Last week Meg McLain’s story lit up the internet. She says she was cuffed, her ticket was ripped up, and she was kicked out of the airport after she refused the body scanner and tried to ask questions about the pat-down. The TSA took it seriously enough to quickly post security footage of the incident on their blog. I reached Meg by phone to find out more about what happened, and, especially, why she refused the body scanner in the first place. Here is the interview, which has been condensed and edited. [More]
TSA
To Get Booted From Flight, Tell Security Guard 'You Touch My Junk And I'm Going To Have You Arrested'
By 11.15.10
A California man was surprised to see full-body scanners at the San Diego airport after checking the TSA’s website to make sure he wouldn’t be subjected to them. Suspecting there might be trouble if he refused the scanner, the man turned his cellphone’s video recorder on and put it on top of his luggage. What happened next was all caught on video… well… audio… [More]
Woman Says She Was Cuffed And Booted From Airport For Questioning Body Scanners
By 11.11.10
Meg McLain claims that the TSA ripped up her US Airways plane ticket and called police who restrained her in a chair, cuffed her, and escorted her out of the airport after she opted out of the backscatter can. Her radio interview describing the incident is at 390,000 hits and growing, and the TSA has posted CCTV of the incident on their blog. [More]
United Airlines: Sorry Grampa Can't Come To The Gate
By 11.8.10
Reader Alanna says United Airlines told her the TSA wouldn’t let her husband escort their grandkids to the gate because there was a limit on the number of gate passes available. She asked the TSA and they told her they had no such policy. Alanna wants us to know she thinks United is “unbelievably mean.” [More]
TSA Officer Pretended To Find Cocaine In Flyers' Bags
By 11.3.10
The Smoking Gun has procured internal TSA memos about the security officer who was fired after pulling jokes on travelers by pretending to find cocaine in their luggage. [More]
TSA Pat-Down Feels Up Your Crotch Until It Meets Resistance
By 11.1.10
“We have to search up your thighs and between your legs until we meet resistance,” the TSA officer told Atlantic reporter after he declined a back-scatter. “Resistance?” asked the reporter. “Your testicles,” explained the officer. [More]
A First-Hand Account Of A TSA Pat-Down
By 10.22.10
While that ExpressJet pilot in Memphis was refusing to be scanned or pat down by TSA screeners, travel writer Julia Buckley was busy detailing her adventures with both security procedures for Jaunted.com. [More]
TSA Disputes "No Scanner For Me" Pilot's Description Of Pat-Down
By 10.21.10
Yesterday we brought you the story of the ExpressJet pilot who refused to go through a full-body scanner or submit to a pat-down at Memphis International Airport. Now the TSA is saying that the pilot’s characterization of the pat-down isn’t accurate. [More]
ExpressJet Pilot Just Says No To Full-Body Scan Or Pat-Down
By 10.20.10
A pilot of Continental’s ExpressJet line has stirred up a ruckus after refusing to submit to either a full-body scan or the alternative, a hands-on pat-down from a TSA screener. [More]
TSA Screener Stole Up To $700 A Day From Passengers
By 10.20.10
A Newark Airport TSA security screening supervisor was arrested by federal authorities for stealing cash from passenger’s carry-on bags. [More]
Airlines Want Air Marshals To Stop Flying First Class
By 10.19.10
The airlines are fed up with with seeing armed air marshals taking up free seats in first class. A trade group representing the major U.S. carriers has asked the Federal Air Marshals Service to consider putting their agents in coach. [More]
PETA Ad Nixed By Airports & In-Flight Magazines
By 10.12.10
On the heels of Scottevest CEO Scott Jordan’s rant about Delta denying his ad in their in-flight literature comes news that PETA is having trouble finding airline magazines and airports that will run the ad seen here. [More]
Updated List Of Airports With Full-Body Scanners
By 9.17.10
Just in case you had thought/hoped/prayed that the use of full-body scanners at airports was going to be a passing fad, you should know that the devices continue to sprout up at security checkpoints everywhere. In just the last few months, seven more airports have joined the roster. [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]
Airport Body Scanners May Replace Your Naked Body With A Generic Avatar, Eventually
By 9.8.10
Bloomberg reports that one of the big companies behind airport full-body scanners has released a software update that replaces your misshapen nakedness with a generically proportioned, nondescript avatar. The software then indicates on the avatar where you should be searched. [More]
TSA's "Enhanced" Pat-Down Procedure Lets Their Fingers Do The Searching
By 8.30.10
In an effort to make air travel safer but less appealing, the TSA has begun using an “enhanced” pat-down procedure for those who would rather not subject themselves to a full-body scan. And if you’re a fan of having strangers touch you all over, then you should just get straight in line for this one. [More]
TSA Screeners Check Luggage, Investigate Your Marriage & Personal Finances
By 8.19.10
You have to hand it to the TSA screeners at Philadelphia International Airport. Not only will they look through your stuff to make sure you’re not going to go all explosiony on the plane, they’ll also bring in the cops to call your husband to double check you haven’t embezzled money from him. [More]
Airport Security Supervisor Pleads Guilty To Stealing $20K Worth Of Stuff From Luggage
By 8.17.10
It’s bad enough that airlines are charging exorbitant fees for checked luggage; travelers shouldn’t also have to worry about sticky-fingered airport employees swiping stuff from their suitcases. [More]
