How to guarantee that you get scanned and swabbed at the airport.

[theblank]

I get swabbed 9 out of 10 times. I have given up working out why. I just assume that if they are not swabbing someone they just take the next person, and because I am rarely taking carry on I get through the screening faster than most.

 

[Scott K]

I get swabbed 9 out of 10 times. I have given up working out why. I just assume that if they are not swabbing someone they just take the next person, and because I am rarely taking carry on I get through the screening faster than most.

I often wonder if there's a facial recognition system that tracks you, and suggests you need to be swabbed. Either that, or some profiling is going on.

 

[AviatorInsight]

I often wonder if there's a facial recognition system that tracks you, and suggests you need to be swabbed. Either that, or some profiling is going on.

I believe in MEL domestic there's a light above the scanner so as you walk through, if it turns on means you get tested. It's supposed to done at random. I've put this to the test a few times (I was the only person going through security at the time), I'd pick up my bags, actually go over to the security person in preparation to get swabbed and was told "no it's ok" and I kept on walking. That does not happen too often.

 

[JessicaTam]

I believe in MEL domestic there's a light above the scanner so as you walk through, if it turns on means you get tested. It's supposed to done at random. I've put this to the test a few times (I was the only person going through security at the time), I'd pick up my bags, actually go over to the security person in preparation to get swabbed and was told "no it's ok" and I kept on walking. That does not happen too often.

MQL screening has a light that comes on to signal who gets swabbed.

 

[JohnK]

Of Mediterranean appearance just about does it each time....

 

[OZDUCK]

Of Mediterranean appearance just about does it each time....

I will have to pass this on to my wife. She always moans about the number of times she gets swabbed compared to me. She is Eurasian but looks more "Southern Mediterranean". (She got annoyed in Italy years ago when the locals continually spoke Italian to her and she doesn't understand more than one or two words.)

 

[RooFlyer]

At HBA they choose a victim from the front of the queue approaching where you put your stuff for X-ray.

When done, they take you to the front of the X ray belt. Good system. You bypass all those faffing about getting their gear onto the belt, and having your carry-on already undone, you are quickly through.

 

[Scott K]

At HBA they choose a victim from the front of the queue approaching where you put your stuff for X-ray.

When done, they take you to the front of the X ray belt. Good system. You bypass all those faffing about getting their gear onto the belt, and having your carry-on already undone, you are quickly through.

Hey that’s pretty good!

 

[Reds2011]

This is tinfoil hat stuff. They use a new swab patch for each pax. Pointless to do testing at all, group or otherwise, if they don't. I suppose they could re-use it if it tested negative on the pax in front. If it did test positive I suspect they'd not reuse it.

Ah - no, as a few others have said. Last time I copped a multi pax swabbing there was 4 of us. Never seen it done anywhere else in the world.

The issue is that if the first person has trace which is picked up, that potentially gets transferred to the other people who have the same swab rubbed over their belongings before it's tested. So now you potentially end up with all 4 people testing positive for trace elements, causing a whole lot of time to wasted. Simply ridiculous situation to save what? A few bucks on swabs, and a few minutes. And that's not considering the problems the people whose bags become contaminated are going to face until it fades.

 

[Happy Dude]

Ah - no, as a few others have said. Last time I copped a multi pax swabbing there was 4 of us. Never seen it done anywhere else in the world.

The issue is that if the first person has trace which is picked up, that potentially gets transferred to the other people who have the same swab rubbed over their belongings before it's tested. So now you potentially end up with all 4 people testing positive for trace elements, causing a whole lot of time to wasted. Simply ridiculous situation to save what? A few bucks on swabs, and a few minutes. And that's not considering the problems the people whose bags become contaminated are going to face until it fades.

So we agree then? It is ridiculous to group swab. But it's just as ridiculous to worry about it - unless you're planning to blow up the plane. It says more about their expectations of actually catching a would-be bomber than anything else.

And as others have also said, group swabbing is not that common and perhaps limited to MEL so I think it can be excused for not even knowing about it. I too have never seen it done before, MEL or anywhere.

