Monday, November 22, 2010

Airport Screening continued

As a follow-up, apparently the pat-downs are quite ... thorough. Men are gettig "cupped"! Women with a prosthetesis (due to breast cancer, they have one shaped bra cup) must disrobe to prove it is actually a prosthesis! So ... it does sound more invasive.

My most recent "pat down" was in Timmins. I didn't set off the scanner, but I was selected for a random pat down. While my "chest" was "patted", it was respectful - above and below. Not bad, not invasive.

My dad always gets pat downs because he always sets off the scanner. He has a fake hip, and even if he were to travel with a doctor's note saying that (which he did at first but quickly gave up), they can't trust a doctor's note. So he gets the wand then a very thorough hip pat down. He leaves himself extra time (above the minimum recommendations) to ensure he makes his flight. He doesn't enjoy it, but he accepts it as a way of life.

Of course, we've all been behind the a-hole who flips out because his belt set off the scanner and now he's getting a pat down, and he's going to yell about how it's so ridiculous. I like being behind him, because it means I'm going to get ushered through by security very quickly while they deal with him!

But it'd be a different scenario if I was asked to disrobe to prove I had had a breast removed due to cancer.

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