CBS says the have a poll that shows Americans overwhelmingly support full body “naked” scanners at airports, despite what some “civil rights groups” have to say about them. [More]
airport security
Unions Tell Pilots To Just Say No To Full-Body Scanners
By 11.11.10
Only weeks after an ExpressJet pilot refused to submit to either a full-body scan or a pat-down, unions representing the pilots at U.S. Airways and American Airlines have advised their members to not submit to the revealing scans. [More]
Pregnant Traveler: TSA Screeners Bullied Me Into Full-Body Scan
By 9.9.10
Pregnant Consumerist reader Mary was recently going through the security checkpoint at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. When she realized that she would be going through a full-body scanner, she told the screeners she wanted to exercise her right to a pat-down — even if it meant experiencing the TSA’s new, icky “enhanced” pat-down. But instead of the screeners doing as she requested, Mary claims they proceeded to bully her into the scanner. [More]
Man Passes Self Through Airport X-Ray
By 8.27.10
Fed up with being forced to repeatedly walk through a metal detector even though he wasn’t carrying any bombs, a man decided to find an alternate way to get through airport security. [More]
Buy These Suitcase Stickers If You Want To Get Frisked
By 7.22.10
If you want to get an equal amount of eye-rolls, giggles and terrified looks from those standing around you in airport security lines, affix one of these security-provoking decals to your luggage. [More]
Will 'Flying Pasties' Help Hide Your Private Bits From Airport Scanners?
By 7.19.10
From the TSA employee mocked by his co-workers for his teeny weeny to the Heathrow employee harassed for her ample bosom, full-body airport scanners are responsible for their fair share of controversy. Now the travel-writin’ folks at Jaunted have stumbled across a new invention that claims to end such troubles by slapping stickers on your most private bits. [More]
Top 10 Tips For Making Air Travel Less Of A Pain In The Butt
By 6.13.10
Let’s face it: While flying in a plane is pretty cool, for most people the reality of air travel is a mammoth pain in the butt. Regardless, we can’t all be John Madden, tooling around in a tricked-out bus so as to avoid getting on a plane. That’s why Lifehacker compiled their top 10 tips for surviving your flight. [More]
Full-Body Scanners Don't Work, Israeli Security Expert Says
By 4.30.10
The biggest reason not to implement full-body scanners in airports isn’t because it’s weird for the government to have a picture of you naked, it’s because they don’t work, says an Israeli airport security expert. [More]
Airport Guard Accused Of Using Scanner To Harass Female Co-Worker
By 3.24.10
You knew this had to happen eventually. A security guard at Heathrow Airport is now facing harassment allegations after using a full-body scanner to snap a revealing pic of a female co-worker… Oh, and telling her how much he loves her boobs. [More]
Fake Boob Sets Off Fancy Schmancy Airport Security Scanner
By 2.11.10
We live in a brave new world, people. Cars park themselves. Two-year-olds are Twittering. And now the TSA’s latest and greatest security technology has become sentient enough to let us all know that it does not approve of breast implants. [More]
US Airways Takes Parts Out Of Xbox To Make Flying Safer
By 1.19.10
Adam writes, “I was flying out of Logan Airport and I checked my XBOX 360 in my baggage. The agent assured me that there would be no problem with it. When I got home my I found that they had put a little ziploc bag on top of my things, and the bag was filled with tiny metal components that used to be in the XBOX. It’s broken now and they’re telling me tough luck. Any advice?” [More]
Continental Offers Free Flights, Frequent-Flyer Status To Misrouted Child's Family
By 6.16.09
Continental Airlines has made a much more generous offer to the family whose ten-year-old daughter was accidentally flown to Newark instead of Cleveland while flying as an unaccompanied minor. Paterfamilias and blogger Jonathan Kamens wrote that a Continental rep “assured [him] again that the airline takes what happened very seriously.” The details of Continental’s offer, inside.
Airport Security Says Disabled Man Isn't "In Possession Of" His Luggage
By 3.27.09
Blogger Dave Hingsburger writes about a horrifying experience at the airport. Dave, who is disabled, was informed by airport security that because he was in a wheelchair, he wasn’t technically “in possession of” his luggage and that “some body” needed to attend to it. The security guard continued to argue with Dave until a pilot apologetically intervened. Well done, airport security. An Elephant Disappears (Photo: ringmaster006)
Things You Should Memorize When Flying Without Identification
By 7.23.08
You may be familiar with the TSA’s new rules that went into effect June 21st regarding travelers who try to fly without identification. These travelers are essentially made part of a mini game show where they are the subject of all the questions. Your prize, if you answer correctly, is that you are allowed to board your flight. If you need to travel without ID, Wired magazine has assembled some items which if committed to memory, might help you get through the (game show) process more easily.
Travelers Leave 12,000 Laptops In Airports Every Week
By 7.5.08
Absentminded travelers flummoxed by airport security leave 12,000 laptops in airports every single week. Only 30% are ever recovered.
Do You Have Any Naked Pictures Of Your Mother? The TSA Does
By 6.11.08
The TSA recently announced that airport security scanners which can see under clothing are being installed at 10 U.S. airports, according to the AFP. Travelers will enter glass booths while a 3-dimensional full-body image is rendered using “millimeter waves.” Because the image gives a clear representation of travelers’ bodies and genitalia, it has some people concerned about their privacy. More, inside…
New "Checkpoint Friendly" Laptop Cases Will Help Travelers Breeze Through Security
By 5.27.08
According to the USA Today, the Transportation Security Administration is likely to approve new “checkpoint friendly” laptop cases which would allow passengers to put their laptops through x-ray machines without removing them from the case. The new policy, designed to streamline airport security, is likely to be enacted within a few months. Details, inside…
What Does A "Clear" Membership Actually Get You At Airport Security?
By 3.20.08
A PR hack sent us a stupidly long press release a few hours ago about Clear, the company that—for an annual $100 fee—will pre-authorize you with TSA to speed up your passage through security. Clear started operating in select airports over a year ago, and this month will add Reagan National and Dulles International airports to its list. So, is the service worth it? We guess that depends on how much you’re willing to spend to be able to jump ahead of all the poor people waiting in line like the common criminals they surely are. We wanted a slightly more objective way to evaluate it, though, so we started looking around online for first-hand experiences of what exactly happens when you flash your Clear card.
