Airport Security and My Bionic Knees?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/7/2007 7:07:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time, ohdonna_68@... writes:

.. Do I need or should I have a letter from my surgeon about my two new knees? This is the first time I've flown since I got them. Thanks in advance for your

You should have gotten a plastic card to show the airline people...it's like a credit card...

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[Guest guest]

Hi all!

I've seen this question before and can't remember your feedback. I'm flying on Sunday. I just remembered I will set off the alarm in security. Do I need or should I have a letter from my surgeon about my two new knees? This is the first time I've flown since I got them. Thanks in advance for your good advice.

Warm regards,

Donna

[Guest guest]

Donna:

After my hip replacements, I asked for and received a letter on the medical center's letterhead attesting to the metal implants. When I travel, I show the letter to the security people before I go through the metal detector, and they wave me through for a pat-down with no trouble.

Since my second surgery I've been through security in Israel, London, Paris and Sao o with no problems, thanks to the letter. It seems that when you tell the security people up front about the inplants, they're more than ready to give you special consideration... I also found at Heathrow that when the lines for the gate security check were long, showing the letter to one of the ground stewards got me into the (shorter & faster) VIP line...

(RTHR-2003; LTHR-2004)

On 8/8/07, Donna <ohdonna_68@...> wrote:

Hi all!

I've seen this question before and can't remember your feedback. I'm flying on Sunday. I just remembered I will set off the alarm in security. Do I need or should I have a letter from my surgeon about my two new knees? This is the first time I've flown since I got them. Thanks in advance for your good advice.

Warm regards,

Donna

-- on, AST

Technical, Business, Medical, Academic & General TranslationsPhone: +44-208-248-2343Mobile: +44-793-610-0017E-mail: anmtranslations@...Member of the Israel Translators Association

[Guest guest]

Even if you had a letter it won't change a thing. Just before you walk through, let them know that you will set it off due to TKRs. They will pull you aside and check your feet, pat you down and use the wand. Having a note doesn't change this since 9/11. It really doesn't take too long and they are usually nice about it.

-----Original Message-----From: Joint Replacement [mailto:Joint Replacement ]On Behalf Of DonnaSent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 6:05 PMJoint Replacement Subject: Airport Security and My Bionic Knees?

Hi all!

I've seen this question before and can't remember your feedback. I'm flying on Sunday. I just remembered I will set off the alarm in security. Do I need or should I have a letter from my surgeon about my two new knees? This is the first time I've flown since I got them. Thanks in advance for your good advice.

Warm regards,

Donna

[Guest guest]

I flew to Hawaii from California and when I set off the securitity system they had no interest in seeing my little joint replacement card. I got frisked. My sister stood by shocked. I just laughed and said "bet ya didn't know your big sister was a felon !!!"..... lol... They ended up confiscating her cigarette lighters, two of them... but my lighter got through !! It's not a huge problem, but it can be a little bit of an inconvenience.

In a message dated 8/7/2007 4:07:34 PM Pacific Daylight Time, ohdonna_68@... writes:

Hi all!

I've seen this question before and can't remember your feedback. I'm flying on Sunday. I just remembered I will set off the alarm in security. Do I need or should I have a letter from my surgeon about my two new knees? This is the first time I've flown since I got them. Thanks in advance for your good advice.

Warm regards,

Donna

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[Guest guest]

They note/card allows you to go into the special assistance line in major

airports, saving a bit of time. You will still have to be patted down and

'wanded' each time tho.

Maggie

>

> From: " DeRouen " <asd@...>

> Date: 2007/08/07 Tue PM 07:43:52 EDT

> <Joint Replacement >

> Subject: RE: Airport Security and My Bionic Knees?

>

> Even if you had a letter it won't change a thing. Just before you walk

> through, let them know that you will set it off due to TKRs. They will pull

> you aside and check your feet, pat you down and use the wand. Having a note

> doesn't change this since 9/11. It really doesn't take too long and they are

> usually nice about it.

>

>

>

> Airport Security and My Bionic Knees?

>

>

>

> Hi all!

>

> I've seen this question before and can't remember your feedback. I'm

> flying on Sunday. I just remembered I will set off the alarm in security. Do

> I need or should I have a letter from my surgeon about my two new knees?

> This is the first time I've flown since I got them. Thanks in advance for

> your good advice.

>

> Warm regards,

>

> Donna

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

No, you don't need anything special to clear security with metal in

your body. Screeners see many people with metal hips, knees, etc. and

deal with it expeditiously and quickly. For a more detailed discussion

see this:

http://orthopedics.about.com/od/hipkneereplacement/f/metaldetectors.htm?

nl=1

Just go and have fun.

>

>

> Hi all!

>

> I've seen this question before and can't remember your feedback. I'm

> flying on Sunday. I just remembered I will set off the alarm in

> security. Do I need or should I have a letter from my surgeon about my

> two new knees? This is the first time I've flown since I got them.

> Thanks in advance for your good advice.

>

> Warm regards,

>

> Donna

>

[Guest guest]

Now if they'd just give you first class seats.

Ann

Re: Airport Security and My Bionic Knees?

