Traveler In Philadelphia Claims She Was Inappropriately
Screened
A traveler passing through Philadelphia en route from
Barcelona, Spain to her home in San Diego says TSA agents made her
extremely uncomfortable in the screening process.
The passenger, 63-year-old Nancy Ann Phillips, has had both
knees replaced with titanium, and a metal plate supports her back.
She says she's used to having metal detectors alert when she walks
through.
But on this trip, Phillips said when she was called aside for
additional screening, the female TSA agent touched her in, shall we
say, an inappropriate place, with the screening wand. When she
asked if someone else could finish the screening, the ensuing
standoff led to her being detained for nearly two hours.
She said after the agent allegedly brushed her inappropriately
with the wand, she was asked to go into a private room to complete
the screening. She refused, saying she "didn't feel safe" in that
situation. She was screened in the public area twice more. Her
airline was alerted that she was being detained.
Phillips says she was harassed, accused, and threatened because
she "rocked the boat." She said she felt like she was being treated
"like a terrorist."
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that TSA tells a different
story. They say Phillips was already upset that her plane getting
into Philadelphia was late, and that she would have to take a later
flight to San Diego. They said she was "defensive and
uncooperative." TSA spokesperson Ann Davis said a videotape
of the incident showed the initial screener held the wand properly,
and that Phillips reacted before any "unwelcome" contact was
made.
The problem is, that tape has been destroyed, so there is no
evidence to prove whether Phillips or TSA representatives are
telling the truth, or if it lies somewhere in the middle.
Eventually, according to Phillips, after being told by a TSA
supervisor identified only as "Mike" that he hadn't decided whether
she was going to be allowed to board her flight to California, she
asked that a local police sergeant get involved. He ran a
background check, and asked if she wanted to make a criminal
complaint, which she declined. After talking to all parties
involved, the sergeant told Phillips she was free to go.
As to the tape? Airport policy calls for most digital recordings
to be erased after 30 days.