Air travel to Boston kilt advice

[Dale Seago]

I wonder whether it makes a difference, in being selected or not for secondary screening, whether you go through the magnetometer or the newer backscatter machine. All of my kilted flight has been since getting a structural upgrade on my hip at the end of February last year, and I just automatically go for the backscatter thingie because I know the new joint will set off the magnetometer.

The one time I got the pat-down was after doing the backscatter thing a couple of times, and it was alarming at the same points every time which -- I could see it on the image -- sort of happened to coincide with the positions of the three kilt buckles and a neck-chain with a heavy silver Celtic cross medallion. I pointed these things out, but it seemed the screeners were new enough to the equipment or otherwise unsure of themselves that they wouldn't exercise any discretion regarding whether or not to do a secondary screen. I just went with it; and the guy who did the search was totally professional.

[opositive]

good timing on the thread--i flew back home from boston today through atlanta while kilted. i agree that flying kilted is a lot more comfortable than even shorts. my buckles confused the body scanner in msy--so, i had a secondary pat down and friendly tsa chat. from boston, buckles again confused the tsa [went magnetometer due to shorter line], which took three guys to conference how to pat me down--but with a good attitude (aw crap, another kilted guy--which segued to stories about transgenders of both sexes which cause elaborate sensitivity and procedure training--so, i was a comparative cake walk, esp since i was laughing at the bureaucratic over regulated absurdity).

job related, having been to state and local, mental and penal facilities, i did not think any tsa procedure was a big deal.

in all 4 planes, all stewardesses loved the kilt and chatted. in airports, i had several pics--my favorite comment today was in atlanta from a lovely lass: "now that is sexy." as usual, the males were confused and pithy, and the females smiled and chatted.

and i now have a greater appreciation for a 16oz kilt maintaining creases, etc. after two annoyingly long days of flying to and fro.

[Dale Seago]

and i now have a greater appreciation for a 16oz kilt maintaining creases, etc. after two annoyingly long days of flying to and fro.

Amen, brother. Glad you had a good grip and such positive experiences!

I've only flown kilted domestically, but I'm seriously considering it for my next martial-arts training trip to Japan. I've worn the kilt there on a number of occasions, but have never flown to and from the country while wearing it.

[Santa Wally]

...And don't be surprised if the female flight attendants come by to chat you up.

In 2009, my first and only kilted flight, while walking from my arrival gate to departure gate in Houston, two female flight attendants stopped me for a photo. After finding out I was a Santa, one had to show me a photo of her brother in his Santa suit.

On a return commuter flight from Houston, the lone flight attendant had another passenger take a photo of her in the aisle next to me. The power of the kilt.

PS: No problem going through security in a USA Casual with the velcro apron closure.

[gordontaos]

I have flown killted, round trip, and three seperate trips. Never a problem. TSA folks are always great to deal with. I have never had a problem with wrinkles as I have only worn 16oz. wool. Its also extremely comfortable. I will have to think of a real good reason to ever wear p**ts agin while flying.

[DesertCeltic]

Flown many times kilted and I got a great trick from another Xmarks post ... rotate the kilt 45 degrees so the two right buckles are towards front center. They won't set off the magnetometer. It works like a charm, although on two occasions in Tucson they still called for secondary screen and once before I went through the detector!

[Deirachel]

As a former TSA screener, I can say a few things about wearing the kilt in the airport (I literally wore one of mine to work one day to train ALL the guys in Atlanta at the time, that was fun running around in the second white shirt and Black Watch all day).

RULE NUMBER ONE: You ALWAYS have the LEGAL right to withdraw permission to be screened. You WON'T fly and the local LEOs will, most likely, want to know why, but you can refuse all the way to the last bit of a check.

RULE NUMBER TWO: You ALWAYS have the right to request a private screening. It may take a bit longer, but the screening WILL be in a private area, and with only two TSA screeners (chaperone type situation, usually the second one is a supervisor, and if it's a body check they must be same gender as the person being screened). You can request this for both body and bag checks.

RULE NUMBER THREE: The TSA SOP and LAW says you do not have to expose a "private" area of your body to a TSA screener. EVER. The Police can strip search you, NOT the TSA. If a screener does something to cause an actual "exposure" report them, and they will get fired. Not disciplined, fired.

RULE NUMBER FOUR: No part of the screener or equipment is allowed to go INSIDE your clothing. That mean no hand-wands up your kilt, no hands inside your clothes. (If the piece of clothing must be removed, it can not the clothing that covers your undergarments, ever, i.e. jacket/vest or chaps, but not shirt or kilt/pants)

RULE NUMBER FIVE: The technique for screening any person in a unbifurcated garment is the same REGARDLESS OF GENDER. If you've ever seen a woman in a skirt getting screened, it's the same method. Step forward with one foot, wand the inside of the leg, repeat for the opposite side. If a screener EVER does anything differently, stop them and ask for a supervisor (not a lead screener, look for three stripes on the shoulders). Ask the supervisor to review the SOP for screening a person in a skirt/kilt, and they will fix the problem. (Every checkpoint must have a copy of the SOP on site.)



