Airport X-ray machines and a prosthesis

Hi @Rowey, sorry to hear of your experience. 

I'm sorry to read about your experience as well @Locksley. We have some information on travelling with a breast prothesis included in a My Journey article https://myjourney.org.au/article/2198 which details your rights and how to raise a complaint if you need to. 

Our Policy and Advocacy team are aware of the issues that some people have experienced. We are hoping to raise awareness about travelling through airport security in the coming weeks. 

According to the Travelsecure website (under Australian Department of Home Affairs), under "Travellers with Specific Needs" it states that you need a letter from your doctor and relevant paperwork regarding specific issues and liquid or silicone breast prosthetics are specifically mentioned. You have to present these before you join the queue of regular travellers and can request a pat down be done in a private cubicle by a female security officer. They may not handle the prosthesis. Patients with colostomy bags and the like are also mentioned. My husband has a defibrillator/pacemaker and is not able to go through the metal detector. He presents his paperwork, and is checked separately from other passengers. I was given no problems at all at Sydney airport, travelling to Perth, and no problems on my return flight. I also had given them my letter beforehand, was zipped through the scanner by a female officer, (where the screen is only visible to the officer, not every other Dick, Tom and Harry in the line. She gave me a wink and a smile and wished me a good flight.

Welcome to the Forum, @Rowey - sorry to see you join our exclusive club.  As you can see, we have many shared experiences ... and discussing them here can lessen the stress and pain.  

I am so sorry this happened to both of you, @Rowey and @Locksley - it should not have happened that way .... it is not good enough.   Good on you for writing a letter, Locksley - I would suggest sending it to your local member and the state and federal health ministers as well!  Hopefully ONE of them should answer.

It would not be difficult to have an enclosed screen nearby, for the inspection to be done in relative privacy.

I wonder if men with penis/testicle implants ever show up as an anomaly on the screening & if THEY have to show them in public ..... I bet NOT.

@BCNA - can this situation be added to the BC Advocacy list that needs addressing urgently.  As @Afraser says - screening machines are getting 'better', so many more prostheses will be 'picked up' and many more women will be put in similar, unnecessary stressful and embarrassing situations.
  
take care ladies xx

@Locksley, your experience is just horrible. How upsetting for you. I hope you get a big apology and I hope that they change their practices so there is privacy and dignity. Good luck with the letter.

I have to say I was treated with a bit more sensitivity but everything was still very public. Your experience sounds much worse but surely there needs to be some awareness and education regarding women in our position. I understand the need for security but surely there’s middle ground

@rowey last week at Melbourne airport I went through xray machine and woman says to me what's going on in my bra and points to my left side.  I said it's my prosesthis as I've had a mastectomy.  She says can I take it out and I say not really. Still in public she says show me. I pulled my top to the side and separated my bra to show the prosesthis.   She says can she have a feel and I said yes.  Well she had a feel alright.  Said to my husband ive been felt up before I've even had a coffee. 

It wasn't until afterwards I told a couple of girl friends and I've had time to think about it how wrong it was.  I should have been asked to go to a private area.  I've now decided to write a letter to melbourne airport.  I was too shocked to say something at the time.

It’s an issue - it’s never happened to me but screening systems are constantly being upgraded so it yet might. I’m not fussed personally, quite happy to let the staff feel
embarrassed! But it’s unlikely to be handled sensitively in a busy airport when security is high on everyone’s mind, and carrying drugs in the body is quite possible. Possibly best to address it up front - tell staff before getting in the queue and offer to be screened privately. Attack is the best form of defence!