Kilt wearer in Scotland, and airport security

[mkmound]

I'm coming back to XMarks after being away for a while, and found this thread.

Several years ago I used to travel quite a bit in a kilt. I did all the standard things mentioned: putting the belt, sporran, etc. through the scanner. I didn't know about going through the metal detector sideways - that's a good tip, thanks.

I did discover that the casual kilts with velcro closures instead of buckles work great for not having issues with the metal detectors, and those kilt models also usually have pleat edges stitched down. That's nice, as I've found it very difficult to get regular pleats properly smoothed down in the confines of a crowded airline seat area.

Once I discovered the velcro kilt option, which kilt I wore depended on how pressed for time I expected to have at the security line, and how devlish I felt . . . . . . after the first time or two with the buckles, I knew they were going to set off the metal detector and I'd get wanded or patted down. The screener operating the metal detector would call out "male assist", and whose ever turn it was to do the assist would look over . . . many times, he'd get this "deer in the headlights" look when he realized he was going to have to pat down a guy in a "skirt"! You could almost read his thoughts, "Why is it my turn? Why didn't I pay closer attention to this part in trainint?"

Mark

[tpa]

I'm coming back to XMarks after being away for a while, and found this thread. Mark

Welcome back, Mark.

[O'Callaghan]

I agree Father Bill. In today's world of travel, you would think by now people would be very aware of the checkpoint and boarding requirements, what to carry, what not to carry, what to put in a suite case to check-in and what to keep home. Working for US Customs, I see it all. How does one "forget" they are carrying a fully loaded pistol, or a sheath blade knife, as they go through a TSA Checkpoint, or worse yet, as they arrive into the United States with a Italian Salami in their suitcase, or carrying a potted flower from another country, or taking in fruit and the list goes on. I am just amazed with what I see everyday.

There is a current story that happened just this week of a lady trying to board an aircraft with her pet Peacock, that she considered to be her "emotional support pet". The thing was huge, my Custom Officer buddies in Newark saw the whole thing, TSA and the Airline was right. Again why do people think their weird rights should overrule the rights of the majority. How would you like to sit next to a large Peacock when the plane is taking off or landing. The worse part of the story she called ahead and was told NOT to take the bird, but she did, and was not allowed to board, now she is suing the airline. UNREAL what goes on.

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.

[The Q]

It's definately a non story, I've always had to empty pockets, take off metal buckled belts going through security. I've set the alarms off with shoes that had a metal reinforcing plate in the sole.
The worst alarm set off was a small piece of foil sweet (candy) packaging caught in a pocket that set the Alarms of at RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falklands...it took ages to find that piece of foil... The stupid thing was I had no reason to l take anything by hand onto the aircraft, I had just had loaded lots of boxes of metal cased equipment I could have hidden anything in...

It's actually quicker to take a belt and sporran off and chuck it on the box going through the xray machine, than it is emptying all the pockets...

[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.

[Mel1721L]

I'm mildly perplexed here. Of course I'd leave the sghian at home and I'd not wear a kilt pin (it could go in checked luggage) but then the entire sporran is as easy to run through the x-ray as any lady's purse which leaves only the buckles to consider.

If the airlines can't handle buckles with a wand, patdown, or private search, they have bigger problems with their planning than with their "planing".

To me, it's not so much a disgrace as a stupidity.

Pay peanuts, get monkeys.

[Knoxy10]

What else did he expect? however, yet another reason----one more of quite a few---- why I don't wear the kilt outwith Scotland.

I agree, he could have just changed in the bathroom. I would worry more about having a drink on the plane (if they offer one for that short of a flight), hitting turbulence and getting my kilt and jacket went and possibly damaged if I were him.

[Laurentius]

I have to say this concerns me a little bit because as I have anonounced in my introduction I am going to wear my kilt to a reception at the house of Lords where the security is tight. I have been there before and my boots set the alarms off last time because they had metal buckles. I am not sure what to do about the kilt pin, but as my kilt pin is silver I think it will be less worry than the buckles or my garters.

I think I shall just walk through the barrier and set the alarms off and what the heck, let them worry about it. When I went through before I told them I would probably set the alarms off, and if you tell them that they are not likely to think you are a terrorist are they?

[tpa]

I have to say this concerns me a little bit because as I have anonounced in my introduction I am going to wear my kilt to a reception at the house of Lords where the security is tight. I have been there before and my boots set the alarms off last time because they had metal buckles. I am not sure what to do about the kilt pin, but as my kilt pin is silver I think it will be less worry than the buckles or my garters.

I think I shall just walk through the barrier and set the alarms off and what the heck, let them worry about it. When I went through before I told them I would probably set the alarms off, and if you tell them that they are not likely to think you are a terrorist are they?

I would not worry, I'm sure they are used to more strangle things than kilted gentlemen. However leave your real sgian dubh at home and take a dummy, see their security guidance here.

[Mel1721L]

What else did he expect? however, yet another reason----one more of quite a few---- why I don't wear the kilt outwith Scotland.

Bearing in mind that terrorists tend to be of a certain Middle Eastern religion, you'd think a bit of common sense could be used?