Narrative:

I passed through the security chkpoint at gate X at dfw airport. Since the walk-through buzzer rang, I proceeded to get hand-wanded, in order to clear security. While being scanned, the scanner told me to remove the eyeglass case, which had my belt threaded through the back for attachment, in order to inspect behind it. I showed her my glasses, and asked her how many crew members had blown up their own aircraft. Various comments ensued, and I mentioned that I thought her scanner sensitivity was set too high, since everything on my person set it off, including my small shirt pocket schedule/calendar book, and my wallet, both of which contained no metal. She then asked me to remove the wallet in my pants pocket, which I did. After getting the ok from the scanner, I walked off. She asked for my name, which I declined to give. About 10 mins later, the scanner and her lead agent came down to dfw operations (X airlines) and asked for my name. I showed them my identify card. In summary, I guess my frustration level increased considerably over 1) being treated like a criminal while in uniform, i.e., having to stand in front of passenger with my arms out in order to be scanned, and 2) being nitpicked by the scanner who, in my opinion, had the scanner sensitivity set too high since everything, including non metallic items, caused it to beep. The solution is to let airline crew members in uniform, with a valid airline identify card, show the card to the security personnel and proceed to work unimpeded, as we used to. There is not need for public harassment of airline crew members, all of whom wear enough metal to set off the detectors (wings, buttons, hat insignia, clips on airline cards, calculators, glasses, etc).

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO COMPLAINT REGARDING SECURITY CHK POINT PROC.

Narrative: I PASSED THROUGH THE SECURITY CHKPOINT AT GATE X AT DFW ARPT. SINCE THE WALK-THROUGH BUZZER RANG, I PROCEEDED TO GET HAND-WANDED, IN ORDER TO CLR SECURITY. WHILE BEING SCANNED, THE SCANNER TOLD ME TO REMOVE THE EYEGLASS CASE, WHICH HAD MY BELT THREADED THROUGH THE BACK FOR ATTACHMENT, IN ORDER TO INSPECT BEHIND IT. I SHOWED HER MY GLASSES, AND ASKED HER HOW MANY CREW MEMBERS HAD BLOWN UP THEIR OWN ACFT. VARIOUS COMMENTS ENSUED, AND I MENTIONED THAT I THOUGHT HER SCANNER SENSITIVITY WAS SET TOO HIGH, SINCE EVERYTHING ON MY PERSON SET IT OFF, INCLUDING MY SMALL SHIRT POCKET SCHEDULE/CALENDAR BOOK, AND MY WALLET, BOTH OF WHICH CONTAINED NO METAL. SHE THEN ASKED ME TO REMOVE THE WALLET IN MY PANTS POCKET, WHICH I DID. AFTER GETTING THE OK FROM THE SCANNER, I WALKED OFF. SHE ASKED FOR MY NAME, WHICH I DECLINED TO GIVE. ABOUT 10 MINS LATER, THE SCANNER AND HER LEAD AGENT CAME DOWN TO DFW OPS (X AIRLINES) AND ASKED FOR MY NAME. I SHOWED THEM MY IDENT CARD. IN SUMMARY, I GUESS MY FRUSTRATION LEVEL INCREASED CONSIDERABLY OVER 1) BEING TREATED LIKE A CRIMINAL WHILE IN UNIFORM, I.E., HAVING TO STAND IN FRONT OF PAX WITH MY ARMS OUT IN ORDER TO BE SCANNED, AND 2) BEING NITPICKED BY THE SCANNER WHO, IN MY OPINION, HAD THE SCANNER SENSITIVITY SET TOO HIGH SINCE EVERYTHING, INCLUDING NON METALLIC ITEMS, CAUSED IT TO BEEP. THE SOLUTION IS TO LET AIRLINE CREW MEMBERS IN UNIFORM, WITH A VALID AIRLINE IDENT CARD, SHOW THE CARD TO THE SECURITY PERSONNEL AND PROCEED TO WORK UNIMPEDED, AS WE USED TO. THERE IS NOT NEED FOR PUBLIC HARASSMENT OF AIRLINE CREW MEMBERS, ALL OF WHOM WEAR ENOUGH METAL TO SET OFF THE DETECTORS (WINGS, BUTTONS, HAT INSIGNIA, CLIPS ON AIRLINE CARDS, CALCULATORS, GLASSES, ETC).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.