Airport & kilt

[BoldHighlander]

That's a really good idea! I second the motion for a travel sticky!

Given all the issues concerned in traveling domestically, and especially internationally, I have to agree. Tips and updates would be very valuable in helping members avoid problems.

Hear! Hear!

[Frank McGrath]

We just came back from Vegas. Trip out was great. I breezed right thru security in Baltimore. The return trip was much different. I was wearing my kilt for the flight home. My wife went through the body scan and I was directed through the metal detector. My buckles must have set it off. I was then patted down right out in public. The next shift of TSA gestapo agents were standing there watching and some had the nerve to laugh. I just hope the agent got his kicks fondling a guy in a kilt.

But that was only the beginning. I could see flying kilted in first class, but never again in Southwest's cattle cars. I could not move from my seat for what turned out to be a 6 hour flight. Plus there was a medical emergency on the aircraft and the passengers had to wait until the lady was removed by paramedics. But the good thing was, she was my wife. She had a reaction from a severe head cold and could not breathe. The flight crew was great and when the plane landed, we were taken off the flight before anyone else. So, Every one on the light got to see me in my kilt carrying all of our stuff up the aisle. She is now ok and did not need any further care. I love her dearly, but she is a pain in the patoot to fly with.

So.........next time I fly, I fly naked. Its easier.

[fluter]

Glad your bride is OK, Frank!

Flying naked does seem attractive (except for those who'd have to look at us!), but consider the following little rubric I've learned:

USA Kilts casual model contains no metal, and is mighty comfortable.

Of course our local airport personnel still tend to flip out.

We just came back from Vegas. Trip out was great. I breezed right thru security in Baltimore. The return trip was much different. I was wearing my kilt for the flight home. My wife went through the body scan and I was directed through the metal detector. My buckles must have set it off.

So.........next time I fly, I fly naked. Its easier.

[DesertCeltic]

I have flown five times kilted. On the first I set off the metal detector (two years ago). Then I read the trick about rotating the kilt. I now rotate my kilts 45 degrees before entering the metal detector and no issues. I will be flying to Boston in January and will do the same again.

[MacMillans son]

I flew on Southwest Airlines from Sacramento to Ontario (California) and back this past week. I came back from Ontario to Sac. kilted, in a traditional kilt with two buckles. I did not rotate it as I walked right up, without waiting, to the security check point and didn't remember to try that. I, of course, set off the metal detectors and when I pointed out the buckles and asked that I be "wanded" they said "We don't use wands anymore you have to be patted down"

The guy who did the search was very polite and gave me a play by play report at each juncture "Ok, I am going to pat down your back using the backs of my hands"..."I'm going to feel around the inside of your waist band now" etc. He did not reach under my kilt, but rather, put his hands around my thighs on the outside of the kilt and worked his way down to my ankles. No banging into my cache of family jewels. For what it's worth, I was not regimental so all was "well contained" so to speak. He did offer me a private screening room if I wanted, but I declined.

He wore the disposable blue rubber gloves common today in lots of settings. What was surprising was when he was done a co-cop came over and wiped his gloves completely down, between the fingers, on the backs, everywhere with a round cloth swab, about 3" in diameter, then inserted the swab into a machine for analysis!!! I had to wait a few seconds after the search for the results before I could put on my shoes and get on with my trip. Overall, it took maybe 5 minutes from start to finish. It was worth the trouble just to get a first hand experience of all the hub bub people have been talking about!

As I don't usually wear my casual kilt these days in non-hiking activities, I would either just endure it again or change into sweats in the bathroom before going through security.

Hopefully we all remember who is to blame for all of this, and don't mis-apply our anger and frustration to those tasked with trying to find a happy medium between safety and civil liberties.

Happy travels!!

[seanachie]

I flew on Southwest Airlines from Sacramento to Ontario (California) and back this past week. I came back from Ontario to Sac. kilted, in a traditional kilt with two buckles. I did not rotate it as I walked right up, without waiting, to the security check point and didn't remember to try that. I, of course, set off the metal detectors and when I pointed out the buckles and asked that I be "wanded" they said "We don't use wands anymore you have to be patted down"

The guy who did the search was very polite and gave me a play by play report at each juncture "Ok, I am going to pat down your back using the backs of my hands"..."I'm going to feel around the inside of your waist band now" etc. He did not reach under my kilt, but rather, put his hands around my thighs on the outside of the kilt and worked his way down to my ankles. No banging into my cache of family jewels. For what it's worth, I was not regimental so all was "well contained" so to speak. He did offer me a private screening room if I wanted, but I declined.

