Nipple Piercings Taboo on Flights

[dgriffin]

Woman Says TSA Forced Piercings Removal

Mar 27

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Texas woman who said she was forced to remove a nipple ring with pliers in order to board an airplane called Thursday for an apology by federal security agents and a civil rights investigation.

"I wouldn't wish this experience upon anyone," Mandi Hamlin said at a news conference. "My experience with TSA was a nightmare I had to endure. No one deserves to be treated this way."



Hamlin, 37, said she was trying to board a flight from Lubbock to Dallas on Feb. 24 when she was scanned by a Transportation Security Administration agent after passing through a larger metal detector without problems.

www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8VM3DT00&show_article=1&image=large

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I guess I should warn Mom.

[thelma]

Why would any female in her right mind want to do this?

[dgriffin]

I've always wondered the same thing. And from this guy's point of view, they're not a turn-on.

[Clipper]

::)Sounds kinda painful to me. I guess it would allow for a shoe string with snap clips on both ends to be slung around the neck and hooked into the nipple rings as a cheap substitute for a support bra if things are starting to sag a bit.

Piercing has become ridiculous. We have a bunch of Goth kids that come into the Perkins restaurant that we frequent after bowling. Some of these young people have large dog bone type studs through their eye brow areas, tongue studs, belly button jewelry, and studs and rings in their noses. THOSE ARE ONLY THE "VISIBLE" PIERCINGS! I have often wondered why the hell anyone would want to pierce their tongue, or nose.

I have no room to talk. I have several tatooes from when I was in the military in the 60's. I just simply cannot imagine the pain of having a needle stuffed through my tongue or eyebrow, much less the nipple, belly button, or points south, as I understand there are some folks that find it cool to pierce their genitalia. (OWIE!)

Every generation comes up with some shocking new fad that apalls the older generation. I am glad tatooes were the taboo of my generation, haha.

[Swimmy]

thelma said:

Why would any female in her right mind want to do this?

Well, if it is for a similar reason why a girl would pierce her clitoris, then I think I know why. One of my female friends was kind enough to share that information with me. She told me how when she first pierced that lower body part, she had orgasmed just walking up a flight of stairs.

I agree with Dave. It's not much of a turn on for me. Though, one of my guy friends had his nipples pierced. Made for an easy time if he tried to fight you, just yank on one and he cried mercy!

[Swimmy]

Clipper, the pierced tongue, in theory, makes receiving oral sex much more pleasurable.

[bobbbiez]

I really don't have a comment on why people do any kind of piercings or tattooing. Each to their own and different strokes for different folks.

I know I got my tattoo because I wanted it and I like it and that's all that counts.
Same goes for my nose gem. I happen to like it alot and most that see it also like it and have told me they would like the same if they weren't such a baby to get it done.

Anyways, my nose gem does not come out. If I wanted to take it out it would take quite awhile. I had it put in that way because I was losing too many gems the other way. If I go to the airport there is no way I would take it out to take a flight. They can very easily wand me. Just as they could have done with this woman. What she went through is totally uncalled for and I hope she sues them and gets a damn good award.

I believe in good security in taking flights but they are going a little too far in this situation. Especially after they saw what she had. There was no reason for her to have to remove them. It is only a piece of jewelery.

In my last flight recently, when we got off for a layover, the guy who was sitting next to me on the plane joined us at the airport bar so we could all have a cigarette and a drink. He lite my cigarette with his lighter and I was shocked that he still had his lighter. I asked him how security missed his and not mind which they took and he said they just did.
When we got back on the second plane guess who still had his lighter. Yep, he did. You figure that one out. Sh-t, a lighter can do much more damage in blowing up a plane then pieces of jewelry.

Did the airline go too far with this woman? They sure as hell did and I hope she gets compensation for what they put her through.

[frankcor]

I think congress needs to federalize more functions of our society the way they did airport security. I'd target all Dunkin Donuts employees next.

<g,d,rlh>

[denise]

The lighter ban was lifted a few months ago. I forget exactly when.

I did a brief stint as a TSA screener a few years ago and was working when the lighter ban was initiated. It was so freaking stupid, and I felt like an idiot taking someone's lighter from them. Actually, I felt like an idiot most of the time when I was working for TSA, which is why I don't work for them anymore. Thankfully, before the whole liquid ban came into play.

I do believe some sort of airport security should be in place; I'm just not so sure that TSA is the answer.

