What to expect going through new airport security?

[elisheva]

I'm flying from Seattle to Cincinnati next month. I'll be 6 months pregnant and will be traveling with my 16-month-old dd. I've been looking at the TSA website and I'm still unclear about what to expect. I do see that they claim the backscatter xray machine is safe for pregnant women and children. 

I'm interested in your experiences. I'm honestly worried about the xray but even more worried that they may want to pat down my daughter. My husband and I have decided that I will leave the airport and miss my flight rather than allow an agent to do a full body pat down on our daughter. 

I'm assuming I'm probably blowing this out of proportion. I'd love to hear about your experiences and and research you've done on this topic.

[slylives]

I flew from Amsterdam to Minneapolis in January, when I was 5 months pregnant. I also had my 2 year old daughter with me. We both went through the scanner, and they also did a little "mini" patdown because my daughter kept dancing while she was in the scanner and they could not get a clear view. As for the pat down on my daughter - it was incredibly inobtrusive, and they did not place their hands anywhere inappropriate. Certainly nowhere near the genitals. My daughter thought the whole think was a great lark and then attempted to "pat down" the agent (who thought this was the cutest thing he'd ever seen.) In fact when I was picking up our hand luggage, my daughter insisted that the agent come and sit with her and hold her hand while she was waiting. So, our experience there was entirely positive (although I realise that much of this depends upon the agent that you get.)

I, rather stupidly, walked through the scanner without giving a second thought to the fact that I was pregnant and whether or not they were safe (it was a long trip with a toddler, I could barely articulate my name at that point!) Had I thought about it in advance, I would probably have chosen the full patdown, regardless of how intrusive I believe they can be. But after I got back I read a lot about the two different kinds of scanners, and also checked with Schiphol to see which one was used there. I believe it was the "backscatter" one, but honestly, my understanding is that neither of them poses an increased risk to pregnant women (or no more than the process of flying, anyway, in terms of radiation exposure.)  I appreciate that some people have issues with the detailed images that are produced, but that doesn't bother me in the slightest. And I would have been OK with the patdown. My only concern was the radiation.

[elisheva]

Yeah there's no way my dd would stand still alone for the xray machine. It's the patdown of her that worries me so much.

[leighi123]

I travel a TON and so far, have always had the option of getting in the line with just an x-ray machine, you just walk right through it.   

[la mamita]

It totally depends on the airport. There is a site that listed each airport and whether it had the new body scanner machines. I don't know how accurate it is though, because it says the airport I flew through had the new machines and they definitely were not using them when I flew in January. It was the normal shoes off, laptops out, walk through security with some people being selected for extra screening (I was one of them, but they just went through my bag). I didn't see anyone getting a full body pat-down. They were strict about liquids, but that's nothing new.

[Caneel]

We have gone through TSA security 12 times in recent months. 

My experiences -

Not all airports have those new imagining scanners.  Further, at larger airports some checkpoints have them but other checkpoints do not. 

Each time the TSA agents were great about DS - not rushing us, making sure he knew where to stand to wait for me, giving him stickers, etc. 

At the checkpoints where the imagining scanners were present, DS and I were always directed to the old fashion metal detector line.  Twice, DH was directed to the imagining line.  The pat downs I witnessed were quick, very quick.  (I was patted down outside of the USA and it was just fine, very limited, just a fingertip run well under my bra line and a pat down of my hip and lower back area)

[DahliaRW]

We fly out of Seattle frequently. I can't remember which security area we went though, but the backscatter was to the far right.  There was a sign clearly marking it.  MIL almost got in that line by accident until I pointed it out to her (quietly!).  My recommendation is to spot where it is and try to avoid that line.  From what the TSA was saying a few months ago, they cannot require children under 12 to go through the backscatter.  So you should be able to avoid it anyways.  They should allow you to carry your 16mo through the regular metal detector.

[lunarlady]

I flew recently with my two small ones, and at all airports I was very politely instructed to the line with a traditional metal detector even though backscatter was there too. They clearly didn't want to deal with making a toddler stand still. (smart people). The only issue I had was I was carrying medicine for DD ears in a 5 oz bottle (gasp) so they had to do a chemical check on it which meant they took the bin with our things in it to their station, thereby depriving my toddler the pleasure of retrieving her shoes and causing a full blown meltdown. They were very apologetic but I got to be "that lady" with "that kid" while we waited for them to finish.

[Anna Phor]

I carry my child (16 mos) in arms through the security machines. We've flown 4 times since the backscatter machines have been in play, and every time I've ended up with the metal detector machine rather than the backscatter--not sure if that's co-incidence or not, though. I don't put my kid down between entering the security line & getting to the bench where you put your shoes on; if they ask, just tell them she's not old enough to walk straight through the machine (mine isn't--he'd get distracted and dawdle and they wouldn't get a clear reading).

It's unlikely (I think) that they'll select your daughter for a pat-down, and I think I'd do the same as you! You may want to plan for the contingency where you are selected for further screening, too--if you are travelling solo, you'll have to put your child down. This happened to my husband once.