to ask to prefer a “pat down” at airport?

[AragornIsGorgeous]

Hi, I will be using wheelchair assistance when flying abroad shortly, and my arm will still be in a sling.

I’m told that usually a traveler is asked to walk through a contraption (with arms raised?) instead of the traditional pat down.

As I will be in a wheelchair and arm in sling, can I ask for the pat down, or can I be “made” to go through the machine thingy whatever it’s is?

sorry I can’t be more specific, I’m not an air traveler in general.

Thank you for reading, and I would appreciate all (kind) replies.

I’ve frequently been drug wiped, but I conclude I just have a suspicious face.

Thank you. I kind of think it might be quite funny for me if it did. I always get pulled over, every single time! So this would just be a reason for them to maybe think this person is actually totally innocent! Unless I had a hollow metal leg stuffed with drooogs?! 🤣

They're looking for traces of explosives at airports, not drugs.

They do look for drugs at airports too but, as PP mentioned, it is customs who do that.

With good reason! You ever seen Pam’s plaster cast made of cocaine in Archer?

A pat down usually involves going over with the handheld metal detector.
last time I went through airport security (few weeks ago), they weren’t satisfied with me going through the machine so I had to get patted down. They used the hand held metal detector. You probably won’t get away with no metal detector. I have thick, curly hair and they made me take it down and searched my hair including using a metal detector on it. They also patted down my five year old dd.

Hi everyone, sorry I couldn’t reply til now… it’s been a bad day re illness.

I didn’t mean to come across as arrogant when I asked about rights, I’m not an arrogant person at all, I could do with lessons on being more assertive in some situations 🤦‍♀️

I appreciate all the information I’ve read since my initial post, so thanks for that, it’s so helpful.

The few posts that were not so kind, I would say that I respect your pov, and it may be different to mine.

Anyway I think I have enough “food for thought”, and will be researching.

For those that have implied I could be wanting to smuggle, nah not a chance!
I’m too much of a goody two shoes for that.

I have no wish to be a disrespectful, demanding awkward customer at the airport. I know they have a job to do, and I want as smooth path to the plane as much as they do.

I thought I was just asking a fairly simple question, that as a “rare traveler “, had no idea about what’s what.

No I’m not in a wheelchair just for a broken arm 🤭

Again “thank you “ to all.

You haven’t answered what could possibly make you want to refuse the detectors though..? We are all very curious because there really shouldn’t be any reason you can’t go through them. You get more radiation from standing outside in your own garden on a normal day. Is it a religious objection?

The people have to know!

@AragornIsGorgeousthank you for updating but it would be really helpful to know why you don’t want to walk through a metal detector. The only reason I can possibly think of is that it can feel a little awkward or embarrassing for a moment if it goes off when you walk through; I’ve had that happen but the staff will quickly know why - whether it’s something about you which might have triggered it. I’ve had it go off once. My view is that the safety of all passengers and also the fact the officials have got a hugely important responsibility to ensure safety outweighs my own personal discomfort about the procedure.

I don’t think any of us enjoy going through security, particularly when it’s busy and there’s lots of queuing. It’s one of those things you just accept if you wish to fly.

I’m too shy to reveal why.

i appreciate that I’m coming across as awkward, but really I have had lots of helpful answers and suggestions.

I apologise to all who think I should have given more detail.

What does that even mean? We’re strangers on the internet. ‘Shyness’ isn’t a thing.

Aah, maybe a piercing in a private area.

Shyness is indeed “a thing” on mumsnet, as I’ve seen the way some posters are really ott and unfortunately nasty in their words.

Anonimity is helpful to a degree, but the original posters mental health could be at risk too.

You might say that the chance you take with social media, but I still think some of the remarks are so unnecessary, so unhelpful, and I do not wish to subject myself to that.

Again, I apologise for spoiling some peoples opportunity to “pile in”.

It's obviously a reason that posters will scoff at or disagree with, probably some conspiracy theory thing.

Or she could have a stoma bag, be cathered, other medical stuff, or be a he. None of which posters need to know.

OP if it’s a health issue (stoma bag, some kind of surgery etc) try and take assurance from the fact that the staff will have seen absolutely everything before. Thousands of people travel every day with all kinds of conditions. They really are like medical staff, in that nothing will be new, noteworthy or something to snigger at.

Dh has a medical device attached to him that cannot go through scanners. He also uses assistance as he's visually impaired. Every time we travel.we have this discussion at security, complete with medical evidence. Normally he is wanded down with swabs for drugs and we hold the device out the way. Normally it's only an issue in the UK, in particular manchester. Greece, Spain, Italy and Germany all understand immediately ( both large and smaller airports). You will need evidence as tingly you can't be scanned.

If it’s medical then it’s quite straightforward to use assistance and have the evidence to hand. It must be far nicer for the security officials when people cooperate and make what’s quite honestly a stressful and time consuming but hugely important process that little bit easier.

what security staff won’t do, quite understandably, is change their process based on what someone prefers.

If you had a stoma bag, surely being patted down is worse than the scanner?

No because the evidence is not there for everyone to see on the screen .

Everyone doesn’t get to see the screen. Not at any airport I have been through in the last six months, anyway.

@Elbowpatch I came through a screen in the USA recently and there was an image showing at the side of the scanner. Two of the people were looking at it and anyone standing waiting for baggage to come through could look at it so yes they can.

Here's the scanner and there's the image

No because they'll scan you then pat you down anyway. If they profile you, you'll be asked to remove your bag. Might as well go straight to pat down.

If they profile you, you'll be asked to remove your bag.

That sounds really grim