Divesting of your person

Divesting of your person.

As I have said previously, my goal is not to rationalize or defend the TSA screening procedures. My assumption is that you want to move through the screening process as quickly and with as little “hands on” interaction with the TSOs as possible and I am going to tell you how to do that. With very few exceptions, you can avoid a pat down or even having a TSO need to touch you during the personal screening process if you divest properly and do not choose to opt out of AIT screening if you are selected. Here is my advice:

Footwear, outer garments and headwear need to go through the x-ray.

All footwear must be removed by individuals 13 years of age and older. Children 12 years of age and younger do not need to remove footwear and headwear as long as they do not set off the metal detector.

Everyone must remove jackets, sweaters, hoodies, scarves and hats. Headwear worn for religious reasons does not need to be removed but additional screening procedures will be required (which generally aren’t a big deal).

Be prepared for whichever screening method is required.

There is a metal detector and full body scanner at every lane and you need to be prepared to be directed to either one. Since it is unpredictable which screening method will be used, all passengers are asked to empty their pockets and remove their belts as a routine part of the divestment process, even if those things don't normally set off the metal detector.

If you are directed to the full body scanner but you wish to receive a pat down instead, let the TSO know. A TSO of the same sex will be assigned to pat you down.

IMPORTANT - If you are directed to the metal detector but you wish to be screened using the full body scanner, let a TSO know before you go through the metal detector. Believe it or not, for some folks with hip or knee replacements, surgically implanted metal plates, rods and/or screws, who have heavy jewelry they can’t or don’t want to remove, or even females who have trouble with their underwire bras setting off the metal detector (it happens), the full body scanners are considered a god send. But TSA procedures dictate that if the metal detector goes off, the alarm must be resolved at the metal detector by either divesting the item that caused the alarm or with a pat down. Obviously, if the alarm is caused by an artificial hip or knee there are no means for divesting the cause of the alarm and a pat down is required. You can’t choose to go through the AIT after setting off the metal detector. So you need to let a TSO know before you set off the alarm if you would prefer to be screened using the AIT.

If for any reason you wish to receive a pat down as an alternative to either the metal detector or full body scanner, simply notify one of the TSOs on duty. It is not a big deal, it happens all the time. But be aware that it can sometimes take a while before a TSO of the same sex is available, especially when the lanes are busy. The same TSOs that are assigned to do bag checks also do pat downs. When bag checks or other pat downs are in progress there can be a delay before a TSO becomes available. Please be patient.

Remove your belt, jewelry and everything from your pockets.

This is sometimes an issue for male frequent travelers who are used to leaving their belts and watches on and may have passed through the metal detector with non-metallic items, like wallets, handkerchiefs, chap sticks or combs in their pockets. All of these things cause blips on the full body scanner image even though they would not normally set off the metal detector. The TSO looking at the AIT image can’t usually tell what it is but something is clearly there so he/she will tell the TSOs manning the AIT to check the relevant areas of the body. The AIT detects everything, even a boarding pass or a driver’s license in a passenger’s pocket. The key to hassle free screening on the AIT is to make sure you remove your belt and everything from your pockets. Females usually do better than males with this exercise probably because they either don’t have pockets on their outfits or generally don’t carry a lot of stuff in their pockets like males do.

Technically, you do not need to remove your jewelry as long as it doesn’t set off the metal detector. Earrings and rings on your fingers are typically fine, in fact we prefer that you don't remove rings from your fingers and run the risk of losing them. However, if you wear other jewelry in the AIT it will likely cause a blip on the image. If it is on your wrist(s) the TSO will need to take a look at your watch (or whatever) and pat your forearm if it is covered by your shirt or blouse. If it is around your neck, the TSO will need to pat your torso. It is not a big deal and only takes a few seconds but if you just want to breeze through with no touching, remove your jewelry. If you are interested in why the TSA seems so concerned about watches, liquids and certain kinds of batteries, read the Wikipedia entry on the “Bojinka plot”. Timers for explosive devices were modified digital watches that the terrorists wore on their wrists. The explosive was nitroglycerin concealed in contact solution bottles.

When I travel, I try to do this before I get to the screening area: I put everything in my pockets and my watch in a plastic bag and put it in my carryon bag. That way I worry less about things being stolen or spilling out of a bin and becoming misplaced. Wallets are a particularly touchy item for men and I can understand that. If you are directed to the AIT, you will be asked to put it through the x-ray machine. It is best to be prepared and put it in your carryon ahead of time.

Give some thought to what you wear on your trip.

Many folks like to look nice when they travel but give some thought to what you are wearing and how that might affect the screening process. Even before the AITs were installed, there were occasions where metal on a passenger’s pants, skirt, shirt and/or blouse would set off the metal detector and the passenger needed to be patted down. Now with the AITs in operation, metal buttons and adornments as well as non-metallic ones, large buttons and thick patches cause blips on the AIT images. You may want to avoid wearing items with lots of ornamentation.

Sometimes passengers will have very little underneath their jackets or hoodies and removing them can cause embarrassment. A TSO of the same sex can always pat down the torso of a passenger wearing bulky clothing. But if you want to avoid that, plan your wardrobe accordingly.

Delicate issue - Genital and navel piercings.

Large adornments on the genital and navel areas can and do cause blips on the AIT image. There are additional screening procedures required when something is detected in a genital area that I will cover in the section on the full body scanner. This has become a particularly sensitive issue since the attempt to blow up an airplane by the “underwear bomber” on Christmas of 2010. If you typically wear large or a lot of jewelry on your genital and/or navel areas, you may want to consider removing it before you come to the airport.

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Disclaimer: This material was written by a private citizen hoping to be helpful, not as a representative of the federal government, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority or of the Transportation Security Administration. Any opinions expressed as well as any inaccuracies are solely the author’s.