Flying Question

reils500 · January 2014

I'm flying later this away this week. My airport has the xray things in security. Would you go through it?
Anything else I need to think about with flying? I will be 17 weeks.

reils500 · January 2014

Oops nevermind, I apparently haven't traveled recently because I just read the xray scanners were all removed last year.

nlearl · January 2014

When I traveled to California at Christmas I chose not to go through. They claim they are safe for all people but I felt better going brought the metal detector and would have taken the pat down but they didn't do that. Better safe than sorry. Other than that, flying pregnant is like flying not pregnant just make sure you are moving your legs around or stretching every so often. And stay hydrated, flying can cause dehydration.

ghostof5letters · January 2014

I fly weekly. I opt out 50% of the time.

LuluPMW · January 2014

I opted out and got a pat down instead. No big deal. Sitting in the isle seat so you can get up and move around easily is a good idea.

youreggoispreggo · January 2014

I've opted out when pregnant just to be on the safe side and not stress myself out. I've had to do the pat down every time but it sounds like some places will just let you go through the old metal detectors. I'll opt out when I fly in March as well.

reils500 · January 2014

Wait, so is the US still using the xray? I read (well skimmed through) an article that said they were getting rid of them due to privacy issues.

youreggoispreggo · January 2014

Do you mean the body scanners? I haven't flown since November but I was in ~17 different airports in September-November and they all had body scanners.

Dream123456778 · January 2014

They still have them. I had a pat down and on the way back they let me go through the metal detector

BBColt78 · January 2014

I choose not to do body scanners or any other walk through tech things. I just ask for a pat down.

cookieinva · January 2014

They definitely got rid of those xray scanners that were so controversial for being revealing. I believe the current scanning technology has such a low level of electromagnetic waves (not xrays) you get more exposure from say, a cell phone. I'm sure the TSA website has more info. But certainly it is a personal decision to use or opt out.

reils500 · January 2014

Thank you! I will probably opt out.

taylorjeanne84 · January 2014

They still have them. I opt out.

Shelleybell · January 2014

just opt out and tell them you are pregnantl

Dream123456778 · January 2014

It may also depend on the airport what their policy is.

allardr · January 2014

reils500 said:

Wait, so is the US still using the xray? I read (well skimmed through) an article that said they were getting rid of them due to privacy issues.

I flew within the past year and yes the body scanners were still used. I will opt out when I fly in May. I've read varying things about safe/not safe. Such an easy thing to skip so I will skip and not risk.

TigerLily12345 · January 2014

I fly all the time and prefer simply to go through the metal detectors. With TSA pre-check, it's usually not an issue as I have never seen anything else. However, I would choose a patdown if metal detector wasn't the option.

ghostof5letters · January 2014

reils500 said:

Wait, so is the US still using the xray? I read (well skimmed through) an article that said they were getting rid of them due to privacy issues.

Yes, full body scanners are still used in all airports. Traditional metal detectors are also available, but, in my experience, rarely used. When I opt out, I either get the metal detector + pat down, or just a pat down.

I'm not completely against the full body scanners, but I have up to 4 flights a week, and so I'm exposed a lot more frequently than most. If I was only traveling once this pregnancy, I'd probably do the scanner than deal with the hassle or requesting the opt out (especially due to timing of my flights, and how jammed security is at the time).

cookieinva · January 2014

Since this thread is still going I'll comment further, with the caveat I do not work for TSA.

I believe they have gotten rid of x-ray body scanners (see https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/tsa-completely-removed-full-body-scanners-rep-article-1.1360143).

The new body scanners do not use x-ray technology (see https://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/advanced-imaging-technology-ait).

That is all I was trying to point out in my previous comment; still your choice to opt out but I do not think you are being exposed to x-rays any more.

BlueFox181 · January 2014

Each scan emits less than 1/1,000 of the radiation given off in a standard chest X-ray, or the equivalent of two minutes of high-altitude flight. So if you're really against those scanners, you shouldn't be flying at all.

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