Kilt wearer in Scotland, and airport security

[Knoxy10]

What else did he expect? however, yet another reason----one more of quite a few---- why I don't wear the kilt outwith Scotland.

I agree, he could have just changed in the bathroom. I would worry more about having a drink on the plane (if they offer one for that short of a flight), hitting turbulence and getting my kilt and jacket went and possibly damaged if I were him.

[Laurentius]

I have to say this concerns me a little bit because as I have anonounced in my introduction I am going to wear my kilt to a reception at the house of Lords where the security is tight. I have been there before and my boots set the alarms off last time because they had metal buckles. I am not sure what to do about the kilt pin, but as my kilt pin is silver I think it will be less worry than the buckles or my garters.

I think I shall just walk through the barrier and set the alarms off and what the heck, let them worry about it. When I went through before I told them I would probably set the alarms off, and if you tell them that they are not likely to think you are a terrorist are they?

[tpa]

I have to say this concerns me a little bit because as I have anonounced in my introduction I am going to wear my kilt to a reception at the house of Lords where the security is tight. I have been there before and my boots set the alarms off last time because they had metal buckles. I am not sure what to do about the kilt pin, but as my kilt pin is silver I think it will be less worry than the buckles or my garters.

I think I shall just walk through the barrier and set the alarms off and what the heck, let them worry about it. When I went through before I told them I would probably set the alarms off, and if you tell them that they are not likely to think you are a terrorist are they?

I would not worry, I'm sure they are used to more strangle things than kilted gentlemen. However leave your real sgian dubh at home and take a dummy, see their security guidance here.

[macmanjim]

Now come on chaps I don't want to overplay this, but the world is not as safe as perhaps it might be. Europe, the UK has recently been a target for terrorists too often, other parts of the rest of the world have been and might be, almost certainly will be, again. That is how it is. So when I or my loved ones are flying at 15000 ft I am comforted by the fact that someone in security is doing their job. One hopes they are anyway and lets face it, their intelligence information is more up to date than ours. Inconvenient it is, but its the price, a small price, we have to pay in the reality of the threat of today. Its no good ignoring it, or, bleating about it.

It's security theatre, at least in the US, but IMO, it's training of a sort, for us. Bleating is a good word for it. Farm Animals®. The Israelis do it best though. I wish the US would follow their model instead of what we have.

I have know a couple people that travel in kilts and they get pulled aside for a more thorough check by the TSA every time and in one case the screener put his hand up there and got a surprise. I'll pass on the non-sense. I only travel by air if I absolutely have to.

[pushka]

I've flown domestically in Australia with no issue (in Queensland I was waiting for a friend to drive in, and an older gentleman and later another lady came up to ask about the kilt and tartan n__n
On the flight home to Sydney, an air-hostess asked: "where are you off to?" and I, half asleep, said: "..Sydney~" (she's like - uh, yeah obviously) - and then, meaning the kilt, I clarified that I was at a buck's-party - and she said she thought I was a Lord or something, hahahaha~

I recently was visiting family in the Czech Republic, and going to a wedding in the UK, and was kilted the whole time, I only had cabin luggage, and had a plastic-only safety sgian dubh.
The kilt-pin is sewn to the kilt, because the fastening clasp is terrible, and it would fall off in a second, also it has brass-buckles attached, so I was checked with hand-held scanners/ patted down a few times, but other than that - no dramas ~

[Geoff Withnell]

It's security theatre, at least in the US, but IMO, it's training of a sort, for us. Bleating is a good word for it. Farm Animals®. The Israelis do it best though. I wish the US would follow their model instead of what we have.

I have know a couple people that travel in kilts and they get pulled aside for a more thorough check by the TSA every time and in one case the screener put his hand up there and got a surprise. I'll pass on the non-sense. I only travel by air if I absolutely have to.

I have flown a number of times kilted, with no significant extra attention.

[KMCMICHAEL]

I never worked for TSA, but was employed by the gov in a sister agency when it developed. It might not be the best system and was in most ways its development was a knee jerk reaction. Those people do not get paid a lot and might not be highly trained but it behooves us to make their job as easy as possible. I am now retired and get no special privileges. I do everything I possibly can to make their job easier. They are trying to get you to the plane as quickly as possible and still adhere to the requirements.

I hope someday things will change but until that time we are stuck with them.

[macmanjim]

I have flown a number of times kilted, with no significant extra attention.

From Sky Harbor?

[macmanjim]

I never worked for TSA, but was employed by the gov in a sister agency when it developed. It might not be the best system and was in most ways its development was a knee jerk reaction. Those people do not get paid a lot and might not be highly trained but it behooves us to make their job as easy as possible. I am now retired and get no special privileges. I do everything I possibly can to make their job easier. They are trying to get you to the plane as quickly as possible and still adhere to the requirements.

I hope someday things will change but until that time we are stuck with them.

That's very true and I never give them a hard time, but I hate having to go through it and won't if I don't have to.

[Geoff Withnell]

From Sky Harbor?

Never flown from Sky Harbor, but from several other airports - Dulles, Reagan and Thurgood Marshall in the Baltimore Washington area, Detroit, Tri-cities in Midland MI, Milwaukee, Minneapolis. I get more problem from having a titanium hip than a kilt.