If you've flown recently...

[Scuff]

I haven't flown in 14 years- not since 9-11 or the new TSI body cavity searches. What di I need to know? I'm a bit nervous about radiation- had a lot of xrays in my lifetime. Plus, we'll have the baby. I want to opt out. Are the pat-downs as bad as they say? I had a pat-down going to the Phillipines where they touch your crotch and under your books. But I'm reading articles that say they're going into your clothing??? Is that the norm? Perhaps things have lightened up a little since the outcry or have we all just gotten used to it? What would you suggest wearing? I was thinking a broom skirt, but would pants be better? Anything I'm not thinking of?

[Sun]

If you have the baby, I wouldn't worry. We fly a lot, and my experience has been that women traveling with children under a certain age (maybe 12-ish, which basically means the kids who don't look like teenagers) get directed to the metal detector line. I've never been sent to the scanner line when I'm traveling with my child, and I've probably flown more than 50 times since they implemented the scanners. If I'm traveling with DH and DS, DS and I get sent to the metal detector line, and DH gets sent to the scanner line. All of my friends who've flown with children report the same thing, at every airport.

 

That being said, they do change things up from time to time. If you do end up getting sent to the scanner line, just calmly ask for a pat-down instead. The pat-downs are done by an agent of the same sex, and DH says that they've never been a big deal. Just be sure that you don't have things in your pockets, etc. I think the bad pat-downs are in the extreme minority, but those are the ones you hear about. The thousands of normal pat-downs each day don't get any press, you know?

 

A skirt is fine. Just wear whatever you'll be comfortable in for the flight.

 

Things to remember: nothing in pockets, take off outer layers (like cardigans, jackets) and send through x-ray machine Baby will have to come out of carrier or stroller, and the carrier or stroller will have to be x-rayed. Kids can leave their shoes on. Adults have to take them off to be x-rayed, so if you don't want to be barefoot in the airport for a minute or two, I'd suggest tights or socks.

[justasque]

I haven't flown in 14 years- not since 9-11 or the new TSI body cavity searches. What di I need to know? I'm a bit nervous about radiation- had a lot of xrays in my lifetime. Plus, we'll have the baby. I want to opt out. Are the pat-downs as bad as they say? I had a pat-down going to the Phillipines where they touch your crotch and under your books. But I'm reading articles that say they're going into your clothing??? Is that the norm? Perhaps things have lightened up a little since the outcry or have we all just gotten used to it? What would you suggest wearing? I was thinking a broom skirt, but would pants be better? Anything I'm not thinking of?

 

 

I have opted, for myself and dd, to have the pat down rather than the scan. We travel in skirts and leggings. It was absolutely no big deal whatsoever.

 

We wear socks so we don't have to go barefoot when we remove our shoes. We avoid metal on our clothing. We pack our gear to be efficient at the TSA security gates - our 3-1-1 bags are easily accessible, for example. We tend towards one-bag travel where possible, so we're not keeping track of a ton of stuff.

 

Go to the TSA site and read the rules, so you know what to expect.

[PinkInTheBlue]

With a baby or child they will just direct you over to the metal detectors. Easy :) We've flown several times this year, just flew yesterday and fly again Monday.

[Hen]

I've never purposely opted out, they point you to whichever machine, and sometimes only the old fashioned ones are working. Many of the newer machines only show the screeners a graphic type image of a person, with red circles in spots that need to be checked, like your pocket or under your arm. I just to through them. I have been patted down twice, the one in Germany was more thorough but they were very professional and polite. The pat down in the U.S. was very quick, not inside my clothes and the back of the screener's hand- and they used women screeners.

 

it really is not a bad experience, the only stressful part for me ever is trying to gather all my stuff quickly and not forget anything on the belts.

 

I just wear comfortable clothing, usually jeans and hardly any jewelry to take off. It's not bad, really and my friend who works for TSA says they are getting rid of the newer scanners, people just don't want them.

[Whereneverever]

I flew yesterday with four kids, ages in siggy. They sent us through the metal detectors, baby stayed in carrier. I get my hands swabbed for explosives, but it was all fine.

[melbotoast]

With small children, they just send you through the metal detectors.

[iquilt]

Anyone traveling with a child will not be allowed to do the full body scanner because it's just not built for children. You will do a regular metal detector, so as long as you are not wearing any metal there will not be a pat down. I've flown a lot, with kids, in the last 3 years and only once have I been patted down. I was traveling without my children that time so had to do the full body scan and the zipper on my pants made them suspicious. Ridiculous but a two second pat down from a female officer and we were done. Just remember to remove your shoes and any jackets to go thru security, put everything in the bins and push your own items thru the X-ray machine. If you walk away from your stuff you will cause significant problems also. The most problems I've ever had were once, I traveled with my knitting double pointed needles and my bag was selected for extra screening. The guy had no idea why I was traveling with chopsticks :).

[edelweiss]

I agree with the others. I just flew on Saturday and because we were traveling with children, they just sent us through the metal detector only. If that hadn't been the case, I would have just requested a pat-down. With you being pregnant, I wouldn't have any concerns about them putting you through the other machine.

[Scuff]

Well that's definitely reassuring! Thanks!

[ErinE]

Wearing a long skirt will add a little extra to your pat down. You have to put one leg in front of the other, the agent frisks you, and then you switch legs and the agent frisks you again. Not a big deal, but it was a little surprising the first time I experienced it.

[Annie]

We fly pretty often, and I would urge you not to stress about it. They're usually quite accomodating when you're with young kids. They've been pulling me out more often for explosive screaning for some reason, but it's not a big deal. You just stand on the side, they swab your hands, and you move on. I usually travel with those pouches of baby food you can get at the store (easy plane snack), so I often get my bag pulled for extra screening since they're a liqiud type thing, but they've never given me a hard time about them.

 

The "worst" pat down I've ever had was in Paris last September. There was a lot of touching, but she was polite, and it was over in 30 seconds. The only time she went under my clothes was to go around my waist band. A guy even came to pat down my two year old, but it was VERY mild. That pat down was my own fault because I forgot to take my belt off (don't usually wear one).

 

The worst part is trying to juggle all of your stuff on to the conveyer line while keeping hold of your little one. My best advice is to pack simply and with consideration for how you're going to remove the things you'll need to at security (electronics and your liquids bag). Slip on shoes are a must in my book. Trying to tie my shoes is the last thing I want to do while I'm trying to juggle ten other things.

 

You'll be fine!