songsparrow Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I was wondering what people's recent experiences have been like at airport security checkpoints when traveling with kids? When the whole backscanner machines / invasive pat downs came into effect, I declared that my daughters and I would not be traveling by air until the rules were changed. Now that many airports are getting rid of the backscatters and substituting millimeter wave scanners that don't have the radiation and do not have the person looking at naked pictures in a back room, I'm willing to reconsider. I've heard that the resolution pat downs, if needed after the MMW, tend to be focused on a particular area, and not the whole-body invasive pat downs. I've also heard that families with small children are often sent through the metal detectors instead of the full body scanners. So, what have your experiences been like recently when traveling as a family? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I'm interested in this, too. I'm flying with four kids in a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HejKatt Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I can confirm that families with small children (my older is 7 years old) go through metal detectors, at least for SFO. I glanced at the other queue when we went through - the screen shows a generalized person figure as the person goes through. I don't remember the make/type of the machine unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 When we have flown, people were chose to go through the full-body scanner randomly. Most people went through the regular metal detector. None of my kids has been sent through the full body scanner, and we have flown multiple times (and my kids are older, two of them are teens). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicianmom Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 We traveled in January with the kids. We were sent through the regular metal detectors. No pat downs. The kids could keep their shoes on. Not a bad experience at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 The last time we flew (August 2012) we were actually told by a TSA agent (multiple ones, actually, both in Houston and in Denver) that children 12 and under no longer have to go through anything other than the regular metal detector; also, children 12 & under do not have to remove their shoes or belts, either. Additionally, if one parent is traveling with the children and no additional adult help, the parent will not be asked to go through the scanner either/will not be separated from his or her children. On this issue it really seems that the TSA took notice of the complaints (or someone did) and really calmed things down/made things more reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 My experience traveling with kids is very fresh in my mind since it's today! The TSA agents today (and a couple weeks ago when my husband and I flew without the kids) have been excellent. We are in a 9 hour layover right now so we left the airport for a few hours so we went through security both at Dulles in VA and JFK in NYC. Kids 12 and under keep their shoes on. One TSA agent assumed Melody was under 12 and said she didn't have to remove her shoes (she already had and she IS 13 so she's supposed to). Families with kids 12 and under only do the regular metal detector. Some random other people do, too. The rest do the millimeter scans. I was struggling a little bit to get my stuff out of the bins and help Adric as well (Ian and I split the kids in alf so I had Melody and Adric and he had Wil and Rory) and a TSA agent came over and offered to assist me however I needed. A week and a half ago when Ian and I left San Antonio, I went through the millimeter thing and a couple places came up as anomolies for some reason so I had to have a patdown. It was totally non-invasive and she told me everything she was going to do before she did it. The security lines at BWI, San Antonio, Dulles, and JFK have all been pretty short and quick. I've honestly been very impressed after hearing all those horror stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 The last time we flew (August 2012) we were actually told by a TSA agent (multiple ones, actually, both in Houston and in Denver) that children 12 and under no longer have to go through anything other than the regular metal detector; also, children 12 & under do not have to remove their shoes or belts, either. Additionally, if one parent is traveling with the children and no additional adult help, the parent will not be asked to go through the scanner either/will not be separated from his or her children. On this issue it really seems that the TSA took notice of the complaints (or someone did) and really calmed things down/made things more reasonable. This was our experience when the kids and I flew in Sept (dh had to work, so I was the only adult). If you tell your kids what to expect, the worst part is waiting in line for your turn. The TSA website has some kid videos about going through security that can be helpful and reassuring to nervous kids. Remind your kids that they will never be separated from a parent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 TSA agents have always treated us very respectfully. We opt out of the scanners (I don't think they even allow kids through the scanners, but I always tell them that we are opting out, regardless) and they quickly move us through. Our last flight was 2 weeks ago, and the kids got to keep their shoes and didn't get any pat down at all. Neither did the parent who was accompanying them. The other parent received the regular opt-out pat down, which is no big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 It's been about 8 months, but the TSA in Atlanta was really great. Cheerful, friendly, helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Travelled 3 weeks ago and back 1 week ago....both times with my 3 year old. He was able to keep on his shoes and we both went through the medal detector. My only complaint was the lady at the booth who required my son to answer her questions about his name and who I was...which he refused to do because he is really shy and is getting speech therapy. But not as scary as I had imagined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 How recent? Dd, 15 at the time, flew alone during the summer. I went through security with her. They decided to max out the scanner for the day and directed all lines through it. It was not a naked scanner. She had a hair tie in her pocket and it showed up on the machine. So she had a noninvasive pat down then a chemical check. *roll eyes* I have written about it here before. It wasn't a big deal, but it was a bit ridiculous. This was in Oklahoma City, btw. Not real recent, but I flew with dh and all of the children a year and a half or so ago. I know they did not send me to the scanner while holding a 3 month- old baby, but they did send dh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 This is from our February trip. Charlotte, NC, airport - TSA called the boys and I out of the regular line (adrenaline rush, there) to go through...a separate, no wait, no scanner, can-we-help-you-with-your-bags-ma'am line. And then took the time to show the boys how the baggage x-ray machine worked. Oh yes, "Keep your shoes on, boys." Phoenix, AZ, airport - regular, line, virtually no wait, regular metal detector, and utmost courtesy, including great patience while I organized extra carryons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Just went through Nashville and Baltimore, within the past two weeks. No problems. They were going to send ds through the scanner. When I told them to give him explicit directions due to the aspergers, they just said "never mind, he can go through the metal detector with you". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Let's see - I guess the fall was the most recent - TSA was great in the US, of course we only had our home airport to deal with. The funny thing (to me, anyway) was that we flew through London twice - the first time they searched my carry on backpack (I never figured out why) and the second time they searched both my carry on backpack and my husband's carry on backpack. His stick deodorant had fallen out of his zip lock bag & I had forgotten to put my little bottle of contact lens chemicals in my zip lock. Mind you, all of this had already made it through security in at least one other airport on the same day. I don't know why I'm telling this story, it seemed relevant when I started, but now, not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Traveled in February through DFW and ORD. No body scans for us as DD is only 5 and I was traveling alone with her. Everyone was kind and helpful, even when I spilled my entire purse on the floor trying to get it on the belt for the X-ray machine. So embarrassing! DD loves being able to leave her shoes on and tells everyone that she can because the rules changed for little kids. I'm sure the TSA "loves" getting the refresher on the regs, but she's so stinkin' cute and excited that they just chuckle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 The last time we flew (August 2012) we were actually told by a TSA agent (multiple ones, actually, both in Houston and in Denver) that children 12 and under no longer have to go through anything other than the regular metal detector; also, children 12 & under do not have to remove their shoes or belts, either. Additionally, if one parent is traveling with the children and no additional adult help, the parent will not be asked to go through the scanner either/will not be separated from his or her children. On this issue it really seems that the TSA took notice of the complaints (or someone did) and really calmed things down/made things more reasonable. I flew with DD10 just last week and this was my experience exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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