While everyday day is opt-out day for the Weekly Flyer family, I am interested in what will happen now that this is National opt-out week. It is an interesting choice of weeks being one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, the week of Thanksgiving.
Interestingly enough, I just happen to be flying this week. The alternative aggressive pat-down is not pleasant and especially now that TSA agents are using the front’s of their hands rather than just the back of their hands. I wonder if the national opt-out day will prompt the TSA to re-think the back scatters and the way that they conduct themselves in general.
For example, just last week, a gentleman opted out in Atlanta’s F Terminal TSA security line. He politely opted out with no confrontation. The TSA agent then proceeded to attempt to scare him into the scanner by letting him know in a stern voice that he’ll receive an enhanced pat down where his “sensitive areas will be touched” repeatedly. Really, a simple notification of what will happen during the opt out would have worked. I took it as an obvious attempt to scare him into submission of the scanner.
In thinking about Baby Weekly Flyer, how could the one explain to a child that no one should touch others in sensitive areas, but that it is “ok” if the government does?
That being said, I am not “ok” with government-approved-groping with the fronts of hands, backs of hands or whatever.
Bottom Line
If you are traveling on Wednesday, the 24th, leave yourself extra, extra time due to the Holidays, both Thanksgiving and opt-out day.
Interested to hear what you are going to do if you travel during opt-out week. Are you going to opt-out or not?
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The Weekly Flyer writes about travel from a business traveler perspective. He travels the world every week accumulating points and miles along the way.
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Flew on both Monday and Tusday and opted out each time. On Monday morning it took them quite some time to get someone do the pat down…the didn’t seem to have any “spare agents” available. Things went quicker on the return. Not only was there an agent doing the actual screening, but they had an extra agent there during the procedure. I don’t know if the second agent is supposed to be there or not. (An extra witness in case I said that the screening got too personal? Extra security in case I proved to be dangerous? If a new screener is doing the pat down, do they need to be supervised the first few times they do it?)
Nobody else opted out while I was doing it. The pat downs definitely cover all parts of the body, so you might want to take them up on their offer of a private screening.
I will reiterate my position as a DM.
If we get to choose the “examiner” doing the opt out screening, and will agree for it to be reciprocal with said examiner………..I’m all for it ! Regardless of the wait ! LOL Happy Turkey day to all !