As far as nipple rings, of course they are not a threat to security. However, TSA certainly cannot pat down that area in order to resolve the alarm. Really the only choice is for the person to leave the area, remove them and go back through security. Just because someone says they have nipple rings really is no reason to take their word for it.

[kim]

I remember bringing an aluminum rolling pin on a flight with me. No problem. I also had several bottles of alcohol. Geeez. Of course, that was before 9/11. Still, though - wow!

[bobbbiez]

Denise, My sister has a medal rod in her back. Guess they'd have to take her word for it when she travels so what's so different when it comes to jewelry. Some piercings just don't come out or come out that easy. It's not as simple as taking off a pair of earrings.

I'm sure with all the money these airlines make that they could come up with something to accommodate the traveler. They manage to make it hell most of the time for other reasons besides just security.

So, they lifted the ban on lighters. Since my last travels last March where they took another one from me, I would really appreciate a refund on the ones they did take on all my trips before lifting the ban and while they're at that, a refund on all the lotions and perfumes they confiscated that I purchased on my trips would be nice also.
Please don't tell me they lifted that ban to because that would really piss me off.

[denise]

Always best to check www.tsa.gov before flying for the latest information, but no, I don't think TSA will lift the liquid ban any time soon. Unfortunately. It really is just crazy.

Besides my brief stint with TSA, and while I was working full time at my current job, I decided it would be fun to work for the airline as a ramp agent. Mind you, I live in Watertown and our tiny airport at the time was serviced by US Airways with a 19 seat Beechcraft which also picked up passengers in Massena & Ogdensburg. Not talking about a high traffic airport!! One of our employees flew out, and had a half of a tube of toothpaste in a 3.5 oz tube. TSA confiscated it as if they didn't see this guy at work every single day and know that he wasn't a terrorist. This is how I know that TSA just is not taking John & Jane Q. Public's word on anything!

Unfortunately, the rules are the rules however dumb they may be.

As far as passengers with surgical implants such as Bobbbiez's sister, if the passenger alarms the walk thru or hand held metal detector, the area of the alarm needs to be patted down to resolve the issue by patdown EXCEPT if the alarm is in a sensitive area--such as nipple or groin. TSA is not allowed to touch those areas. TSA is allowed to pat down one's back, knee, hip (usually the places where you'd find surgical implants) to ensure that there is nothing attached (knife, gun, etc), therefore, resolving the alarm. In those cases, they really aren't taking the passengers word for it, they are resolving the alarm.

[Ralph]

frankcor said:

I'd target all Dunkin Donuts employees next.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...............pick on the little guy that could be handing you your coffee in the morning. ;D

When DOJ was sending me all over hell and creation they always seemed to pick on me for everything. Maybe it was my badge and they wanted someone to think they were doing a good job or something.

That was before I went in to have my hernia repaired and when I flew I wore a belt for it. The metal clasp would always set off the alarm and they let me go when I explained what it was......but no one ever checked.

I could have had a 8oz. wad of C4 and a detonator in my crotch for all they knew!!

[bobbbiez]

Yeah Ralph, it is crazy and some of their ways are uncalled for.
As I stated earlier about the lotions and perfumes they confiscated from me. The bottles were sealed properly and they could xray all to see if there was anything in them. Actually, the customs inspectors were more professional and reasonable then those at our local airports.

My sister does have a metal rod in her back and they took her word for it flying to Jamaica and yet this poor woman with the jewelry which they could see or wand was harassed to the point of inexcusable behavior.

Plus, the fact as Denise said, things are changing all the time, so one never knows what's up with them. The weirdest thing is they sell items in the airport's gift shops and half of the items they won't allow you to bring on the planes. Go figure that one out.

[denise]

What's awful about this woman with the nipple piercings is that because of it TSA is going to change how they do things. They are now going to give the passenger the "option" of revealing (flashing) themselves in order to resolve the alarm.

A great reason to be happy not to work for TSA!! Ick. Can you just imagine what they have opened themselves up to be viewing??

Worse, is it going to open up a new problem where we will have stupid and/or inexperienced screeners demanding that you reveal the area where they are finding an alarm?

Please keep in mind that their titles have gone from Transportation Security Screener to Transportation Security Officer and soon they will be wearing new uniforms and will be carrying "real badges" stating that they are Federal Officers. Our trips to the airport will be like a trip to the rodeo. Be careful!!