TSA reveals the surprising reason people might set off security alarms during screening
Posted in the "r/tsa" forum on Reddit, the message was bluntly titled, "My crotch got flagged twice, thoughts?"
"I flew for the first time in 15 years this week and both airports flagged my crotch at the arms-up scanner," read the post.
The user added, "I don't care about the pat-down. They were polite and professional and it doesn't bother me, but I'm wondering what did it."
Plenty of other people took to the comments section to speculate about what could have set off the alarm.
"It can alarm on heavy sweat (experienced that once myself), which will probably be somewhat more common now that we're in the summer months," claimed one user.
Another user asked, "Were you sweating?" to which the passenger responded, "Probably a little. I'm terrified of flying, so I was nervous."
"Last time I flew out of my home airport of Tampa, I got searched, too," said a different person on Reddit. "The guard said something unnerving like 'swamp rot' or 'swamp crotch' or something similarly embarrassing."
Another user remarked, "I didn't read all the comments, but this happens to me when I'm late for a flight because I'm sweaty."
"If you [go] through the machine that makes you put your hands above your head, it senses moisture," the same person added.
"I've been stopped for additional screening twice."
"Could be: clothes (baggy etc.), sweat, position (not on footprints, too wide or too narrow), zipper, too many layers, reflective stuff, ghosts, etc.," commented one user.
A spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) told Fox News Digital that sweat could play a role in setting off alarms.
"Added moisture from a person's body can alter the density of clothing, so it is possible perspiration may cause our Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) machines to alarm," said the spokesperson.
"If this occurs, the passenger may need to undergo additional screening, such as a pat-down in the area of the body where the AIT alarmed, to ensure there is no threat," the spokesperson added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
35 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Unhealthy smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the Upper Midwest when people want to be outside
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Much of the Upper Midwest on Saturday was dealing with swaths of unhealthy air due to drifting smoke from Canadian wildfires, covering the northern region of the U.S. at a time when people want to be enjoying lakes, trails and the great outdoors. Most of Minnesota and parts of Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin were ranked 'unhealthy' for air quality on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency map. Part of North Dakota that is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and other tourist attractions was ranked 'very unhealthy,' some of the worst air quality in the nation. In Minnesota, 'If you have a nice pork loin you can hang from a tree, it'll turn into ham,' quipped Al Chirpich, owner of the Hideaway Resort near Detroit Lakes, where people come to enjoy tree-lined Island Lake for fishing and other water activities. Normally there would be boats and jet skis all over, but on Saturday he couldn't see a boat on the lake, where the smoke impaired visibility and curtailed his camper business. None of his 18 RV sites was occupied. His seven rental cabins drew a handful of customers. 'I suspect when the weather clears, we'll be swamped again. Fourth of July, I had probably 20 boats here lined up at my docks, and today my boat is the only one,' Chirpich said. The conditions started Friday, dragging smoke from the Canadian wildfires down to the surface, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Jennifer Ritterling, in Grand Forks. Periods of bad air quality are expected to last through the weekend in the region, she said. Limiting time outdoors, keeping windows closed and running air purifiers are good ideas for people with lung conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and even healthy people, Ritterling said. 'Our summers up here are fairly short and so everyone wants to get out and enjoy them, and it's a little frustrating when there's this smoke in the air,' she said. All of Manitoba is under a state of emergency due to the wildfires, which have led to 12,600 people evacuating their homes in the province. The fires in Manitoba have burned over 3,861 square miles (10,000 square kilometers), the most land burned in 30 years of electronic recordkeeping, the news outlet reported. Under 1,000 people have evacuated their homes in Saskatchewan, where wildfires also continue to burn. In Arizona, the North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park is still closed due to a 2.3 square-mile (6.1 square-kilometer) wildfire and another fire nearby on Bureau of Land Management land that has burned nearly 17 square miles (44 square kilometers). In Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park remains closed due to a 4.4 square mile (11.3 square kilometer) wildfire burning on the South Rim of the park, known for its dramatic, steep cliffs. Crews have been fighting the fire on multiple sides to stop it from spreading. The fires in and near both national parks led to evacuations of hundreds of people. Chirpich, the Minnesota resort owner, said he has plans to go to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on Thursday and is 'a bit pensive about how that's going to be there.' 'I'm going to leave one smokehouse for another, I guess,' he said.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
This NY town tops America's must-visit list
