Can I still wear DS in a sling through airport metal detector?

[COElizabeth]

I know people have posted about this in the past, but the security rules seem to be changing all the time, so I was wondering if anyone knows what the current policy is - maybe it varies from airport to airport and guard to guard. I have a Nojo sling (I don't think it has any metal) and was thinking of carrying James in it for a flight tomorrow. I will have his car seat in the stroller because he has a seat on the plane, and I will have to take it out and then fold the stroller to go through x-ray anyway, so the other option is to just strap him into the seat (he's still in the infant one which locks into the stroller) and take him out at the checkpoint.

Elizabeth
Mom to James
9-20-02

[egoldber]

Whether or not you can "wear" your baby though security totally depends on which security guard you happen to get that day. I would say that 4 times out of 5 they let me just wear her through. But occasionally they make me take her out of the sling. I have had MUCH better luck with a sling than with a Bjorn, where they almost ALWAYS made me take her out. So be prepared for either way.

I always put her in the sling before we get to the checkpoint. That way I just have to fold the stroller and out it up on the belt along with the car seat and my ONE carry-on bag. :)

HTH,

[ddmarsh]

It has been some time since I've flown and I am flying alone with Lily in a few weeks. Beth, are you seriously saying you have to put the stroller and the car seat up on the xray machine? Holy cow, that never even occurred to me.


Debbie

[egoldber]

OH goodness YES!!!! EVERYTHING has to go though the Xray machine. If your stroller doesn't fit, then they will pull you aside and hand search it, which takes a few extra minute.

Also, your jacket/coat (yours AND baby's) has to come off and go through the machine.

Before you even get to the line for the security checkpoint, they will want to see at least your boarding pass and perhaps your ID, so have them easily accessible.

And be prepared to have to take off your shoes and belt (seriously). If you have not flown post 9/11, it is a whole new ballgame. Make sure to get to the airport 2 hours in advance. We usually do 1 1/2 hours, but are very frequent travelers and know exactly where we have to go without looking.

HTH,

[ddmarsh]

Sigh, I can't even begin to think about coordinating all of that by myself. DH can help me on this end but on the return my sister will probably just drop me off since she'll have a brand-new baby herself. Well I'm sure I'll manage. Now that I think about it I won't need a stroller since her baby will only be about 2 or 3 weeks old and we won't really be going anywhere.

Thanks for the help -

Debbie

[brubeck]

I flew from Oakland to San Diego and back this weekend (March 7/8). My 28 month old daughter was in a Sit N Stroll and my 2.5 month old son was in a Baby Bjorn.

They made me take my daughter out of the stroller, collapse it and put it through the x-ray machine. Then they made her walk through the metal detector BY HERSELF. She was so scared she almost didn't do it either time. I think the security guards scare her.

My husband had to take off the BB and take my son out of it. He had to scan the BB in the x-ray machine (like a jacket) and had to pass my son through the metal detector to the security guard on the other side before he could come through.

This happened at BOTH Oakland and San Diego airports. Oh yeah, and in San Diego they made me put my shoes through the x-ray machine because they insisted that my $5 Payless pumps had a metal rod in the heels and could make the metal detector go off. Sigh.

[megsmom]

You mean they made you give up holding the baby and pass it to a complete stranger?! Security guard or not, I wouldn't have done it. What did they think your 2 1/2 month old was packing? I personally don't think babies or toddlers should be out of their parent's control for one instant while in the security area. If strollers and carseats need to be dealt with, then the security guards need to do it if there is only one parent. My dd fell down and had a head injury in the security area on one flight we flew, and when I traveled with her next time alone, I offloaded her absolutley last and carried her through. The airport security has been particularly nice to us, and though I agree with a lot of the extra airport security, I do think there has to be some common sense with babies. My 2 cents.

Jen
mom to Meghan 7/13/01

[egoldber]

On our most recent flight, (from Miami to Washington coming back from Jamaica), they patted down Sarah's diaper. :)

[brubeck]

My understanding is that people DO hide things inside babies' diapers, including drugs and weapons. I guess the idea is that what's in there is so toxic no one is going to check it out! :-)

We weren't happy with the rule, but what are we going to do? Refuse to fly? My hubby was smart enough to keep his hands on the baby at all times, even though he was passed through the detector before he walked through.

It was actually worse on my daughter who was scared to walk through to a stranger. She didn't want to move from my side and I had a hard time convincing hr to go through on her own.

[muskiesusan]

When Nicholas was 11 months old, I had to put the car seat, stroller and baby bjorn through the metal detector. After removing ds from the bjorn, not only did I have to pass him through the metal detector to a security guard, we were tagged to be searched further. I only had my shoes checked, but they spent a good 10 minutes checking out Nick with the hand wand and patting him.

I thought it was a bit much, but they were nice about it. They even tried to help me get all my stuff back together since I was travelling by myself and it had been scattered different places after it had be screened. And, as you probably all know, its best to do it yourself, they almost broke my Mac trying to figure out how to unfold it.

One the return flight, we were hardly looked at. I walked through the detector with Nick still in the bjorn.

Susan