TSA and Body piercings, oh my!
 

At the Lubbock, TX airport, a woman was wanded by TSA and the alarm sounded at her nipple ring piercings. She is suing them!

Seriously, does anyone really not know that we are supposed to remove all jewelry before entering security? Did she not see the 2 dozen signs along the way to security?

So, whose side is right?

From what I've heard, in news reports in my area today: The woman, so far, is seeking an apology from the TSA, but has not determined to sue or not.

I answered that the TSA should not have embarrassed her, yet I wish I could have qualified my response by also stating that TSA could have handled the situation differently and didn't have to make jokes or laugh about the entire fiasco. That response, to me, just isn't very professional.

Sure, she should have been aware that her piercings could trip alarms/signals. Treating her with dignity would have fared much better, I suspect.

Just some of my thoughts.

:grouphug:

I don't think they had any reason to ask her to remove them. They don't ask you to remove jewelry normally and if your explanation is adequate when they wand you they don't care. (not that I have nipple piercings...) They've let me through with much worse on an explanation.

My sister's MIL is always humiliated when she goes through TSA. She triggers the alarm and has to get checked because of her mastectomy and bra. I've seen how upset she gets just by being wanded - she feels like a spectacle. I can't imagine being asked to remove your piercings - the area they have for the "special checks" is really not appropriate to be doing that.

Maybe she gave them some attitude so they thought they'd have some fun with her. I've found that a little begging, pleading, and just generally being really nice and patient helps immensely. They let me carry all of my sharp and pointy beading tools through a couple of weeks ago with no problem.

Anyone ever see the SNL episode where the TSA person decided she had to do a "special" check on Collin Farrel. Cracks me up when I remember it - she was going to make very sure that he had no metal on him....

keys watches and jewelry and loose change and any other metal objects hello MCfly that pretty much covers any body piercings too, are we becoming such a PC society that we walk on eggshells we have brains use the GD things or don't go out of your house stay home bunch of half wits:eek:

since 9/11 times and rules have changed deal with it we all have too as a society part of being a civilized society is rules and all of us following said rules the Sumerians started this about 5000 years ago been working pretty well for the most part minus a few khans and dictators, theres always gonna be someone who rolls out of bed and says today i am gonna take over the world

allowing a law suit such as this to go any further is a waste of MY TAX DOLLARS THAT person can grow up[ and apologize as far as i am concern what part of this dont they understand

if anyone is offended sorry but life goes on

I've not heard this story, so didn't place my vote. But, I don't think I've ever had to remove jewelry. *no piercings other than ears here*

My Mom used to get the wand b/c of her pacemaker, and she used to hope she'd get a cute guy, but always ended up w/a brutus of a woman. We used to laugh about that all the time.

Ok, back to your regularly scheduled thread.....:p

I don't think she should bring a lawsuit but I think she at least deserves an apology. She should have mentioned the piercings before going through the detector then if told they would be a problem they should have allowed her to go to a bathroom and privately remove them...or decide not to fly at all.

I have gone through security with a lighter in my pocket, a metal nail file in my purse totally forgetting about them....as well as my copax. with no problem at all. I had to laugh one time because I was on a flight from Houston to Nashville and there were at least 6 people on the same flight who had been to an Astros game. (I was at the game and actually saw them there! lol) Anyway they were giving away Astro umbrellas at the game and these people went through security and carried the umbrellas onto the plane. I'm talking the kind with the pointed metal tip! I'm thinking....wow, security must be so worried about liquids etc. that they completely missed the large pointy objects that could stab someone! Oh well...I guess like everything else nothing is perfect and they just have to do the best they can.

If there are multitude of signs all over stating removal of jewlery before going thru metal detector then my vote is SHE's AN IDIOT. but defending her side,

1. Maybe she couldn't read:eek:

2. Maybe in a hurry and not focusing on multitude of signs:D

3. Maybe forgot she had nipple rings in:rolleyes:

If those are the case, then she needs an apology.

Maybe I want to be a lawyer when I grow up What do yous think amn:cool::p

sorry she feels hurt but who is to say the explosives in the guys gym shoes soles that got through the detectors and the special clips through her upper anatomy that are quote unquote just jewelry are the final piece to be added to a special calculator or a cell phone to set off a bomb,

times have changed as have the technologies unfortunately and unfortunately so has a certain degree of paranoia in our thinking, trying to outwit the sickos in an endless battle

i dont agree with it all, its a down right dirty rotten shame is what it is, and to think this is being done in the name of their god because they hate someone else so much. that part of the plot i dont get and all of us pay the price for these others hatred, sorry getting off subject a bit its just boggles my mind that all these diff news items that come up every now and then all seem to stem from 9/11 god rest their soles

I saw this story and haven't formed an opinion yet. While amusing to some, I am sure this was not so amusing to the woman. I do think, knowing the way things are today, that if I had nipple rings I would remove them before I went to the airport.

BTW, I have never been asked to remove my jewelry. The last time I went through airport security was two years ago. Maybe things have changed? Shoot, at that time I was laughing at taking my shoes and sweater off. The security boys were impressed when I started humming a strip tease song as my shoes came off. My mom just about had a heart attack, even though she was tickled. :D:p

Don't pull any punches, Frank, just let it all out!:D

I still think she's an idiot, I'm sorry, but anyone who has been anywhere near a plane since the big TSA push knows that they are always anxious for a new exciting situation. Out of pure humility, (if I were skewered beyond my ears), I would never even risk getting myself in that situation. I think she was only embarrassed because they weren't real gold.:rolleyes:

She did mention in an interview that no TSA employee had ever stopped her for them before. They never make me remove my gold, but they do ask me to remove my stainless watch.

Gret, the woman did have a tude, and struck me as defiant. Barney and the Fifes don't like wiseguy people questioning their ways. I've also gone through with all kinds of interesting things, just for laughs. I'm automatically hand-wanded through the wheelchair gate and I have talked my way out of everything I've tried so far (no automatic weapons or machetes).

If you do a search for it, there are plenty of media outlets offering video clips of her interviews along with Gloria Allred, a high-profile, sometimes controversial attorney.

Here's the latest from CNN http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/03/28/nipple.ring/