Traveling to Boston... TSA questions

[96firephoenix]

2nd Amendment rights not included. Since the school I'm going to doesn't honor the second amendment, its not that big of a deal anyway, but I just had some questions about dealing with the TSA.

This is the first time that I've traveled through a TSA-occupied airport in 7 years. I really don't remember it from whenever, because I was 13 at the time.

• 
  1 IND--> BDL is my flight
  2 I'm not travelling with a firearm
  3 I will not enter one of the back-scatter radiation machines.
  4 I don't want an "advanced pat-down," but I will if I must.
  5 I don't have a speedo, so that option is out for avoiding the pat-downs
  6 is it likely that they will let me put a cast-iron skillet in my carry-on?

I want to do this as hassle-free as possible, but I have a great issue with surrendering personal liberty, especially to the TSA. I could just not go to Boston, but this is to meet my girlfriend's family, so I kinda need to go to Boston and flying is the cheapest and fastest way to get there.

things to avoid?

things to make it easier?

 

[indykid]

Indy has probably the best screening system in the country, which doesn't say much, but you really shouldn't have trouble on the flight out as long as you remember to empty your pockets of all coins, keys, cell phone, and if you have a large belt buckle, that too.

The cast-iron skillet in this day and age will probably be a no-no with them saying it would be too easy to use it for some serious head-bashing.

Can't say about Boston as it was pre-TSA since I flew through there, but the big thing is to watch what you pack, and make sure it looks ok if you view it through that magic X-ray device.

As for current allowed carry-ons, check the TSA website for what can and can't be taken with you. Some of it will make you sick.

Enjoy your trip!!!!

 

[slimplmbr]

More than likely you will do scan or pat-down. I have only been through once since they have started this crap and not had to do one or the other. On the skillet Iam guessing no go on that, I would check it to be safe.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Refuse the scan. Make the pat-down as much like an erotic experience for you as possible, saying things like "yeah, right there" and "oh, don't stop now". Do everything in your power to make them as uncomfortable with the process as possible. Think yourself into a chub beforehand if you can. Degrade them. They're degrading you. Give a nazi salute as you leave after you've passed, click the heels together and all. Let them know you hold them in contempt.

 

[Sylvain]

Nobody wants a pat down or to go through the scanner machine, but with the TSA you dont really decide what you get, unless you refuse to fly.
I had both during my last trip.
I just try to bring as little things as I can with me, on my person or in my carry-on.
I dont want to have my stuff stolen because they think that my flashlight or watch looks cool and take them away from me for "safety reason".
If you are not sure of some items carry them in your checked bags.
I always carry a bunch of knives and various weapons there and never have any problems.

 

[melensdad]

• 
  1 IND--> BDL is my flight
  2 I'm not travelling with a firearm
  3 I will not enter one of the back-scatter radiation machines.
  4 I don't want an "advanced pat-down," but I will if I must.
  5 I don't have a speedo, so that option is out for avoiding the pat-downs
  6 is it likely that they will let me put a cast-iron skillet in my carry-on?

I want to do this as hassle-free as possible, but I have a great issue with surrendering personal liberty, especially to the TSA. I could just not go to Boston, but this is to meet my girlfriend's family, so I kinda need to go to Boston and flying is the cheapest and fastest way to get there.

things to avoid?

things to make it easier?

Things to AVOID . . . yes, avoid the airport and drive.

Seriously.

I've flown several times this year, including several trips to/from Europe. You can't avoid this crap.

If you want it to be "hassle free" then you just do as you are told.

If you don't want to surrender your rights to the TSA then its not going to be hassle free.

Don't want the full body scan then you will get the pat down. If you refuse the scan they often try to make a big deal about the pat down so that others in line behind you are intimidated enough that they sheepishly go through the full scan.

Amazingly when I was flying around Europe and flying home from Europe they don't use these scanners. They actually have people ask you a series of questions. If they see you flinch, or if your pupils contract/expand during the questioning, if they don't like your answer, etc then you go to a second phase of questioning. Yes they use PROFILING in Europe too. Here in the USA the idiots who designed the so-called "security" show did it for public compliance more than for actual security. Our security here is actually not secure. On one of the trips I took I was a chaperone and we had a very clean cut, very well spoken and polite, very nicely dressed young (16yr old) black male in our group. He was pulled out of the security line EVERY time. Never mind that we had other young black men who looked more 'gangsta' and didn't command the English language as well as this young man. We never had any of the whites in the group questioned about anything, just passed through. In a group of nearly 30, we had 1 kid pulled out EVERY time. Apparently they only screen 1 in 30? WTF?

 

[Bunnykid68]

If you go thru the scanner make sure you do not have paper money in your pocket. They will see it on the scanner and then ask you to take it out so they can look at it and then pat down the pocket it was in.

 

[Hogwylde]

One thing to remember when flying into BDL. ALWAYS take some cash with you. There is no way to get off the airport property without going thru a toll booth (unless you fly right back out). Rental car, limo, taxi.....everybody gets socked with the tolls.

 

[MrSmitty]

You should be good-to-go with a Glock...cuz they're invisible to metal detectors...............

 

[Sylvain]

You should be good-to-go with a Glock...cuz they're invisible to metal detectors...............

Not every glock!
Only the Glock 7, the only Glock made in Germany.

"Made in Germany, this firearm is constructed entirely of porcelain, is capable of passing through airport metal detectors completely unnotice."

 

[slimplmbr]

They are starting to use the full body scanners in Europe. We went through Amsterdam in September and they had them. I hate them but I'm not gonna take a boat to Europe.

Things to AVOID . . . yes, avoid the airport and drive.

Seriously.

I've flown several times this year, including several trips to/from Europe. You can't avoid this crap.

