To think airports are so stressful lately?

Absolutely. No one has suggested otherwise.

If you feel the search was improperly conducted, make a complaint. That is absolutely your right. Although from looking again at your OP, this happened in Spain some time ago, so presumably there’s the likelihood that CCTV will not exist any more, and you didn’t feel sufficiently strongly about it at the time to move ahead with a complaint. But certainly worth doing. No one needs to endure a sexual assault.

I’m not intending to minimise your experience in advising that, if you were sexually assaulted, make this plain in your communication, whether that’s a complaint form or on Mn. Here you include it in a post that is called ‘To think airports are so stressful lately?’ and it’s at the end of a post that is primarily about having had your bag selected for a random check, having had to queue on a stairs get get on a flight, and having to queue for passport check. That diminishes the seriousness of sexual assault.

I'm sorry you've had this experience. I fly frequently (once or twice a month) and my experience is that airports are much quieter than pre-covid. Security and immigration queues are generally very fast even at 6am on a Monday morning. I always use the automated passport barriers and there's usually hardly any queue at any of the airports I frequent (LHR, LCY, DUB, FRA, CPH, AMS, STR). Flew back from CPH last night and from getting off the metro to getting to the gate was less than 15 minutes. At LHR from touchdown to getting on the tube was under 25 minutes (yes, I'm sad and I time these things - LCY is the fastest by far).

Well yes, you have to agree to the security measures to fly.

As others have said, if you feel the search was improperly conducted, make a complaint. I doubt it will go anywhere from what you've described (unless you keep mentioning vaginas, perhaps)

Do you have a history of sexual trauma, OP? I really can’t understand someone getting so worked up about a female security guard touching their boobs/bra, presumably with no sexual undertones, during the course of what is meant to be quite a comprehensive security search that you expect when you go to the airport. Maybe flying isn’t for you.

I was “nasty” to you..? lol, ok.

No, actually, I am just mind blown that you struggle with the concept that if you refuse to be searched, you potentially forfeit your flight.

It’s interesting to me that you seem hyper fixated on bypassing security (“maybe I’ll take the ferry, they don’t have security or do pat downs, do they?”) - it’s usually the ones that have something to hide that are so avoidant.

That’s not ‘fear’, OP, that’s you recognising that flying requires people to undergo certain security protocols, and that if you don’t undergo them, you don’t get to fly.

You're being wilfully obstructive at this point

People have said that no, we shouldn't be groped. However they do actually need to feel our breasts as the cup of a bra is an ideal place to hide things for example.

My last search did involve the security officer running her fingers inside the band of my bra, and under the wire.

She also used the side of her hand into my groin to feel for anything.

She also put her fingers inside my shoes before asking me to remove them.

They're meant to be intrusive.

Yes, some will take it too far, as they do in all professions.

No one is disputing that.

I saw someone complain about having their bag searched at a UK airport, at the security section

The armed guards were called over

The person was informed about all the valid reasons for the search

It caused the queue to stop for 30 minutes

If you are stressed by flying, suggest travel via train, boat, car

Uh, yeah, rightfully so?!

Why would they want to allow someone on a plane that refuses to comply with security procedures?

I sure as fuck wouldn’t want to be on a flight with people that refused to be checked and could quite literally be carrying anything.

If you genuinely feel that your pat down experience was a sexual assault, you should absolutely file a complaint. Airports have more cctv cameras than most other places, and the footage can be reviewed to see if the person wasn’t following protocol/acting inappropriately….but as someone previously stated on this thread, air travel is a privilege, not a right, and if you can’t accept that there are stringent security measures in place, then you shouldn’t be flying.

OP,

This is a tough one. The way you described being groped sounds awful, but ultimately the safety of everyone flying is the most important thing.

I’ve only had my bra area searched externally a couple of times and that isn’t great, but I can live with it. When my arms, legs, back are patted down I think ‘surely you know that any woman’s best hiding place is internal’.

Sadly my guess is that flinching at these innocuous pats (which is easily explainable and probably more likely if you have had certain experiences in the past) makes it more likely you will be subjected to a more intrusive search. Unfortunately this makes sense from a security perspective.

I agree that as in any profession involving intimate contact there are probably a few sick people. Maybe not flying is the answer. It is certainly better for the planet.

This.

OP, are you actually equating sexual assault with queueing?

In fact I think flying has actually become more straightforward recently, now that some airports no longer require you to take out electronics from your cabin bag (I tend to travel for work, so will have a phone, Kindle, laptop etc) because they can scan bags with them inside.

I’ve never had a pat down I felt was excessively invasive, though some are certainly more thorough than others. I get that the obvious places to hide something if you’re a woman would be in your bra or at your crotch. I’ve found staff most often nice, with the occasional tinpot dictator., and I travelled regularly solo with a small baby and child for years.

Some budget airlines in particular whose profit model relies on a quick turnaround between flights will corral people for long periods in cramped waiting areas. Just don’t join the queue till the end.

I think my most unpleasant airport experiences were just after 7/7, when security was (understandably) sky high and no one was allowed cabin bags, and taking a group of UK students to the US where border guards decided the very ordinary name of one of my British Asian students was that of a wanted terrorist and held him for hours before releasing him.

What annoys me is when they let you on to the boarding bridge but it turns out the plane isn’t quite ready and you’re waiting in there for ages. Especially on warm weather.

This is why I travel in a campervan and take the tunnel.

Scots for you're talking a lot of nonsense (I think that's probably a polite interpretation)

I think you’re being a bit over dramatic based on one experience. I fly fairly regularly, at least 4/5 times a year and don’t think it’s that bad. I fly from London airports but tbf have heard that Manchester is horrific in comparison.

The patting down is annoying and a bit uncomfortable, but again, don’t over dramatise it. She was just doing her job.

Yes, aiports are stressful - busy with lots of queues. There are ways to mitigate it a little - book fast track security, a lounge and, if needed, special assistance. Of course you will find people who have had negative experiences of these things if you google, but that doesn't mean that they are universally bad all, or even most, of the time. My parents have had Special Assistance that worked really well. You of course run the risk that you might book these things and be disappointed - and the internet will be full of complaints about the occasions when they don't run smoothly.

Security checks and sexual assaults is a different issue, and really complicated. Yes, people who have had checks and are in respected positions can and do abuse their power, and predators will always look for opportunities. Equally, I don't want to board a plane with passengers who are allowed to refuse a patdown but still get on the flight. Airport security is very important, and the consequences of getting it wrong are unthinkably terrible. That doesn't mean that people should pay the price of sexual assault, of course. But I can't agree with you that people should be able to refuse a search and still be allowed to fly, because of course that opens the door to criminals and terrorists.

Travel is stressful; there are always queues and delays because there are thousands of passengers and a lot of rules and regulations. You have to weigh up if it's worth it to you, and what you can do to make it easier where possible.

You keep going on about a pat down should be arms and legs only but how stupid would that be as all terrorists would then have free range to hide stuff in bra/pants etc? Airports are indeed stressful and I am also prepared to believe that some security guards may enjoy their job a little bit too much but as it's pretty much the only way to travel long distances I am prepared to take that risk. If you really feel you have been violated then put in a complaint.