I have read that some women have set off the airport metal detectors with their underwire bra and I wondered how many of you have got through OK and how many have not been so lucky.
I fly about once a month and recently I was asked to step aside for a secondary scan as I had tripped the metal detector, they wanded me and when that set off I told them it was my underwired bra and they said they want to see it.
I ended up in this room and I was told to remove my jacket and skirt then I had to unbutton my blouse while a female officer went through my clothes which I had to put on a table.
I had to unfasten my bra and lift it up exposing my breasts, then they made me pull down my pantyhose to the knees and open the waistband of my panties. I ended up standing there in my underwear and the room was not even warm, Im sure this was not necessary.
I still wear underwired bra's and usually I get away with it, which just demonstrates how inconsistent security is at different airports.
2006-12-27 01:33:53 · 9 answers · asked by frigatewren 2 in Travel ➔ Air Travel
Since 9/11 airport security is in panic mode. Not being a lawyer, it does sound like that you have a sexual harassment case to pursue plus profiling. Talk to a lawyer.
As far as an under-wire bra setting off a metal detector, it is very possible if the sensitivity of the thing is cranked up to the max. I have heard stories like this before when some jerk wants to get a free show.
2006-12-29 14:49:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
do you not understand how many women only wear underwire bras and fly every day??? A LOT. most underwire is made of plastic so it won't set off anything. ones that are made with metal typically don't set off the metal detector cuz its not that sensitive. if your bra does happen to set it off they will most likely just ask you if you know of anything that could have set it off and you'll say your bra and they will use a wand metal detector just to make sure thats where the metal is coming from that they are picking up. the most that would happen is they'd want to you to have a pat down but it most likely would not come to that.
2016-03-29 08:07:53 · answer #2 · answered by Michelle 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I travel pretty often for work and I prefer underwire bras. I went and bought one without the wire just for getting through security easier. I just change when I get to my hotel anyway. if for some reason I have to go straight into meetings, then I just change in a restroom at the airport. With my luck , I'd wear the underwire on one trip, get stopped and end up late to meetings
2006-12-27 01:39:27 · answer #3 · answered by Ella727 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I am a crossdresser and one day going through qirport security I realized I had on an underwire bra, it did not set anything off though and I uwed my male legal ID. Never questioned anything. I think they do the security kind of randomly because there is not enough time to check everything,, but doing it randomly gives them a better chance of catching something.
2006-12-30 02:41:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
I have never heard of this happening. I have gone through airport security in a normal bra with an underwire probably 20 times and never had to go through that, nor have I had any comments made about it. Maybe they just thought you were suspicious since you automatically threw up an excuse for why you set the alarm off...."oh thats my bra" I think if you hadn't said anything at all (seeing that they know women wear bras with wires in them) they would have let you on through.
2006-12-27 01:38:07 · answer #5 · answered by Carolina_on_my_Mind 1 · 2⤊ 4⤋
That search sounds a bit extreme for just tripping the metal detector. You should be wanded and hand-patted before being forced to strip.
I wear an underwire every time I fly; I took 44 or 46 flights in 2006 so that is a lot of security screenings. Never once did I set the detector off, and I also never saw any other woman setting the metal detector off.
Forgive me for saying, but it does not sound like your bra was the reason you got this extra search (if it ever really happened at all). It sounds like there was a lot more going on than you are telling us.
2006-12-27 02:50:40 · answer #6 · answered by dcgirl 7 · 5⤊ 6⤋
When I know I'm going to fly I simply don't wear underwires! I leave them in my luggage.
2006-12-30 04:10:42 · answer #7 · answered by Terri 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wow. I never wear them and now I am glad. And if they started putting on the rubber gloves I would have freaked out.
2006-12-27 01:37:13 · answer #8 · answered by Isis 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Wow, I never thought about that! Scary! I wouldn't, just to be safe. But, I did fly to CA two months ago and wore one...fortunately, it was fine.
2006-12-27 01:36:56 · answer #9 · answered by ANGEL 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