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Pregnant passenger badgered into body scanner
At Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, a pregnant passenger saw that she'd have to go through the full body scanner and instead asked for a TSA pat-down. Her request fell on deaf ears, she told The Consumerist, and was pushed into the decision to get scanned. According to the logic applied by the TSA folks, the passenger says, "Oh it is less than an ultrasound, and it's really easy so just go through."She continues, on The Consumerist:
They repeated again for me to just go through the scanner and it would be done in 5 seconds. I was literally in tears because I wanted a pat-down instead of going through the machine, and I felt they declined me that option. No matter how much I pushed for a hand pat-down, they pushed harder for the machine.
Since the TSA is obligated to offer an alternative to the body scan, the pregnant passenger's request was legitimate. There's no word on where the TSA staffers came up with the medical advice, but I'm not sure I'd take their word for it.
[photo by mahalie via Flickr]
Filed under: North America, United States, Airports
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Wimpie Sep 9th 2010 4:10PM
"Advanced Imaging Technology" is a euphemism created to make people think they are getting "scanned." No one is getting "scanned" -- they are getting strip searched.
The fundamental privacy issue is whether our government has the right to make strip searches routine and mandatory.
There is no question that these machines violate the 4th Amendment.
There are also health issues. Researchers are already coming out saying that the machines aren't safe and could cause cancer.
Please check out the brochure at:
http://dontscan.us
and join us on Facebook
All Facebook Against Airport Full Body Scanners
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=239458517874
and join in on Flyertalk.com
Organized resistance to WBI/invasive patdowns
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security/1119548-organized-resistance-wbi-invasive-patdowns.html
HELP PUT A STOP TO THE TYRANNY!
Malaycobra Sep 9th 2010 4:48PM
I got "randomly" selected (seemed like every second or third person at the xray machine in Houston yesterday.
After my 5 seconds in the machine, I had a pat-down.
So either they are 1. still testing or 2. unsure of the effectiveness.
The agent even made me turn out my pockets because he didn't believe they were empty.
So just like getting wanded after the metal detector, we have another piece of technology that seems to exist just to pi$$ me off.
JoGo Sep 29th 2010 10:05AM
Israel has, without a doubt, the best airport security. Could we ever duplicate what they do...NO...the reason is that in Israel, the job of clearing someone to get on the plane is taken very seriously and time is given to it. Here, the TSA people are laughing, talking and not even paying attention. I think it is time to be more strict with behavior and anyone not doing their job diligently should be removed. This is security, not just to prevent people from moving drugs or other illegal items...As for this article and the people gathered around the scanner, this is another example of people who do not take their job seriously, nor do they do it with security in mind.