Plane travel tip/be aware of your belongings

Why was your stuff in your hand at that point? Once you’re past the ID checkers put it away. Pocket should have been fine.
My ID and boarding pass I had in my Pocket at X-ray machine it’s never been an issue before but for some reason the agent told me I couldn’t even have My ID in my pocket and made me put it in my bag and made it go through the machine again. Then I got flagged for the sparkles on my shirt at which point they left my stuff on the end of the belt - took me aside and the female agent was telling me how to stand and what she was going to do with her hands to check me etc. which is when I saw the woman by my bins and picking up my tablet It all happened in a matter of seconds. I’ve never had an issue at the scanner or been separated like that from my belongings.
 
I have to go through extra screening because of my knee replacements. DH goes first and usually gets through quickly. He collects all our items. We always keep an eye on where our carry ons are. I don't trust anyone.
 
My ID and boarding pass I had in my Pocket at X-ray machine it’s never been an issue before but for some reason the agent told me I couldn’t even have My ID in my pocket and made me put it in my bag and made it go through the machine again. Then I got flagged for the sparkles on my shirt at which point they left my stuff on the end of the belt - took me aside and the female agent was telling me how to stand and what she was going to do with her hands to check me etc. which is when I saw the woman by my bins and picking up my tablet It all happened in a matter of seconds. I’ve never had an issue at the scanner or been separated like that from my belongings.
Glad you were able to stop the would be thief, you might email TSA w/ your concerns https://www.tsa.gov/contact/contact-forms telling them date/time/terminal and describing the agent (they have video) and ask why you were directed to remove your ID and boarding pass from your pocket and put them through the X-ray machine and why as she was patting you down & you spotted the would be thief grabbing your possessions and spoke out, the TSA agent failed to do anything to stop the thief. Perhaps some training of that agent is in order.
 
The only thing that has been consistent at various airports for me has been that I can't have anything in my pockets. I was pulled aside for extra screening once because I'd put my ID and boarding pass in my back pocket and have been told not to at multiple airports since. For the life of me, I cannot understand what issue there is with a piece of paper in a pocket - especially when wearing denim - but it has been stated by multiple agents at different airports.
 


The only thing that has been consistent at various airports for me has been that I can't have anything in my pockets. I was pulled aside for extra screening once because I'd put my ID and boarding pass in my back pocket and have been told not to at multiple airports since. For the life of me, I cannot understand what issue there is with a piece of paper in a pocket - especially when wearing denim - but it has been stated by multiple agents at different airports.
Agreed.

I've never been able to go through a scanner with anything in my pockets. It's the one universal thing across airports I've found--nothing in your pockets. They usually harp on that right before they see you go into the x-ray machines.

On occasion my husband has forgotten a small piece of kleenex in his pockets--it sets off the machine for density reasons causing more scrutiny and additional pat downs for him. Sometimes it's only the hand swipe for chemicals type thing and sometimes a bit more.

After I go through the TSA agent checking my ID and my Boarding Pass (either mobile or paper) I immediately put them away in my bag (but far enough in that you would have to do some digging to get to it) and proceed to the x-ray machines for the rest of the process.
 
Assume it’s due to this type of thing, belongings walking off without their owners, that prompted Disney to stop having guests put theirs in bins while going through scanners.
Thankfully, rude jerks are rare. But never hurts to be cautious.
They tell you to for that matter, keep an eye on your things that is

The only thing that has been consistent at various airports for me has been that I can't have anything in my pockets. I was pulled aside for extra screening once because I'd put my ID and boarding pass in my back pocket and have been told not to at multiple airports since. For the life of me, I cannot understand what issue there is with a piece of paper in a pocket - especially when wearing denim - but it has been stated by multiple agents at different airports.
Because many IDs have magnetic stripes on them and they want ANY metal out of the pockets.
 
