Can I avoid a full body scan going through security with a Nexus card?
I know it is possible to request a pat-down instead of going through the TSA full body scan when going through regular security check.
Is the security check the same for the Nexus line? In airports, the Nexus line is separated from the normal line, so I wonder if the process is different.
I'm asking specifically for US based airports. For Canadian airports with US preclearance service, I never saw the body scan in use.
Best Answer
In Canadian airports there is a Nexus line at security which you access by showing the card. In US airports there is a TSA PreCheck queue you can enter if your boarding pass has a TSA Pre logo printed on it. If you enter the membership number on your Nexus card (it starts with a 9) into the Known Traveller Number field in the passenger information associated with your ticket with a participating airline your boarding pass will have the TSA Pre logo printed on it.
In the airports I fly from the TSA Pre lines don't use a body scanner, you only pass through a metal detector (you can also leave laptops and liquids inside your luggage). I have heard they might randomly pick people for closer inspection, though this has never happened to me and I have no idea what happens then, but in general if you have a TSA Pre boarding pass you get to skip the body scan.
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Can you opt out of full body scanners?
The good news is it's not your only choice. In fact, the TSA does allow you to \u201copt out\u201d of going through the full-body scanner machines. All you have to do is inform the TSA agent at the checkpoint that you would like to opt out, at which point you will be welcomed into the departure area with a wave and a smile.How do I opt out of TSA full body scanners?
Screening by a full-body scanner is optional for all passengers, according to the TSA. "Those who opt out may request alternative screening at the checkpoint, to include a pat-down," said Greg Soule, an agency spokesman.Do I have to go through the full-body scanner?
Full-body scanners are devices used in some airports to ensure that passengers are not carrying prohibited items aboard the aircraft.The Science of Airport Security
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Answer 2
I know it is possible to request a pat-down instead of going through the TSA full body scan when going through regular security check.
You can request it but since Dec 18, 2015
While passengers may generally decline AIT screening in favor of physical screening, TSA may direct mandatory AIT screening for some passengers. TSA does not store any personally identifiable information from AIT screening.
As an aside, I would like to draw attention to this sentence: "TSA does not store any personally identifiable information from AIT screening. " which is decidedly not "No personally identifiable information from AIT screening is stored.". I have always been opting out of AIT because I always suspected there is a chance some other agency might get hold of an unknown amount data from these scanners -- almost surely without the knowledge of the TSA agents on scene. In light of these suspicions this phrasing is chilling.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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