TSA has not, will not and our Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) cannot store images of passengers

The Drudge report recently linked to this article with the very misleading headline: “TSAXXX: Naked Body Scans Leak Online” This is about the US Marshal Service (NOT Federal Air Marshal Service) storing Advanced Imaging Technology images at a Florida courthouse checkpoint (Not a TSA checkpoint). This has led many to ask if TSA is doing the same.  As we’ve stated from the beginning, TSA has not, will not and the machines cannot store images of passengers at airports. The equipment sent by the manufacturer to airports cannot store, transmit or print images and operators at airports do not have the capability to activate any such function. You can read our blog post on this subject from earlier this summer. Or you can read the US Marshals Service Press Release on this matter. 

Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team

Opting-out of Advanced Imaging Technology and the Pat-down Doesn’t Fly

A recent incident in San Diego where a passenger opted out of Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) and also refused a pat-down has been raising some questions, so I wanted to help clarify a few things with this blog post.

AIT is optional for everybody. However, if you decide to opt-out of AIT screening, you must undergo alternative screening, which will include a pat-down. As I’ve said before, there is nothing punitive about it- it just makes good security sense. Obviously a passenger can’t completely opt out of all screening if they opt out of AIT. That would not make good security sense. AIT is deployed to help us find non-metallic threats, so if you’re selected for AIT and choose to opt-out, we still need to check you for non-metallic threats. That’s why a pat-down is required. If you refuse both, you can’t fly. It is important that all screening procedures are completed.  This ensures that terrorists do not have an opportunity to probe TSA’s procedures by electing not to fly just as TSA’s screening procedures are on the verge of detecting that the passenger is a terrorist. Also, it’s important to remember that TSA screens nearly 2 million passengers daily and that very few passengers are required to receive a pat-down.

Some have asked why we just don’t use the handwand. Good question. Threats can be both metallic and non-metallic. Pat-downs, like AIT, allow us to screen for nonmetallic threats that handwands would not find.

And finally, the $10,000.00 question of the day… Will you receive a $10,000.00 fine if you opt out of screening all together and leave the checkpoint? While TSA has the legal authority to levy a civil penalty of up to $11,000.00 for cases such as this, each case is determined on the individual circumstances of the situation. 

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

CBS News Poll: 4 in 5 Support Full-Body Airport Scanners

You’ve heard TSA say how most passengers support the use of our Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT).  Well, this time you don’t have to hear it from us. You can read a recent public poll that was conducted by CBS News where 4 in 5 polled support TSA’s use of AIT.

Poll: 4 in 5 Support Full-Body Airport Scanners

Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team

Response to "Female radio host cuffed to chair, ticket ripped up..."

Update 12-2-10 9:15 AM

When TSA received the CCTV footage from FLL, the timestamps were not included. TSA has worked with the airport (who owns the video cameras) and the manufacturer to get time stamped footage. We now have the footage and would like to share it with you.

Time stamped Checkpoint CCTV Footage (Passenger walks into frame at 01:13)

Time stamped Exit Lane CCTV Footage (Passenger walks into frame from the left side at 00:03)

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Update 4:30 P.M

Some are asking for the rest of the CCTV footage. Well… that’s all there is. There were two camera angles and we posted the complete footage of both of those angles. From the time the passenger enters the checkpoint to the time they are escorted out of the checkpoint, it’s all there. The passenger stated the full experience was around an hour, but as the video shows, it was much shorter. ~ Blogger Bob

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A YouTube video containing a radio interview of a woman who claims to have been cuffed to a chair at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International airport after opting out of Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) has been circulating today. TSA takes situations such as this seriously and we immediately looked into it.

We diligently review claims of improper conduct. But when inaccurate passenger accounts are made either via media outlets or on the blogs, TSA works to resolve them and present both sides of the story. In this case, TSA has made the decision to post the CCTV video of the incident online.

You can listen to her radio interview, and then you can view our airport CCTV footage. We’ll let you decide what really happened. 

Radio interview with passenger who claims to have been handcuffed to a chair and had her ticket ripped up

Checkpoint CCTV Footage (Passenger walks into frame at 01:13)

Exit Lane CCTV Footage (Passenger walks into frame from the left side at 00:03)

Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team

New TSA Pat-down Procedures

As we’ve discussed before, TSA’s screening procedures change regularly based on the latest intelligence. Pat-downs have long been one of the many security measures TSA and virtually every other nation has used in its risk-based approach to help detect hidden and dangerous items such as explosives like the one we saw in the failed terrorist attack last Christmas Day.

Pat-downs are primarily used to resolve alarms that occur at a walk-through metal detector, if an anomaly is detected during screening with advanced imaging technology (AIT), or during random screening. If one of those situations arises, you will be given a pat-down before you're able to continue on to your flight.

Pat-downs are also given to passengers who opt out of screening by AIT or walk-through metal detectors.

There’s nothing punitive about it - it just makes good security sense.  And the weapons and other dangerous and prohibited items we’ve found during pat downs speak to this.

It’s worth mentioning that only a small percentage of passengers end up needing a pat-down.  The best way to be prepared at the checkpoint is to remove everything from your pockets prior to screening. Also, if you have a hidden medical device, you may want to bring it to the officer’s attention before screening. We’ll be better able to help expedite your screening that way...

A few other points to keep in mind:

* Pat-downs are conducted by same gender officers
* All passengers have the right to request private screening at any point during the screening process
* Anyone has the right to have a traveling companion present during screening in the private screening area.

Blogger Bob 

TSA Blog Team