My TSA Exprience

Above, the Boeing 777 being readied for my flight to Japan at LAX.

On Saturday, December 4, I arrived at Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for my flight to Japan on Korean Air. Much talk had been made over the TSA's new passenger screening process (includng here on this blog). The process involves new screening machines that "sees" what's underneath people's clothing in detail, including their private parts (a.k.a. "junk"). If a person declines to be subjected to the screening machine, then a TSA screening officer (one of the same sex) would take that person aside and give them a "pat-down" search. Some called it groping. There have been horror stories in the media on these pat-down searches.

When I went to the bank to get money for the trip, my teller told me that her main concern was not the pat-downs or the x-ray views of her body, she was most concerned about the amount of radiation these machines expose people to. I haven't heard anything concerning the amount of radiation from these machines, but I will look into it upon my return to Los Angeles.

I got to the airport about three hours before my scheduled departure time (I heard it takes longer to go through the screening process) and to have breakfast. When I got to the screening area, there were about ten people ahead of me. I saw some go through the screener, but I didn't see any decline the machine and opt for the pat-down.

When it was my turn to go, I put all my pockets' contents placed in trays and my laptop computer put separately in its own tray. I watched as my belongings moved into the x-ray machine. And walked forward. Instead of being directed into the body scanner, I was directed to go around it. My first thought that maybe the machine was not working, but I saw others go through it. Then I thought they decided to pat me down. They didn't. Instead, I was directed to go to the end of the conveyor belt to retrieve my belongings. There, a Hispanic TSA officer noted the "I remember Reagan" bumper sticker on my laptop cover and started to tell me that if it wasn't for Ronald Reagan, his parents would not have been allowed to migrate to the U.S. and he wouldn't be here working as a TSA officer. It was a very friendly conversation, which almost distracted me from retreiving my wallet and cellphone from the tray.

After getting everything, I headed off to the gate for my flight to Japan.

If you were expected another "horror story" about being mishandled by the TSA, you didn't find it here. All of the TSA officers I encountered were friendly and professional in their demeanor. It was more of a pleasant experience than I ever envisioned. Not bad. At least for me.