What is this thing? (TSA mini rant)
 

Had a quick one day trip to San Juan for a doctor's appointment.

First the rant:
Originally booked a seaplane to avoid airport hassles. The seaplane moved their operation to the airport here, then cancelled my flight & put me on a 2 1/2 hours earlier Cape Air flight.

As usual, I was flagged & got one of the big pat-downs in the separate cubicle. No luggage, just a purse. I get done with that nonsense & discover later I had a 5 oz bottle of marinade in my purse that they missed. /:) Mind you, this was a flight on a Cessna 402 (?) so small they ask your weight on check-in so they can distribute the passengers correctly on the plane.

Returning from SJU, they had a machine you step into that blows puff of air at you as you stand there. What is this thing? Never ran into that before. Oh, I tossed the sauce bottle before going through this time. They might have tossed me into Guantanamo if they caught me on that. :)

It would have taken a rather strong marinade to set off that machine you encountered ;-)

http://www.tsa.gov/approach/tech/trace_portals.shtm

Those have been around for awhile now in some airports. I know there was one in Jacksonville, but I don't recall that everyone went through it; some went through regular security lines (the last time I flew to JAX was almost two years ago, so not sure what's there now). We also encountered these while visiting the Statue of Liberty a couple of years ago.

The puffer machine is what the TSA calls an "explosive trace portal**," a state-of-the-art device capable of detecting traces of explosive residue on a person's body or clothing. Since the summer of 2004, the TSA has installed more than 90 puffer machines in about 35 airports around the country. The puffers are more advanced and less obtrusive than other screening procedures, such as full-body pat-downs, says TSA spokeswoman Anne Davis.

Encountered it at TPA. Kind of enjoy it!

Never had heard of it. Thanks for the info. The sauce went in my purse here in St. Thomas & it went through the ex-ray machine. I tossed it in San Juan.

The puffer in San Juan wasn't random - everyone had to go through it. Had to leave your shoes on for it & then remove them to go through the next metal detector.

Only shores off and on? How dull!

Woodie

No-one going to ask what a bottle of marinade is doing in a purse?

We sell it in one of my stores & I bought a bottle to try it. Forgot it was in my purse.

Carrybean

Hope all's well with the doc and all. I wouldn't mind a trip to San Juan next time I go for a checkup.

Young kids love the puffer machines at PIT and sometimes ask if they can go thru it again!

SamH: we have puffers at PIT? Well, whaddaya know?

I last flew out of PIT on May 1. I don't remember getting puffed. When did this happen?

There are puffers at TPA. Kind of a hoot!

Tuscanlifeedit, I'm sure they have them at PIT.maybe in the downstairs "secret" security area. You know, the one they send you to if the lines are long and you have to go downstairs and outside to get to it?