Airport security and metal plates...

[Hard-Drive]

Stupid question I know, has anyone ever had any bother trying to get through airport security thanks to metal plates/pins in them?

I have a plate in my shoulder at the mo, will a quick peek at the scar and a look at the picture of the x-ray on my phone suffice? I just want to check there's no daft rules about this kind of thing!

Thanks!

[LukeBird]

You're gonna have a full cavity search mate.

God hope you're not flying to the states! They're even worse...

[Miss Pitstop]

You might want to get a letter from your surgeon/doctor to confirm you have a metal plate.

Do that ASAP as the medics might not be too quick to do this and there may be a small charge, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

If in doubt, ring your travel company.

HTH

[LD1Racing]

My brother has a couple of plates and a dozen pins in his arm, and has never had any problems. They generally use titanium which isn't magnetic.

[smack]

Hard-Drive said:

Stupid question I know, has anyone ever had any bother trying to get through airport security thanks to metal plates/pins in them?

I have a plate in my shoulder at the mo, will a quick peek at the scar and a look at the picture of the x-ray on my phone suffice? I just want to check there's no daft rules about this kind of thing!

Thanks!

I had a plate and screws in my shoulder, which has since been taken out. I never set off when they were in me. 8 screws and a small plate only have the same amount of metal a 2 or 3 50 pence coins, or less than the buttons in your jeans.

Thought at Singapore, they used to set their detectors so you would set them off walking through in shorts and a shirt, just so they could use the handheld wand over you.

[Muze ST]

I have a pin and a small plate in my knee and never had any problems, i think its titanium they use and in my memory (which is always wrong) is not picked up by metal detectors, but i have a letter from my doc when i air travel.

Edited by Muze ST on Monday 15th December 18:41

[Tunku]

The metal in my wrist does not set off the detectors, but will pick up the local taxi radios

[TommyTT]

I have pins in my arm and a lot of metal work in my ribcage, never have any problems as it is titanim and not steel.

[smack]

Muze ST said:

I think its titanium they use and in my memory (which is always wrong) is not picked up my metal detectors

Most pins and plates are Stainless Steel. I always thought they used Ti, until I busted myself. My Orthopedic surgeon, and father who is also a surgeon confirmed this.

ETA, but some situations they will use Ti, but they will not use it when they can as it is much more expensive.

Edited by smack on Monday 15th December 18:49

[hairykrishna]

It wouldn't make any difference that it's titanium and not steel. Metal detectors work by inducing currents and detecting them so they detect all conductors not just ferrous metals. Otherwise they'd be fairly useless.

I think that surgical plates will be small enough to go undetected. If not explain that you have one and they'll probably go over you with the small 'wand' detector.

[King Herald]

LukeBird said:

You're gonna have a full cavity search mate.

God hope you're not flying to the states! They're even worse...

Yeah, right, I just love the internet.....

I flew into the USA last week, had the alarm go off as I walked through the metal detector. The guy asked me to take off my shoes and he put them through the X ray machine, but just patted me down quite thoroughly and let me go.

It was my belt buckle setting the alarm off, I knew it would, but I couldn't be bothered taking it off, and the guy wasn't bothered. You can't smuggle a gun up Uranus, or a knife between your toes, so they use a little common sense when it comes to searching people.

They never ask me to take off my metal watch, or metal glasses, or metal ear ring.

All this cobblers you hear, these urban myths, about people being stripped to their birthday suit and sent repeatedly through the metal detector because of a metal ring in their cock is just utter boloquials.

[princeperch]

I have a metal plate attached to my jaw and it doesn't set anything off. I was a bit dissapointed when I found this out I have to say.

[LukeBird]

King Herald said:

LukeBird said:

You're gonna have a full cavity search mate.

God hope you're not flying to the states! They're even worse...

Yeah, right, I just love the internet.....

KH, I was kidding!
I thought 'full cavity search' was enough to confirm a tongue-in-cheek response!
I've had the same when I was airside recently.
But unfortunately I have no metal plates to confirm either way....

[King Herald]

LukeBird said:

King Herald said:

LukeBird said:

You're gonna have a full cavity search mate.

God hope you're not flying to the states! They're even worse...

Yeah, right, I just love the internet.....

KH, I was kidding!

Damn, we could have strung the guy out for days if I'd been a little more on the ball.

[Hard-Drive]

Thanks for the tips. I know for a fact mine is stainless not ti but I would hope that it would be picked up TBH as it's a fair size...



Might ring the consultant tomorrow just in case...

Thanks all!

[mik.ross]

IIRC

The detectors at airports are designed to detect Ferrous metals so St/St or Ti should not be detected.

HTH

[Famous Graham]

Wear a kilt. Then the poor sod on pat-down duty doesn't know what to do, and you can smuggle a 5" lock knife through by the simple expedient of having it attached to your carry on bag.

Yes, I know it's different people manning the walk-through and the conveyor belt, but I can't fathom any other reason for the dopey sods at LAX letting my knife through

Point being, just go for it. Even if the metal in you sets it off, they really don't care - just offer a plausible explanation and you're fine.

Airport security is an absolute joke, implemented purely to reassure Joe Public

[tvrolet]

Large plate in tibia plus other assorted metalwork. Bi-weekly domoestic flier and 4 or 5 long hauls each year and never caused a problem; doesn't even bleep on the detectors...which is a bit worrying as it's a decent sized bit of metal. Remember, even if you're 'clean' the detectors are set to fire off a random check every so often so you've still got something like a 1 in 10 chance of a manual search even if you aren't carrying anything.

[Ricepilot]

As somebody who is quite familiar and close to an airport security operation I can say the following.

You will no doubt alarm the gate. You will no doubt get questioned about it. That should satisfy them. Failing that a note from a doctor will speed the process up for you no end.

Easy peasy.

[LukeBird]

King Herald said:

LukeBird said:

King Herald said:

LukeBird said:

You're gonna have a full cavity search mate.

God hope you're not flying to the states! They're even worse...

Yeah, right, I just love the internet.....

KH, I was kidding!

Damn, we could have strung the guy out for days if I'd been a little more on the ball.

Yeah OP, this cavity search... well....