Never flying in kilt again!

[BEEDEE]

All the TSA people I have had screen me seem to be well trained and know what to do with a kilt. The drill is to first wand the front, back and sides, then you step one leg forward and they go up outside the kilt inside the forward leg. Then you change over and they do the other leg. Never embarrassing, no problem.

Brian

[CDNSushi]

Just as Beedee said. I do not have experience with TSA, but from my recent trip from Japan to Canada (and back), that is the protocol they all followed. Mind you, it is definitely true that it depends on the airport, the security team and a whole host of other factors too. On my outbound flight, After I took off the sporran, I went through the metal detector and didn't even beep. Depends how their machines are set. Even the wands they use can be more or less sensitive to metal...

As for their procedure, there should be no difference between checking a lady in a skirt or a man in a kilt (and in my experiences, there wasn't). The only difference I noticed was that female security screeners would call for a male one to assist and either he would do the wand thing himself, or he would watch the female screener to make sure she wasn't wanding up my kilt or anything strange. The male screener sometimes would also pat down the SIDES of my kilt (not front or back) and examined behind my kilt buckles and underneath my kilt pin.

I would not discourage anyone from traveling in a kilt, but I would offer some friendly advise, from personal experience. A lot of this may seem like simple, common sense, but all of these things have served me very well throughout the years. I live by these rules myself and have not had a bad experience at airport security yet, even after many international trips to many countries.

1. Dress nicely. Whether you are kilted or not. When I travel un-kilted I choose to travel in a suit, shirt and tie. A well dressed person tends to command more respect and sets you apart. When I travel kilted, I have a dress shirt and tie at the very least.

2. Be well kept, well groomed, clean. Shower before you leave. Don't use strong colognes, perfumes or deodorants. Many people (including security screeners) are allergic or may not like your scent. Nothing puts someone into a bad mood like having to deal with someone with BO or smelling like they tripped over the Calvin Klein demo girl at the mall.

3. Smile. Be friendly. Even if your kindness is met with stony, cold glares or rudeness. Don't repay in kind. It may be tough to do if someone's being a &%(#'& but most of the time, they're just tired, or sick, or having a bad day. And even if they are truly a &%(#'&, stooping to their level won't make them change their attitude towards you. If you can't smile or be friendly, at the very least be polite and don't mouth off, criticize or give them a hard time... Because for whatever you dish out, they can dish out more and ultimately, you'll be the one who's inconvenienced.

4. Pack in such a way that makes it easy for your stuff to be inspected. I think it's hilarious to see people complaining about security making a mess of their belongings after they spent hours packing and making everything "just right." To facilitate this, nowadays you can even buy carry-on bags that are built in a way to make them easy to open, inspect and re-pack.

5. Expect delays at security. It should go without saying, but arrive at the airport early, and get through security soon. Once you're past security, THEN take a load off. Hit the airport bar, go shopping at the duty-free, play with your laptop, take a nap, whatever. But get the unpleasantness of dealing with security out of the way quickly and soon, while you still have lots of time and aren't tired and cranky from all the people at the airport yet.

6. When you pack, use a list (especially for your carry-on). Everything that's on it should go in. Nothing more and nothing less. This way you won't suddenly realize that you forgot about your swiss army knife in your backpack or pocket, or that you still have a flask full of hooch that won't go through the liquid ban at the airport.

7. Have essential things ready when you join the queue for security because you KNOW they'll be asking to see this stuff anyway.
- passport (or ID)
- boarding pass

Also, even before they tell you to do so, remove your jacket, hat, and be prepared to drop your watch, keys, etc into the plastic tray when you reach the screening table. Have your liquids (that are in allowed quantities) out and in clear, ziplock bags.

[dowofbuchanan]

cdnsushi all good advise, and advice i follow. i went from kansas city to detroit with a stop in chicago and returned from detroit to chicago to mephis due to delays back to kansas city. 4 airports in 1 trip for a total of 8 airport visits. i noticed though security wasnt that bad in detroit even though i had bass on my back. chicago i never had to clear security cuz i had just come in off a plane. but MCI or KCI for locals is strange for an airport as you dont clear security until you reach your terminal. so you can go to the shops pay 12 dollars for a big mac but then you have to go to security at the terminal, put your shoes back on and then you are stuck at the gate until your flight comes. 4 hr delay, well you can sit your happy bum and wait or leave the gate go have a pint and do security all over again.

[SFMP]

Thanks for the info, guys. Very informative.
I'm going to the airport tomorrow and wanted to wear a kilt. I figured the snaps made the Utilikilt a poor choice for security, thought I might wear a Sport Kilt. Now I think I'll go with Plan B. Pack the kilt in the carry-on and change once I'm past security.

[xena]

I've flown in Utilikilts. Maybe it's just the one's I have, but the metal in the snaps did not set off the metal detector. Nor did the metal on my belt.

No problems at all at Vancouver International. Got put through some extra "patting down" at Redding, California though - they said it was standard procedure for "bulky" clothing. I've never thought of a UK as bulky.

It may have just been unfamiliarity on the part of the screeners though. Not a big deal IMHO.

[cessna152towser]

Thanks for reviving this old thread. I remember reading the earlier posts a day or two before I set off on my trip to California, which was my first ever visit to USA. I had to pass through LAX airport twice. On the outbound trip, after arrival from London, I had to go through security to board the short domestic flight to Santa Barbara. My kilt pin was in my suitcase, I had removed my sporran and belt, but still the metal buckles of the kilt triggered the metal detector and I had to go to a private room to be searched and interrogated by two guys from homelands security and I ended up running along the corridor to catch my connecting flight. On the way home, going for the London flight at LAX, I remembered Panache's story and so I simply slipped off my kilt and put it through the x-ray and went through the metal detector wearing my dark green kilt liner. No hassles.

[Lachlan09]

Brian

Tell us more about that bachelorette party !

[McNulty]

I am not a frequent traveller anymore and we are going to Chicago for the Christmas Holidays. I was planning on going kilted, but now I'm not sure I want to put up with the extra down time and "hassles" that seem to accompany airline travel. I'll go with a pair of jeans and my Birks and pack my kilts in the checked bags then change when we get to our final destination. I really hate having to rush and am not up to running to catch a plane anymore.
Nulty

[Drac]

I'll have to give this some serious thought this coming Christmas when flying home. Maybe not. Going from Dallas TX to the Canadian border of New York's North country might be to much of a shock in a kilt.

Your stories of going through security reminded me of a trip just after the airports opened after 9/11. I was in Dallas flying back home to KCMO and the National guard was manning DFW. I walked by a Sarge lecturing the solders on what would happen to them if he heard of anyone "handling" a woman without complete respect. Him slapping his knife on his palm seem to drive the point home like his words didn't. Later in the terminal there was this boot camp private who was trying to pat down this absolutely gorgeous woman. I don't see why, trust me, with what she wasn't wearing there was no place to hide a matchstick let alone a weapon. He was sweating something fierce (probably remembering the knife) while she had the biggest smirk on her face.

Jim

[wildrover]

I'll have to give this some serious thought this coming Christmas when flying home. Maybe not. Going from Dallas TX to the Canadian border of New York's North country might be to much of a shock in a kilt.

A perfect excuse for the tank and heavyweight socks! It's been cold around here lately, and that combo is really comfortable.

McNulty, you been kilted through DIA?