Donna:

After my hip replacements, I asked for and received a letter on the medical center's letterhead attesting to the metal implants. When I travel, I show the letter to the security people before I go through the metal detector, and they wave me through for a pat-down with no trouble.

Since my second surgery I've been through security in Israel, London, Paris and Sao o with no problems, thanks to the letter. It seems that when you tell the security people up front about the inplants, they're more than ready to give you special consideration... I also found at Heathrow that when the lines for the gate security check were long, showing the letter to one of the ground stewards got me into the (shorter & faster) VIP line...

(RTHR-2003; LTHR-2004)

On 8/8/07, Donna <ohdonna_68 > wrote:

Hi all!

I've seen this question before and can't remember your feedback. I'm flying on Sunday. I just remembered I will set off the alarm in security. Do I need or should I have a letter from my surgeon about my two new knees? This is the first time I've flown since I got them. Thanks in advance for your good advice.

Warm regards,

Donna

-- on, ASTTechnical, Business, Medical, Academic & General TranslationsPhone: +44-208-248-2343Mobile: +44-793-610-0017E-mail: anmtranslationsntlworldMember of the Israel Translators Association

[Guest guest]

They

won’t care about your card. They will frisk you anyway. They

will pat you down near where the wand goes off. Wearing something that

shows the scars might help too if you aren’t bothered by it being

seen. But there’s really no way to avoid being frisked. Their

theory is, someone could be hiding something and using the joint replacement to

hide it – even if the joint replacement is legit.

If you set off the alarm, you have to be

frisked. They don’t even let you take more stuff out of your pocket

and go through again. A guy behind me had to be frisked because he forgot

to take his money clip out of his pocket. The alarm went off – he had

to be frisked.

Jen

" 'For I know the plans I have for

you' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans

to give you hope and a future.' " 29:11

Re:

Airport Security and My Bionic Knees?

I flew

to Hawaii from California and when I set off the securitity system they had no

interest in seeing my little joint replacement card. I got frisked.

My sister stood by shocked. I just laughed and said " bet ya didn't

know your big sister was a felon !!! " ..... lol... They ended up

confiscating her cigarette lighters, two of them... but my lighter got through

!! It's not a huge problem, but it can be a little bit of an

inconvenience.

In a

message dated 8/7/2007 4:07:34 PM Pacific Daylight Time, ohdonna_68

writes:

Hi all!

I've seen

this question before and can't remember your feedback. I'm flying on Sunday. I

just remembered I will set off the alarm in security. Do I need or should I

have a letter from my surgeon about my two new knees? This is the first time

I've flown since I got them. Thanks in advance for your good advice.

Warm regards,

Donna

Get a

sneak peek of the all-new AOL.com.

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[Guest guest]

Donna, I had my BTKR 3 years ago and in the past year have traveled

several times by way of planes. Just before I walk through the metal

detector I tell them I am going to set it off because of 2 knee

replacements. After I'm through the detector I have to step to the side

and they call for female assist. The procedure is always the

same....sit, lift one leg at a time, they wand. Then stand, arms out,

they wand some more. Then a general patdown over the whole body. Having

a card or letter means nothing. If the alarm goes off they have to

frisk you. Most of the time they are really great about it. They can

tell I've been through a few times since I know the routine.

One time I did make the mistake of wearing jeans that had those zippers

all over the place (to make them into shorts) and the wand was really

beeping with lots more frisking. Wear as little metal stuff as you can!

And be patient. Sometimes they are really busy and it takes a while to

get someone over to do the wanding/frisking.

Have a great trip!

Cara

>

>

> Hi all!

>

> I've seen this question before and can't remember your feedback. I'm

> flying on Sunday. I just remembered I will set off the alarm in

> security. Do I need or should I have a letter from my surgeon about my

> two new knees? This is the first time I've flown since I got them.

> Thanks in advance for your good advice.

>

> Warm regards,

>

> Donna

>

[Guest guest]

When I went through security when I flew on holiday recently I asked

for wheelchair assisted boarding and they took me around the side of

the scanner that you normally walk thorugh and then they just felt my

arms and legs and back while I sat in the chair. That was it, I had

to let them scan my crutches separately from me with my hand luggage.

Sounds as though having the wheelchair assisted boarding makes it

easier than trying to walk through the scanner, as people normally do.

Marilyn (UK)

> >

> >

> > Hi all!

> >

> > I've seen this question before and can't remember your feedback.

I'm

> > flying on Sunday. I just remembered I will set off the alarm in

> > security. Do I need or should I have a letter from my surgeon

about my

> > two new knees? This is the first time I've flown since I got them.

> > Thanks in advance for your good advice.

> >

> > Warm regards,

> >

> > Donna

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks all. Sounds like a letter won't help. I'll be wearing a skirt, so I can lift it up and they can see the scars. It won't be the first time I've been frisked all over in a completely undignified manner in front of everyone. Just get me through that line and on to vacation. Ah, paradise. Given last September's double-knee replacements, I think I particularly earned it this year! Writing that made me realize my knees will soon be celebrating their one-year anniversary. And I can say, despite some soreness and swelling, life is much better and getting replacements was the right decision. Warm regards, Donna

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