Traveller135

Greetings

In my experience, the first flight you board might have a body scanner (the big scary machine), but after that, connecting flights at airports on the seem to only have nothing or metal detector only.

Has anyone ever had to jump into a body scanner for a transit/connecting flight - where you did not enter the country, just waited in the airport?

Thanks for reading!

greytop13

It depends on whether or not you stay airside or cross into the non-secure area. One time, coming home from Europe and connecting in San Francisco, the connector between customs/immigration and the domestic terminals was blocked off. We had to exit customs into the non-secure area and go back through TSA before catching our connecting flight. No big deal but it did take a little more time than usual, maybe 15 minutes.

Traveller135

@grey top, usually, with connecting flights, as you say "stay airside" I suppose this means to remain in the transit area, without entering the country. I wonder if this is true world wide?
I have seen a metal detector in a connecting flight in Abu Dhabi, which I didn't mind. I just don't like the big body scanners.

My goal is to book my flights (frequent) while minimizes times in the body scanner.

Traveller135

When you say "exit customs" that means "enter the country" right?
So, I'm thinking in transit/connecting flight, if you don't enter the country, you don't go through security/body scanner again, am I right?

janisj

It totally depends on which country and which airport. You may have a reason you need/want to avoid scanners but you really don't have a say so. If there are scanners, and if you have a valid reason you can't go through one - the you may be subject to a full body pat down, which IME is a lot more intrusive than a scanner. I don't worry one way or the other since I have no control over the issue.

ekscrunchy

Some us get the scanner AND the pat-down!
I doubt if the agents get a thrill out of patting people down.
I don't mind either method.

mrwunrfl

no

Jeff_Costa_Rica

It would help if you gave an example of an itinerary. Or is it just a general question?

The United States has no concept of airside international connections. You land and you clear immigration and customs at your first port of entry. You enter the United States there. Whether you're connecting to a domestic flight or flying to another country, you have to go through security again, and that might entail the big body scanners.

janisj

Per another thread the OP is worried about body scanners in the country of Georgia

mrwunrfl

And this thread is asking about connecting flights, presumably on the way to/from Georgia, probably TBS.

My guesses would be MUC, IST, or CDG, as the connection point for a TATL carrier that goes to TBS.

Tbilisi Airport

janisj

Perhaps, but When he got annoyed with us on the other thread he made it pretty clear "I just wanted to know if Georgia forces x-rays on people."

mrwunrfl

IDK why "perhaps" given this thread title
Has anyone ever seen a body scanner for a connecting flight?

Maybe I did see a body scanner at LHR a few months ago when I connected there.

Ok, maybe the connection is in Georgia, but I think that is the destination. Having asked about the destination, attention here turns to connecting airports.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

Okay. Thanks. I didn't see the other thread.

All I can say is I'd love to visit Georgia, body scanners or not. That doesn't answer the question.

janisj

Not to beat a dead horse (well maybe just a little ) he posted this thread first and it wasn't until several hours later that he started his thread on the Asia board. Ergo body scanners in Georgia seems to be his fear. He wants a firm confirmation there are none which I'm pretty sure no Fodorite can provide. .

He's stated he'll likely stay airside at any connecting airport so assumes there wouldn't be any scanners, or they could be avoided.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

Even with a connection in Europe, you likely have to go through security for an onward flight. Full-body scanners or metal detectors? I don't think there's any guarantee of anything here.

janisj

Yep -- We've pretty much all tried to tell him that.

mjs

yes it can happen. Just recently we connected from Rhodes through Athens and left the domestic terminal to walk to the international departures where we went through normal security procedures for a flight to IAD.

joecalomoso4771

c'mon! body scanners are not that scary at all! just stand with your arms spread, you don't even have to take glasses or a wristwatch or rings, the scanner detects them and lets you pass through. Actually, I find it even faster and more convenient.
...Unless you're hiding something inside your body, and scared they will find out.