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Nothing to opt out of here, says CHO

by Lisa Provence
(434) 295-8700 x235
published 11:53am Tuesday Nov 23, 2010
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In anticipation of National Opt-Out Day, the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport announces it does not have the full-body imaging technology that is sending passengers to protest by refusing the scans that critics call a “virtual strip search” on the day before Thanksgiving, the busiest travel day of the year.

CHO still uses metal detectors, and if the alarm goes off, passengers will get a standard pat-down, not the enhanced, more invasive pat-downs that also are outraging travelers. If the standard pat-down doesn’t turn up what set off the alarm, the offending passenger will be led to a curtained area to be more thoroughly patted down by a supervisor. Hint from CHO: Don’t wear metal through the detector.

The Charlottesville-based Rutherford Institute has filed a lawsuit about the search techniques on behalf of two pilots.

closed

12 comments

  • Mark R November 23rd, 2010 | 1:32 pm

    I have flown out of CHO dozens of times and I ALWAYS find TSA courteous and efficient. Give them a break!

  • Jenny@UVA November 23rd, 2010 | 2:22 pm

    I, for one, am shocked that C’ville’s 4-gate airport doesn’t have those scanners. I kid, with love. I fly out of CHO a lot and always have a great experience, especially compared to other airports. But I will note that the last time I flew out of there (about 6 weeks ago) every single person who went through the metal detector got a pat-down, not just the ones who set it off. I don’t believe it was “enhanced” (lol) but it was definitely a change in what I was used to at that airport.

    TSA: It’s our business to touch yours. -SNL

  • johnboy November 23rd, 2010 | 2:26 pm

    They are not pat downs or enhanced pat downs or gratuitous gropes.
    They should be referred to as “Freedom Frisks.”
    It’s all in the marketing.

  • Roger November 23rd, 2010 | 2:58 pm

    Can I get my Freedom Frisk from an 18 YO blonde with big ……?

  • nottoliberal November 23rd, 2010 | 3:07 pm

    TSA screeners will have their hands full of junk. They will be hard pressed to find anyone to feel for them.

  • Pat This November 23rd, 2010 | 3:32 pm

    Dang! I was really looking forward to demanding an “enhanced” pat-down. Thought if I feigned a little attitude with the screeners, they might give me a little “extra” attention, if you know what I mean. Wink wink. Nudge nudge. Say no more…

  • SkipD November 24th, 2010 | 7:22 am

    Looks like all you have to do is get through the less “secure” airports’ checkpoints and you are IN!!! Then it is a free ride to wherever a terorist would likely do their damage without any further scanning, sniffing, frisking or profiling- yet alone any further questioning. This is what happened at a couple of lesser used airports on Spetember 11, 2001.

    Profiling is the only way to go- sorry, but my new grandson or 94 year old father are not going to be exploding anytime soon.

  • boooo! November 24th, 2010 | 8:52 am

    These comments are cracking me up. Nothing like a hot cup of coffee, cinnamon roll and a good laugh first thing in the morning. :D

  • Austro November 24th, 2010 | 10:24 am

    Have you ever been whipped with a Cat o’ Nine Tails?

  • Dahmius November 24th, 2010 | 4:35 pm

    Gee, you can get a “shake down” in C’ville (from the high cost of living) but not a “pat down”.

  • ivey tart December 5th, 2010 | 11:01 am

    C.h.o is one airport to stay away from. there planes are never on time and the place is very unclean go to Ric its only 35 miles a away and god help you IF you stop out front at night on the weekend there P.S.O. ARE VERY MEAN . THEY YELL AND HAVE CUSS AT ME BEFORE .

  • HarryD December 9th, 2010 | 5:11 am

    Ivey tart- Richmond? 35 Miles away? From where? Charlottesville? I don’t think so.

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