A friends recent TSA incident

[pezmanffx]

This is a post from a friend on facebook and what she went through with TSA. So what does everyone think.

Two of my sons have been TSA frisked. Jacob rightfully had bondage pants on with all the chains and it set off alarms. Robert, the one with Down Syndrome was also frisked. They took him in a glass room. I saw him crying. I headed for the door. They stopped me and told me I would be strip searched if I went in there. So I had to yell LOUD to Robert that it was ok and he wasn't being arrested. I told him it was a game. Bens elderly Mother gets pulled almost everytime she flys. So stupid.

[Ned]

Originally Posted by pezmanffx

This is a post from a friend on facebook and what she went through with TSA. So what does everyone think.

Two of my sons have been TSA frisked. Jacob rightfully had bondage pants on with all the chains and it set off alarms. Robert, the one with Down Syndrome was also frisked. They took him in a glass room. I saw him crying. I headed for the door. They stopped me and told me I would be strip searched if I went in there. So I had to yell LOUD to Robert that it was ok and he wasn't being arrested. I told him it was a game. Bens elderly Mother gets pulled almost everytime she flys. So stupid.

With regard to the son with Downs Syndrome, if the son is a child, a parent is supposed to be able to be with him. If he is an adult, then there is no such requirement.

That being said, I strongly suggest that about 72 hours prior to to the flight that she should call "TSA Cares" on their toll free line at 1-855-787-2227. They will explain in detail what can be done. In addition, they can provide checkpoint coordination support with a TSA Customer Service Manager located at the airport if it's necessary. It sounds like in this case it would be. In fact, I would tell her to "respectfully" tell "TSA Cares" about the episode described above, and that she should specifically ask for coordination at every airport her son would be at, so this doesn't happen again.

The "TSA Cares helpline" is unfortunately only open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. EST, and not on federal holidays. Travelers who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to contact TSA Cares or can email TSA Cares at [email protected].

While having to call and work with "TSA Cares" really shouldn't be necessary, as TSA should be using more commonsense about dealing with people with disabilities in the first place, calls to "TSA Cares" actually works, and works well. I have spoken with a number of people who called them and they got reasonable treatment for their problem by TSA TSO's at the checkpoint.

[pezmanffx]

Thanks for the info. I will pass it along to her. Also, I believe her child is in his teens.

[Ned]

Originally Posted by pezmanffx

Thanks for the info. I will pass it along to her. Also, I believe her child is in his teens.

If he's in his teens TSA should have permitted his mother to be with him considering his mental state according to their own guidelines.

"TSA will not ask travelers to do anything that will separate them from their child or children."

They can look here about children with disabilities:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...rial_1572.shtm

It is true that he make look too old to be considered a child, so what I have recommended is that the parent precede the child (In this case the teen.) in line and make sure the parent informs the TSO about the child, (Parents are supposed to do this anyway but forget to do it in advance and only try to do it if there's a problem, which is too late as TSO's often stop listening at that point, unfortunately.) and that the parent expects to stay with the child if additional screening is necessary.

[bodega]

Two of my sons have been TSA frisked. Jacob rightfully had bondage pants on with all the chains and it set off alarms


It is his right to wear these, but then he should have known the conseguences of his decision could cause him to have some personal time with the TSA. No sympathy from me on his decision.

Most of us know what could or might happen when we go through security at an airport. But for those passengers that might not be capable of knowing this on their own, those traveling with them need to do some preparation as best they can with them.

[tdew]

My thought was that the clothing choice of the first son could have set off the increased searches.