The sad fact of the matter is all the "ridiculous" checks of people are based on real history. (Granny's can be successful bombers as the IRA and Hamas have shown, and I, personally, caught a guy trying to shove his 5 inch pocket knife in his three year old's diaper. Yes, there have been people caught with a weapon in a bag, because they didn't pack it.... wife packed his .45 Colt because she was mad at him.) Most of the "horror" stories of stupid confiscations (like the standard style nail clippers, not the ones that look like mini-wire cutters) are not the part of the TSA, but the private companies before them.

Remember when going through an airport checkpoint, the screeners are just doing their job. Of course, there are jerks and idiots like in any job, but most of the "stupid" decisions are made by the upper guys, whom usually have actual security and counter-terror training (supposedly).

[Dale Seago]

As a former TSA screener, I can say a few things about wearing the kilt in the airport (I literally wore one of mine to work one day to train ALL the guys in Atlanta at the time, that was fun running around in the second white shirt and Black Watch all day).

RULE NUMBER ONE: You ALWAYS have the LEGAL right to withdraw permission to be screened. You WON'T fly and the local LEOs will, most likely, want to know why, but you can refuse all the way to the last bit of a check.

RULE NUMBER TWO: You ALWAYS have the right to request a private screening. It may take a bit longer, but the screening WILL be in a private area, and with only two TSA screeners (chaperone type situation, usually the second one is a supervisor, and if it's a body check they must be same gender as the person being screened). You can request this for both body and bag checks.

RULE NUMBER THREE: The TSA SOP and LAW says you do not have to expose a "private" area of your body to a TSA screener. EVER. The Police can strip search you, NOT the TSA. If a screener does something to cause an actual "exposure" report them, and they will get fired. Not disciplined, fired.

RULE NUMBER FOUR: No part of the screener or equipment is allowed to go INSIDE your clothing. That mean no hand-wands up your kilt, no hands inside your clothes. (If the piece of clothing must be removed, it can not the clothing that covers your undergarments, ever, i.e. jacket/vest or chaps, but not shirt or kilt/pants)

RULE NUMBER FIVE: The technique for screening any person in a unbifurcated garment is the same REGARDLESS OF GENDER. If you've ever seen a woman in a skirt getting screened, it's the same method. Step forward with one foot, wand the inside of the leg, repeat for the opposite side. If a screener EVER does anything differently, stop them and ask for a supervisor (not a lead screener, look for three stripes on the shoulders). Ask the supervisor to review the SOP for screening a person in a skirt/kilt, and they will fix the problem. (Every checkpoint must have a copy of the SOP on site.)



The sad fact of the matter is all the "ridiculous" checks of people are based on real history. (Granny's can be successful bombers as the IRA and Hamas have shown, and I, personally, caught a guy trying to shove his 5 inch pocket knife in his three year old's diaper. Yes, there have been people caught with a weapon in a bag, because they didn't pack it.... wife packed his .45 Colt because she was mad at him.) Most of the "horror" stories of stupid confiscations (like the standard style nail clippers, not the ones that look like mini-wire cutters) are not the part of the TSA, but the private companies before them.

Remember when going through an airport checkpoint, the screeners are just doing their job. Of course, there are jerks and idiots like in any job, but most of the "stupid" decisions are made by the upper guys, whom usually have actual security and counter-terror training (supposedly).

***.

And maybe a few more as well.

[Father Bill]

Thanks for sharing the actual rules and regs. It's good to know what's what from somebody who knows what they're talking about.

[kilted bear]

Greetings all,
This coming Monday I plan to fly SW airlines from St Louis to Boston and return the next day. Plans are to wear my Stillwater economy wool Blackwatch kilt on the plane with kilt hose, wingtips, nice shirt, sporran and sans the Sgian Dubh for obvious reasons. Bringing another kilt for the night spent hopefully in a good pub and again wearing the Stillwater for a conference on pacemakers and the return trip.

My question is basically one of what are peoples experience while traveling by air. Any help will be appreciated. Any topic from going with or without the boxer briefs on to how easy is it to sit in a plane seat kilted. Once in Boston I have no problems, it is just the air travel that will be new to me. I dont want to jeans up to travel, Id rather travel in comfort. Share your pitfalls with me, though there is no better teacher than personal experience. Many thanks in advance.....

I work in D.C. and live in Holyoke, MA, so I fly twice a week... I only fly Southwest, and usually only in a kilt... It has NEVER been a problem... all of the regular staff know me by sight... once I had to fly in a military uniform... and EVERY one wanted to know why I wasn't wearing my kilt! Because I travel frequently, I enjoy the comfort of my kilt...