If you're traveling with kids....

[TrixyA]

As everyone knows, security is tighter at the airports since 9/11. What a lot of people don't know is that children can be chosen for full searches.

In April, my 11 year old daughter was taken aside and searched. I was asked to stand aside and not speak to her while this was happening.

Thankfully, I had heard about this before we traveled and had warned my daughter that this might happen. Afterwards, she admitted that she would have been frightened if we hadn't discussed it beforehand.

 

[Poly Pal]

Yet another example of how ridiculous the "random gate searches" are. (Gawsh, I'm sure a plane full of adult men could not subdue an 11 year old girl if she tried to break into the cockpit.)

Security needs to be taken care of at the Security Checkpoint. I'll reiterate my unpopular opinion that if gate checks continue, they should at least do some profiling using the info in the airlines computer systems.

 

[MinnieGi]

We've flown with our 2 yo DD four times now and on two different trips we have been choosen for a more thorough search with that wand thingy!!! They of course did DD who was an infant and young toddler both times. Even though I was still holding DD, DD howled like mad when security did the wand search on her. It was awful and let me tell you security was receiving very nasty looks from all the other passengers as they saw what was happening. I do understand that extra security is needed, but it seemed like overkill on baby DD.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot on our way back from Colorado this summer they would not let me carry 23 month old DD through the security station and wanted her to walk alone. Well she was a little shy about walking through and ended up leaning a little bit on one of the walls making the beeper go off - so guess what - they made us go to the more thourough search!!!! Ugh! She of course was not happy about that at all. Of course she was scared when they did the search.

Luckily we just came back from our Nov. WDW trip and DD walked through the security booth no problem!!!!!!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I think all this searching stinks, but if they start eliminating people that they think are "safe" we're setting ourselves up for another tragedy.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Oh...but thanks for the warning...I will discuss it with my kids.

 

[hopskip]

Another note about kid-searching...

I was at Philadelphia Intl last week and they were stopping everyone pulling into "B" short-term parking. They had dh & I get out of the car (said ds could stay buckled in his car seat) they popped the trunk, opened all the doors, then the 2 men went into the back seat from both sides to look around more thoroughly... 4 year old ds was rather concerned with the "officers" at such a close proximity! He didn't cry, but if I were a kid- I probably would have!