catnap2005

Do you keep in on you while going through the metal detector, put it in the keys basket, or put it in your luggage and let it go through the X-Ray machine?

Patty

I generally put it in the plastic bins along with everything else and let it go through the xray.

Underhill

I wear a leather passport/boarding pass "wallet" suspended from a cord around my neck. Frees up my hands for managing all the other stuff.

rkkwan

In my hand.

abram

In my pocket.

hester

In a death grip in my hand!

sunshine007

Never had a problem holding it in my hand until I went through Phoenix Airport security in Christmas 2003. TSA made me take the passport out of the passport holder & put it through the machine. I was not comfortable with it being out of sight. Anyone else had this happen to them?

gail

Last trip (to London) I forgot and put it back in my purse. The guy at the people scanner wanted to see it so I had to wait until it came out of the x-ray since he would not let me thru without seeing it.

Statia

I always put both back in my purse and zip it before going thru the metal detector.

Sunnyboy

I've always been asked to show my boarding pass to the TSA person stationed at the metal detector - ergo: I keep it in my hand.

catnap2005

Yeah, I'm not comfortable with it out of my hands. But I'm not sure if they'll make me put it through the X-Ray machine after I get up to the metal detectors and my bags already went through. =( I don't really want to put it in one of those plastic bins. Someone can just snatch it right out of there. I guess I'll decide what to do when I get there.

Spygirl

The answer is, it depends on which airport you're going through. You're going to be asked at many airports to have your BPass in hand as you walk through the magnetometer, as well as your passport. Some airports will not make you show your BPass again after you have it checked by the ticket checker at the entrance of the screening checkpoint (the ticket checker being a security contractor for the airline or airport, btw, not a TSA/USG employee, which is why TSA at many/most airports makes you show the BPass again to TSA screeners when you're actually within the checkpoint area).

It's best to always have your BPass out at the screening checkpoint unless you are specifically told otherwise by the TSA security screening personnel.

The disparity in security procedures at the screening checkpoints throughout the nation is an issue under intense review by the TSA at the moment-but just about this time next week, I'd say, the TSA will no longer be the TSA-it will have a new name and a somewhat different mission. Stay tuned for further developments on this issue-the entire law enforcement and intelligence community of the USG is undergoing change and reorganization at the moment.

pennstateray1

i have a travel sportcoat with mulpi zipper pockets. both my wife's and my passport and boarding pass go into an inside pocket. very safe and easy to get out for an requested inspection.

Cassandra

In my teeth! ;-)

Seriously, I've been told by TSA to keep it in my hand as I go through the metal detector.

Statia

Even if I'm asked to show it again at the metal detector, I still put it securely back in my purse before I send my purse thru. I don't take any chances in possibly dropping or losing it.

rkkwan

Problems with pennstateray's idea include -

At many airports, you are required to take off your coat and put in through the x-ray. So, BPs are out of your hands.

And also, many airports require each traveller to be holding his/her own BPs when going through security. One person holding both may not work.

Spygirl

Correction, rkkwan, a pax is ALWAYS required at EVERY airport to take off their coat and put it through the x-ray. Even women wearing suit jackets over thin camisoles are not excluded from this rule. That is a non-mutable standard operating procedure for screeners.

And Statia-putting your BPass back in your purse before putting the purse through x-ray will not be accepted at certain airports-Washington's National and Dulles being two I can think of off the top of my head. At these airports and others, you must pass through the WTMD (walk through metal detector) with your boarding pass in hand.

Statia

Spygirl, I wouldn't be as concerned about losing my boarding pass as I would either of my passports. The passports are a little more difficult to replace.

I am sure that there are airports that do require you to hold your BP as you go thru the metal detector, but luckily I haven't traveled thru any of them in recent years.

Spygirl

Statia-I never like to say "never" with the screening process, but you should not be asked to show your passport at the screening checkpoint, before the WTMD, after presentation of the passport at the airline check-in counter. Sometimes you may also need to present the passport to the ticket-checker upon entering the screening checkpoint, but usually not.

As I stated before though, you will very frequently be asked by the screeners to have boarding pass in hand as you pass though the WTMD.

Statia

Spygirl, I am actually asked for both my passport and boarding pass at just about every screening checkpoint that I enter. I'm asked for both upon entering the checkpoint, and then sometimes asked for my boarding pass only just before entering the WTMD. Therefore, once I have shown the boarding pass just before entering the WTMD, I put all documents back in my purse and zip it up so that I don't lose anything.

I agree "never say never" since every airport seems to do things a bit differently and they change their procedures at times, too.