He wore the disposable blue rubber gloves common today in lots of settings. What was surprising was when he was done a co-cop came over and wiped his gloves completely down, between the fingers, on the backs, everywhere with a round cloth swab, about 3" in diameter, then inserted the swab into a machine for analysis!!! I had to wait a few seconds after the search for the results before I could put on my shoes and get on with my trip. Overall, it took maybe 5 minutes from start to finish. It was worth the trouble just to get a first hand experience of all the hub bub people have been talking about!

As I don't usually wear my casual kilt these days in non-hiking activities, I would either just endure it again or change into sweats in the bathroom before going through security.

Hopefully we all remember who is to blame for all of this, and don't mis-apply our anger and frustration to those tasked with trying to find a happy medium between safety and civil liberties.

Happy travels!!

Now the part of swabbing the gloves is truly frightening to me. It is not difficult for transfer residue to create a false positive. In other words, person A goes through and a transfer is made to the gloves of a prohibited substance, you come through and you are person arbitrarily selected by some TSA process for swabbing. The gloves are swabbed and next thing you are having to explain the positive reading. I am pretty relaxed about the process because I believe in creating a safe environment to fly. I will, however, henceforth insist that the person patting me down put on fresh gloves. My military experience has taught me this is something that can happen and not the product of a paranoid imagination.

[Tiny]

Now the part of swabbing the gloves is truly frightening to me. It is not difficult for transfer residue to create a false positive. In other words, person A goes through and a transfer is made to the gloves of a prohibited substance, you come through and you are person arbitrarily selected by some TSA process for swabbing. The gloves are swabbed and next thing you are having to explain the positive reading. I am pretty relaxed about the process because I believe in creating a safe environment to fly. I will, however, henceforth insist that the person patting me down put on fresh gloves. My military experience has taught me this is something that can happen and not the product of a paranoid imagination.

I believe they are fresh gloves each time. wouldn't make much sense otherwise for the exact reason you pointed out. all in all it sounds like a much better procedure then had been eluded to. Maybe it was just a TSA agent who was better then most but I think communication is key by both parties in the TSA screenings.

Anything you can advise the TSA worker about before he/she gets to it the better, just as them communicating to you what they are doing before they do it.

What do I know though... I never have to fly anywhere. Maybe next year if I can afford my trip to Scotland I will be able to contribute.

[nagod]

i just flew to florida and back.pat down both ways(my jewelry sets it off).yes,they change their gloves.kilt pins that are knife like are iffy.private rooms are available(might add a lot more time to proceedure).patdown is like mentioned earlier.no fondle,no grope,no special singling out because of kilt.in other words,no big deal.

[seanachie]

i just flew to florida and back.pat down both ways(my jewelry sets it off).yes,they change their gloves.

Well this is good news, search Google News and you will see articles from people concerned that they have not been regularly changing gloves. I am pleased to hear anecdotally that this is changing.

[Nighthawk]

He wore the disposable blue rubber gloves common today in lots of settings. What was surprising was when he was done a co-cop came over and wiped his gloves completely down, between the fingers, on the backs, everywhere with a round cloth swab, about 3" in diameter, then inserted the swab into a machine for analysis!!! I had to wait a few seconds after the search for the results before I could put on my shoes and get on with my trip. Overall, it took maybe 5 minutes from start to finish. It was worth the trouble just to get a first hand experience of all the hub bub people have been talking about!

Hopefully we all remember who is to blame for all of this, and don't mis-apply our anger and frustration to those tasked with trying to find a happy medium between safety and civil liberties.

Happy travels!!

Put the swabs into an analysis machine?!?! Dear God! We really are guilty until proven innocent any more!

And I have to say- you're so right about remembering who's to blame for these issues. The front line grunt is just doing his job. It's up to us, the American people, to tell he policy makers when there's a problem- not shoot the messenger.