Kilt wearer in Scotland, and airport security

[Katia]

I got the attitude recently... stuck my hands in my (jeans) pockets, great, nothing in there, off I go through the metal detector.

"Is there anything in your pockets?"
"...No?" (Confusion from me. Because I just checked.)
*She wands me. Points to my front pocket.*
"Take it out." All snotty. I stick my hand in, root around, still confused... stuck waaaay down in the corner where the fabric folds back on itself are a couple nickels.

I mean, why the attitude? You really think I'm trying to overthrow the United States, or at least Dulles Airport, with less than 20 cents? I can't even ride the horsey at the grocery store with the coins I was trying to "smuggle" through and she's acting like I tried to bring through 20 bottles of bootleg whisky. No need for her to be snide about it; a neutral "I'm getting a reading on your pocket, can you check again?" would have done fine.


But yes, food is a nightmare-- that story recently about the woman who was given an apple on the plane, didn't eat it but stuck it in her bag, forgot about it, and was slapped with a $5000 fine when she got to the U.S.? Ridiculous. (I don't think I've ever had produce make it back to the U.S., but it might have made it through security on a layover. I usually refuse the little bottles of water now because I'm not going to drink them whilst on the plane, so no point in having them thrown out and wasted at my connection. The security folks at Narita airport very kindly let me drink my carton of plane-supplied soy milk on my way through rather than making me toss it-- and by that I mean, they actually were quite kind about it, even threw out the empty carton for me when I was done and there was no trash can nearby in the passenger area.)

[Allan Thomson]

I've travellled a couple of times in a kilt, by air & sea (port security is the same as airline here) but never had a problem in akilt. I even think I kept on my leather sporran (brass buckle & press stud closure) going through the detector and didn't have any issues. Naturally I stowed the sghian dhu with my formal wear in the hold (wore the kilt to keep the weight down).

[lschwartz]

A lot of the US food restrictions are downright unreasonable, and a lot of ex-pats are fed up with only having access to slightly altered versions of the foods they grew up with. So they try to smuggle these things in. Can you blame them? It's not like they are planning to sell it to other people in commercial quantities.

O'Callaghan, the regs are not there to stop people from bringing in stuff for sale. They are there to keep out plant and food and animal borne insects and diseases that can wreck havoc on our own crops and animals. Most of the invasive species we are fighting now were brought in as part of peoples luggage or in shipments from other countries.

[CollinMacD]

I am a US Customs and Border Protection Officer, not a TSA Officer, but same training, even more training than TSA. In my 40 plus years in this business I have seen it all, and witness changes and more changes. I am talking about airports here, point of entry via land or ocean terminals are much different. Thus, from our perspective, at airports, daily we are faced with the one mistake you make can result with many people dead or wounded, this is the world we live in. You are faced with making your flight, we are face with finding that needle in the haystack, think about it for a minute, and if we miss that needle, you could loss your life with others, its a serious business, with so much pressure put on us. We are law enforcement officers sworn to protect you, your welfare, and the US Government. Think about it before you talk about attitude adjustment, we are in a serious business, not greeters at Wal-Mart.

lease try to remember this, we do not know you, we have know idea of your intentions, your past present, what's on your mind, and most of all, our instincts remain to be on guard, vigilant and alert to all travelers passing through the line. Our mission is to protect you the person we are searching, and this is not a personal vendetta, but we want to protect and serve you and your family. Everybody is a suspect until you clear the checkpoint, period.

That said, daily we are faced all sorts of ethnic clothing, attitudes, and some weird stuff. It does not matter to us if you are in a kilt or a burka; trousers or thawb; wearing a ball cap or a turbin, everybody should know what will pass or what raises suspicion. We could care less about the style of clothing but what do care about is what is carried or concealed in or under the clothing and baggage. The metal buckles on the side of the kilt will make you go through secondary inspection, after you pass the metal walk through twice. The officer should wand you, and will verify only buckles are there. Be polite, explain, and be patient, not everybody knows what a kilt is, or how it is made, explain to the officer POLITELY, and LISTEN to the officer before you speak, don't get sassy or interrupt as you will be pulled from the line, escorted to a secondary area, causing you to be delayed as the supervisor will have to run a check through our databases, you don't want that. Again we are just doing our jobs the best we can with so much pressure put on us everyday. We don't make up the rules, but must follow protocols and procedures, its our responsibility.

By all means the Sgian Dubh, or Dirk is not allow period and we will confiscate them immediately, and in some cases arrest you for concealment and not declaring them. Kilt pins I would not wear, the can be confiscated too. Please try not to carry any edged weapons when you travel, and put you kilt pins, and other metal items in checked baggage (NOT CARRY-ON), as it appears on the Xray as a weapon, simply because most are daggers or swords. Sporrans just run through the xray, and let the Officer know politely.

You don't know how many people we still find loaded pistols, knives, and sword trying to carry on board. Its easy, if you have doubts call the local airport you are traveling from, also go on line and read what is acceptable. For the most part, what is banned in Scotland would be banned in the US, Canada, and Britain so just use your head. Wearing the kilt is not the issue, it the metal accessories that cause issues. Be calm, be polite, LISTEN and comply, its simple, and you will find it much easier as remember we do this to protect you.