The only thing that has been consistent at various airports for me has been that I can't have anything in my pockets. I was pulled aside for extra screening once because I'd put my ID and boarding pass in my back pocket and have been told not to at multiple airports since. For the life of me, I cannot understand what issue there is with a piece of paper in a pocket - especially when wearing denim - but it has been stated by multiple agents at different airports.

Same here. I've never been able to keep anything in my pockets. The agents even specify to remove everything from pockets - even a tissue.
 


People suck and the agents should do a better job of keeping people with their possessions. DH has to get patted down...so they'll take him to the side and sometimes his stuff sits at the collection area for a few minutes. I am not allowed to take it to hold to the side so I just stand there watching it like a hawk.

I am glad you saw her and stopped her.
Wouldn't the bolded be a good thing though? That TSA knows you're grabbing something that isn't "yours" and not letting you do so?
 
It’s a shame that we need to be so distrustful, but it is the way of the world. I try to travel “light” by not bringing a lot of jewelry, electronics (I limit it to Ipad and phone now), and leave expensive items in general at home. The chance that someone at the airport or hotel going through (or losing) my things makes me think about what I’m bringing and “would I be devastated” if I never saw this again. Photos and contacts are backed up, keypad locks on electronics, and that is about as much as you can do. That and watch your stuff like a hawk!!
 
Wouldn't the bolded be a good thing though? That TSA knows you're grabbing something that isn't "yours" and not letting you do so?

I don't think they have a clue what belongs to anyone. When they need to do a more thorough search on a bag, they hold it up and ask who it belongs to.

Probably if the previous poster didn't ask, just picked up all her husband's stuff, TSA wouldn't have said a thing.
 
Wouldn't the bolded be a good thing though? That TSA knows you're grabbing something that isn't "yours" and not letting you do so?


In theory, of course. In our situation, they didn’t know I had it until they asked him if he put anyhing through the scanner. That was when they said they need to hand search his carry on also and I put it back. We didn’t know and that’s fine. But I think if they are going to make him leave his things there, they should do something to safeguard them a bit.
 
In theory, of course. In our situation, they didn’t know I had it until they asked him if he put anyhing through the scanner. That was when they said they need to hand search his carry on also and I put it back. We didn’t know and that’s fine. But I think if they are going to make him leave his things there, they should do something to safeguard them a bit.

So you did what I thought, grabbed it like you own it. Even though they ended up asking for it back to further search, at least you and your husband both knew it wasn't unattended for long and no one else tried to get anything.

I do think that's rare, but this whole thread started because it did unfortunately happen to someone. And that really sucks. I'll be watching all of our stuff carefully when we head down to Disney in a few weeks.
 
I waited FIFTEEN MINUTES for a randomly selected scan and pat down while male passengers breezed through in Newark, NJ. All while my purse, phone, ID and the rest of my belongings sat there waiting for anyone to abscond with. I finally got pissed and suggested they take one of the TWO female officers off the line to pat me down. She begrudgingly had me go through the scanner and then didn't pat me down. I think she did that just to piss me off. Ridiculous! I travel a lot for work and Newark is my home airport unfortunately. The TSA agents must have special training there in being rude.
 
So you did what I thought, grabbed it like you own it. Even though they ended up asking for it back to further search, at least you and your husband both knew it wasn't unattended for long and no one else tried to get anything.

I do think that's rare, but this whole thread started because it did unfortunately happen to someone. And that really sucks. I'll be watching all of our stuff carefully when we head down to Disney in a few weeks.

My husband can not go through scanners bc of a medical device so he always has to be patted down. The first time we travelled after getting the medical device is when I took his things and they made me put them back.

Now we know to leave his bag on the belt and its not unattended because I’m off to the side watching it. TSA doesn’t take it until they get around to do DHs pat down which has taken as long as 10 minutes for an agent to be available.

If he was traveling alone, his things would be on the far side of the scanner while he’s waiting before the scanners. In 10+ trips, only once TSA asked who the bag belongs to, I step forward to explain and then they left it there.
 

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