Big TSA Adventure - Round 2

Yesterday I got to fly home.  I have already shared that my original TSA adventure when I left home 3 days ago was nothing other than a near miss.  Well, the return was no repeat of that!

I flew out of Atlanta in the morning, and had allowed enough extra time that I was not feeling time pressure.  As before, I had resolved that it would not be such a big deal to go through the body image scanner.  Let's just do it, and get it done.

Security was moving along well, and once I had managed to get my things in 4 gray tubs (including the belt, for the first time in my life), I was ready for a scan job.

I did it. I went into the scanner, raised my arms and tried to smile pretty.  Moments later the TSA agent indicated that I could step out of the scanner, but I could go no further.  They just held me there, at one step out of the scanner.  No explanation.  My guess was that they were trying to avoid any congestion at the conveyor belt where people in front of me were still gathering their parts and pieces.

I waited a few more minutes, and then it seemed that they were motioning for me to move on.  False alarm, they stopped me after I got about one step.

They then proceeded to have a discussion with me to confirm which gray tubs were mine.  I pointed out the four that were ready for me to pick up.  The TSA agent that had been holding me back said I should follow these two other agents, and they were at that time scooping up my gray tubs.  Away we go to the little back room.

This was really weird, and I didn't know what was going on.  Once we were in the little room and the door was closed.  They explained that the scan of my groin area had not been clear, so they would have to do a pat down.  They asked to see my boarding pass.  Then they asked if I had any medical devices inside or outside of my body.  Finally they detailed the exact procedure they would be using for the pat down.

Let me tell you.  I really cannot complain about the two TSA agents and how they did there job.  They did exactly what they said they were going to do and I never felt there was any unnecessary or excessive touching.  The pat down demonstrated that I was clean.  What was going on with the scanner.   I really had no unique aspect and was wearing the same type of clothes as 99% of the men that go through there.

The TSA agents did not have any idea why the scan would not have been clear  I will never know.  Even though there have been plenty of people who have had their personal rights violated by TSA agents, all I saw today was real people trying to do the job they have been instructed to do.

By the way, if you were hoping to get  a copy of my scanner photo, it might be impossible.  According to the one TSA agent, the picture of one person is eliminated when the next person comes through.  I do not necessarily believe that, but who knows?

Yes, airport security still is a hassle.  Addition of the body scanner only makes it a little more so, and I hope next time the scanner will work.