Now I will state something some will not like. Over the past 15 years or so, we have noticed the people between the ages of 24 and 40 and some over the age of 60 seem to have some real attitudes when they are questioned or stopped. Real attitudes of who do you thing you are to question me? In turn this is there biggest problems and only cause a strong reaction back. My advise is drop the attitudes, be polite, we all make mistakes, and we all need to be responsible and respect each other, as there is no good answer, just drop the attitude. Nothing good ever comes from a person who raises issues with an officer who job is difficult to begin with, we are not here to harass you but to protect you, believe it or not.

Would I travel in a kilt, no I would not, because I rather not raise any issues just go with the flow. I hope you understand our view of things, its very dangerous out there for us today. You may not think much about the TSA or CBP Officers, but at least try to respect us for protecting you and your welfare as you travel in today's world. Maybe this post will provide you a little more insight to our world, FYI, I am not on the front lines anymore as I am getting ready to retire soon, please be kind. CHEERS.

[Geoff Withnell]

I agree with you in most respects. However, I routinely wear a USAKilts casual when air traveling. When I take off my belt and sporran and run it through the xray, I don't have any metal on my person. The TSA folks have always treated me with respect and courtesy. Of course my sgian is in my checked baggage.

[CollinMacD]

I agree with you in most respects. However, I routinely wear a USAKilts casual when air traveling. When I take off my belt and sporran and run it through the xray, I don't have any metal on my person. The TSA folks have always treated me with respect and courtesy. Of course my sgian is in my checked baggage.

Simply put you do not have an attitude, you understand what your responsibilities are as a passenger, and you follow the posted rules, thus why would TSA or CBP not be polite and treat you with respect. I wish others would do the same instead of thinking these rules apply to everybody else but me. Thank you sir...

[tripleblessed]

@CollinMacD. You are, of course, correct. There is, though a distinct difference in Customs and TSA personnel in their demeanor.
I've never had an issue with a customs agent on six continents. TSA is a distinctly different animule. Most are affable and genial;
some to many are definitely not. At times, it appears one is being deliberately obtuse and obstreperous when polite would be way
more time efficient. With me personally, it could be my hair; I realize that, and deal with it. My mama and daddy raised a Boy Scout.
More than one would imagine I've been on flights with folk who've never flown before, and truly don't know the rules or that there
are any. Not TSA's fault, not the passenger's, just is what is. I've seen rudeness from agents not appropriate for ANY circumstance,
and on occasion that creates delay and hassle for a whole flight just to prove they can do it.

Again, as above, better informed and prepared almost always eliminates those issues.

Like you, I am totally bewildered by the numbers of firearms discovered just here in Atlanta at Hartsfield. How can this happen? I
should mention here that when arriving in South Africa for the first time, I was astonished to find firearms are routinely carried on flights,
in a locked box carried by the pilot. Sort of like checked baggage, only separate handling. Seemed too sensible to be workable here,
and not owning a firearm I don't need it, but it worked there for the locals every time I went.

[CollinMacD]

Without getting into TSA policy or downing their mission, CBP and TSA are like night and day. Let me just say this about the two. The hiring process to become a US Customs or Border Protection Officer is much more selective and discriminating. CBP has many faucets to becoming an Officer or Agent, and the training is much more intense, longer, and obviously more military like in structure. TSA hires and sends to training for a month or so, CBP takes about half of year to complete the training before being sent to the field, and Border Patrolman, sometimes longer. TSA undergoes 100 hours of training – 40 hours in the classroom and 60 hours shadowing other employees. While the recruit CBP officer will complete a paid pre-academy orientation that will take place at their home port before attending the CBP Field Operations Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and remain at FLETC for approximately 17-19 weeks for basic training, and an additional 10 weeks at port site with additional training in the specialty branch, like agriculture, passenger, cargo, etc. In other works, CBP has a more intense, and specialize training, that includes much more physical training, and military tactics. TSA airport agents only have one mission, check luggage and people for contraband, CBP mission is much more complicated and intense demanding people of say higher values and intelligence, not saying they don't have them at TSA, but I think you know where I am going with this.

So let's conclude this, you have a much different caliber person in CBP, MOST are former Military, understand people, and work for the people, without having to flex their muscles or rattle their swords, get the drift.

FYI, when I fly I a Global Pass, and if TSA knows I am CBP, the pull me from the line and I go through extra security, as lets face it they want to make a statement. CBP does not do the same to TSA, just a fact of life. Does not happen to me all the time, but more often than not, so I make sure I travel clean, real clean, my credentials don't matter, but my Global Travel Pass does.

I have enjoyed my career here and highly recommend to anybody this job, its intense, changes, and demanding, but rewarding.

[tripleblessed]

Without getting into TSA policy or downing their mission, CBP and TSA are like night and day. Let me just say this about the two. The hiring process to become a US Customs or Border Protection Officer is much more selective and discriminating.

Precisely. From there out you covered everything I was thinking in "different animule". I had an uncle who had a career as a Port of
Savannah customs officer.

[CollinMacD]

So you can read between the lines. As your Uncle if he knows Bill Thompson, he is here with me, doing well. Bill was a Mission Support Specialist, who was stationed in Savannah. Cheers.