 

[Reds2011]

So we agree then? It is ridiculous to group swab. But it's just as ridiculous to worry about it - unless you're planning to blow up the plane. It says more about their expectations of actually catching a would-be bomber than anything else.

And as others have also said, group swabbing is not that common and perhaps limited to MEL so I think it can be excused for not even knowing about it. I too have never seen it done before, MEL or anywhere.

What you actually said was that any of us who claimed they were doing group swabbing (despite having experienced it regularly) should be wearing tin foil hats, inferring we were paranoid and quite likely delusion to boot

This is tinfoil hat stuff. They use a new swab patch for each pax

in which case I am not sure what we would be agreeing about. Perhaps that your assertion (whatever it was based on) was in error?

As for claiming that it's ridiculous to worry about it - that depends on what the other 3 people in the group have been doing. Some of us work with substances which will trigger alerts after being swabbed. Getting a confirmed positive swab (and there are also a number of innocent things which will trigger a confirmed positive as well) puts a real crimp in your travel experience through the airport, speaking from experience.

If residue gets transferred onto my bag because one of the other 3 people have it on theirs, my bag is going to alert, and the second swab will confirm the alert. Cue the normal response to this situation. Still think it's ridiculous to worry about it?

 

[Happy Dude]

What you actually said was that any of us who claimed they were doing group swabbing (despite having experienced it regularly) should be wearing tin foil hats, inferring we were paranoid and quite likely delusion to boot in which case I am not sure what we would be agreeing about. Perhaps that your assertion (whatever it was based on) was in error?

As for claiming that it's ridiculous to worry about it - that depends on what the other 3 people in the group have been doing. Some of us work with substances which will trigger alerts after being swabbed. Getting a confirmed positive swab (and there are also a number of innocent things which will trigger a confirmed positive as well) puts a real crimp in your travel experience through the airport, speaking from experience.

If residue gets transferred onto my bag because one of the other 3 people have it on theirs, my bag is going to alert, and the second swab will confirm the alert. Cue the normal response to this situation. Still think it's ridiculous to worry about it?

Yes it is ridiculous to worry about it. So you've triggered a positive swab and still travelled? Then what's to worry about? As you say you have an innocent explanation for the positive swab, as does anyone unfortunate enough to be group swabbed with you. Seems to me that worrying about something you haven't done or hasn't happened, to the point of making a song and dance about it, is irrational. Those who do work with these substances could do everyone a favour and declare that so that they can be tested separately.

 

[Deleted member]

I can guarantee my wife will get swabbed every single opportunity she gets......she must look very dodgy!

Same with me and mine.

 

[Deleted member]

Mrs GPH told another pax off for touching (moving and handling) her bags while they were going through the screening process. As she (rightly) pointed out, who knows what residue he put on her bags before the screening process was complete. This was a domestic flight, and there were a number of FIFO people travellling still in work gear, who knows what explosive materials they may have been using or touching ?

 

[ALH]

Of Mediterranean appearance just about does it each time....

That must be why I get pulled aside every single time. Mr ALH never!

 

[JessicaTam]

They were group swabbing at VA security when I went to meet a friend arriving VA dom. I stood my ground and after consulting with a superior I was swabbed separately. It is not only the risk of +ve triggering contaminants being transferred, but also who knows what dirty clothes are in others' bags.

 

[Atleastonce]

I used to do this when flying out of CBR 3 times a week. The lady there would grab me every time, so I just started walking straight up to her and putting my bag down with a cheery "good morning!"

It eventually just became part of my routine and we'd have a bit of a chat while I was putting my stuff away.

Yep, I do this every time at MCY. They know me and we have a chat.

 

[jsf]

My 10 pm flight always get swabbed. There is no one else in going through security at that time. just me...

 

[Quickstatus]

They were group swabbing at VA security when I went to meet a friend arriving VA dom. I stood my ground and after consulting with a superior I was swabbed separately. It is not only the risk of +ve triggering contaminants being transferred, but also who knows what dirty clothes are in others' bags.

Yes I asked to be swabbed separately in ADL recently for same reasons. There was no issue from their point of view.