as a child and teenager and haven't lost my touch. I will demand every supervisor available and while demanding their presence I will be removing my bra in line. And, by gosh, if I miss my flight I will raise all kinds of sand with the people who make me miss it!
wgmomof2@yahoo.com Aug 28th 2008 4:03PM
I think it is sucks. They are taking things to far when they are giving people problems for wearing clothes!
Valerie Aug 27th 2008 3:36PM
Underwire does sometimes go off. It depends on how much and what type metal the designer used. How can you argue with so many women that have had it happen?
I understand it's a job, but with great power comes great responsibility. There have been many instances of abuse of that power, which angers people. Couple this with the attitude of most TSA agents you face at the airport, the CNN leak of hardly any Marshals on planes, racial profiling, and the verging on ridiculous level of restriction and delay and this is the aggravation you are going to find with the public.
Yours is a much maligned profession, Marilyn. So is mine. You have to find a way to see the other side too.
Frank Aug 27th 2008 4:01PM
why cant they just follow rules and do what they are told the ones that do complain most likely are constant complainers