An upstate New York town has earned the top spot on CNN Travel's 2025 list of Best Towns in America to Visit. Ithaca was ranked No. 1, beating out hundreds of contenders across the country. CNN Travel evaluated towns based on a mix of factors, including food, attractions, local culture, and overall uniqueness. Ithaca's natural beauty helped secure its win. Located in the Finger Lakes region, the town is famous for its hundreds of waterfalls and gorges—including those at Buttermilk Falls and Robert H. Treman State Park—inspiring the tagline 'Ithaca is gorges.' CNN also praised the town's vibrant cultural scene. Longtime favorites like the Ithaca Farmers Market and South Hill Cider (known for guided tastings and live music) offer memorable experiences. Arts and entertainment spots like the historic State Theatre, Hangar Theatre, and Cinemapolis add to the charm, while the Dalai Lama Library and Learning Center provides meditation sessions open to the public. Downtown, the Ithaca Commons is home to over 100 shops and restaurants. Ithaca's two colleges—Cornell University and Ithaca College—contribute to its diversity, creativity, and energy. Free concerts, college sports, and campus attractions like Cornell Cinema, the Cornell Botanic Gardens, and the Johnson Museum of Art enrich the town's cultural life. CNN Travel spotlighted Ithaca's cider scene, with about a dozen local producers, and its plant-based dining, inspired by nearby farms. Highlights include: Moosewood Restaurant: America's longest-running vegetarian spot Angelhearts: Known for its vegan donuts Asempe Kitchen, Tacos CDMX, Franco's Pizzeria, and New Delhi Diamond's Top places for drinks include The Watershed, The Downstairs, Liquid State Brewing Company, and Personal Best Brewing. Ithaca, New York Missoula, Montana Asheville, North Carolina Bend, Oregon Annapolis, Maryland Petaluma, California Las Cruces, New Mexico Northampton, Massachusetts Clarksdale, Mississippi Rapid City, South Dakota CNN Travel received nominations from readers and contributors, then selected 10 finalists based on several criteria: dining, attractions, scenery, travel accessibility, diversity, and each town's unique character. 'America's most interesting towns bring together the best of a beautiful country,' the report states. 'These destinations show off what makes the United States so distinctive.' This is CNN Travel's second annual Best Towns to Visit list, and this year's picks skew smaller in size—ranging from about 15,000 to 115,000 residents—but all were chosen for their individual 'wow factors' and sense of community. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Ithaca NY tops America's must-visit list by CNN
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
‘Creepy' shower in Airbnb booking has travelers shocked
I once booked accommodation that had warning notes all over the home, telling me that cameras were watching if I took a book home with me. I thought that was the creepiest it could get when traveling, but apparently not! 'This is the view from the shower' Advertisement A traveler recently took to Reddit to share their own 'creepy' experience when staying in a room they booked online – and this one had people both shocked and laughing hysterically. 'Booked an Airbnb for vacation. This is the view from the shower,' the traveler wrote. A Reddit user shared a story about a 'creepy' experience with an Airbnb on vacation. Lazy_Bear – Along with it, came a picture of the ceiling of a shower, which boasted a lovely view… just not one for the person staying in the actual accommodation! Advertisement The window opens up to what appears to be other windows in the building. 'There is no way to cover it up,' they added. There was 'a picture of the ceiling of a shower, which boasted a lovely view… just not one for the person staying in the actual accommodation!' the traveler wrote. reddit/Ingtar2 'I bet that's where the owner lives' While the traveler says the accommodation was booked via Airbnb, with no other details shared, including the location or the name of the hotel or apartment, it's impossible to confirm if the booking was indeed made via the popular website. Advertisement Start and end your day informed with our newsletters Morning Report and Evening Update: Your source for today's top stories Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters But that didn't matter, because people were quick to chime in with their own thoughts regardless of where it was booked. 'I was confused for a sec because I thought it was just a nice skylight window. Then I took a second look,' one person commented. Advertisement 'I bet that's where the owner lives,' another joked. Others were keen to provide some help. 'Let the shower run on the hottest for 30min before you hop in, is the least destructive idea I have offer,' someone suggested. 'Nah, umbrella perched on top of the shower rail to block the view from above,' another chimed in. It's more common than you think While many agreed the design was definitely a strange one, others shared similar experiences, claiming it's not as unusual as most think. 'Lmaooo! Literally me. I stayed in an apartment just like this in Mexico City and I was so paranoid. I attempted to make a towel roof,' someone shared. 'I had a similar experience in San Francisco but the window overlooked a hallway. I didn't even noticed until I was done,' another added. Others claimed it's unlikely anyone would be able to see through it anyway. Advertisement 'Typically those are extremely tinted and it looks like it is, my old apartment had one like this and it was pretty completely black, they likely don't even know it's a window,' a person claimed. And another person agreed: 'While it's a very odd design choice, I feel like no one would really see anything from that angle. At most they'd see your head and shoulders (which isn't okay either) but everything underneath is probably covered by the curtain. Unless someone is the height of that window/door, I'd wager below clavicle is safe from view. Still, it's terrible layout.' Kidspot reached out to Airbnb, who were unable to confirm if this booking was made via their company.