If you want it to be "hassle free" then you just do as you are told.

If you don't want to surrender your rights to the TSA then its not going to be hassle free.

Don't want the full body scan then you will get the pat down. If you refuse the scan they often try to make a big deal about the pat down so that others in line behind you are intimidated enough that they sheepishly go through the full scan.

Amazingly when I was flying around Europe and flying home from Europe they don't use these scanners. They actually have people ask you a series of questions. If they see you flinch, or if your pupils contract/expand during the questioning, if they don't like your answer, etc then you go to a second phase of questioning. Yes they use PROFILING in Europe too. Here in the USA the idiots who designed the so-called "security" show did it for public compliance more than for actual security. Our security here is actually not secure. On one of the trips I took I was a chaperone and we had a very clean cut, very well spoken and polite, very nicely dressed young (16yr old) black male in our group. He was pulled out of the security line EVERY time. Never mind that we had other young black men who looked more 'gangsta' and didn't command the English language as well as this young man. We never had any of the whites in the group questioned about anything, just passed through. In a group of nearly 30, we had 1 kid pulled out EVERY time. Apparently they only screen 1 in 30? WTF?

 

[Stschil]

Dress like this and demand to get the pat down search.

 

[Sylvain]

They are starting to use the full body scanners in Europe. We went through Amsterdam in September and they had them. I hate them but I'm not gonna take a boat to Europe.

They had them in Amsterdam when the US started using them.
Other countries refused to use them, which is good and they are still not using them.

 

[4sarge]

I HATE Logan !!! If I have to go to the People's Republic of Massachusetts I fly into Manchester New Hampshire, smaller airport, much less hassle and serviced by SW among others.

 

[melensdad]

They had them in Amsterdam when the US started using them.
Other countries refused to use them, which is good and they are still not using them.

Yes.

I was in and out of several European airports this year including Birmingham 3x, Paris, Nice and multiple flights in/out of Heathrow but no scanners and when I asked I was told they simply are not used there. Amsterdam is the anomaly.

 

[Sylvain]

Yes.

I was in and out of several European airports this year including Birmingham 3x, Paris, Nice and multiple flights in/out of Heathrow but no scanners and when I asked I was told they simply are not used there. Amsterdam is the anomaly.

Yes Holland followed TSA's "orders" when they started using the scanners in the US.
The US asked every country that had flight coming to the US to get those type of scanners, they all refused but Holland (that im aware of).

I hope you have been treated well in France.
And that the british "food" didn't make you sick.

 

[96firephoenix]

Refuse the scan. Make the pat-down as much like an erotic experience for you as possible, saying things like "yeah, right there" and "oh, don't stop now". Do everything in your power to make them as uncomfortable with the process as possible. Think yourself into a chub beforehand if you can.

Actually am considering this... maybe 'accidentally' forget to take my epi-pen out of my pocket before I get the pat-down. I might just make the faces from the Lonely Island "**** in my pants" video... I'd link it, but its pretty NSFW.

Things to AVOID . . . yes, avoid the airport and drive.

If I could, I would. I have no car.

Don't want the full body scan then you will get the pat down. If you refuse the scan they often try to make a big deal about the pat down so that others in line behind you are intimidated enough that they sheepishly go through the full scan.

How much 1A exercise can I get away with? For instance, should I be just as loud asking them why they are infringing our liberty as they are trying to convince others to let their liberty be infringed? Or should I just do what they tell me and simply refuse the scan so I can have the pat-down?

Our security here is actually not secure.

Don't even get me started... too late... in all the European airports I've been in, security consists of a metal detector, a carry-on x-ray machine and a bunch of soldiers with MP5's. I felt much more safe with that than I do with the radiation-machines.

One thing to remember when flying into BDL. ALWAYS take some cash with you. There is no way to get off the airport property without going thru a toll booth (unless you fly right back out). Rental car, limo, taxi.....everybody gets socked with the tolls.

I'm being picked up, so I've missed that trap. Good to know though!

I HATE Logan !!!

I"m flying into Bradley, not Logan. My girlfriend lives about halfway between the two, and it was $30 cheaper to fly to Bradley... plus that means no driving in Boston.


Thanks for the pointers, and also thanks for the sarcasm. I didn't used to get nervous about flying, but this is the first post-backscatter-machine flight that I'll be taking from an airport that uses them.

 

[MadBomber]

2nd Amendment rights not included. Since the school I'm going to doesn't honor the second amendment, its not that big of a deal anyway, but I just had some questions about dealing with the TSA.

This is the first time that I've traveled through a TSA-occupied airport in 7 years. I really don't remember it from whenever, because I was 13 at the time.

• 1 IND--> BDL is my flight
  2 I'm not travelling with a firearm
  3 I will not enter one of the back-scatter radiation machines.
  4 I don't want an "advanced pat-down," but I will if I must.
  5 I don't have a speedo, so that option is out for avoiding the pat-downs
  6 is it likely that they will let me put a cast-iron skillet in my carry-on?

I want to do this as hassle-free as possible, but I have a great issue with surrendering personal liberty, especially to the TSA. I could just not go to Boston, but this is to meet my girlfriend's family, so I kinda need to go to Boston and flying is the cheapest and fastest way to get there.

things to avoid?

things to make it easier?

A large bottle of Astroglide?

 

[Kaiser]

I fly out of Indy monthly check the skilet and follow directions unless you want the hastel of a private search and catching a later flight. I have watched several people who want to be smart end up getting a cavity search is it consitutional I doubt it are you going to do anything to stop it at the time no pick your battles

 

[dice dealer]

When they ask "do you have any weapons?"

what ever you do, don't reply with

"what do you need ?"

they get upset about that