Question:
Am I gonna set off the security alarms?

I'm getting ready to fly next week-end and am a little concerned about the security pass at the airport. Since my surgery I only wear underwire bras and want to know if this could set off alarms. I sure don't want to have to remove this garment to fly!!    — jocelyn (posted on May 29, 2004)

May 29, 2004
Here's what you do.........cross your arms going under your breasts and between them. This covers the wires and shouldn't set the alams off.
   — Loriann J.

May 29, 2004
Hi All - I am the perpetual traveller and wear underwires all the time...they don't set off the detectors so no WORRIES :)
   — Neese B.

May 29, 2004
I've never had my bra set off a security check alarm. Even as a DD. LOL Even if it did, they would wave that fun security alarm in front of you....and I can say with just about 100% certainty that you are not the first woman to travel with such a garmet.
   — RebeccaP

May 29, 2004
I have traveled many times. Yes your bra straps and underwire do set off the sensors but its not a big deal. The few times it happened to me they just pull you aside made me remove my shoes and scanned my body with the wand detector. They always had a woman do the check. I think they are very aware woman wear underwire bras and dont usually make to much of it.
   — imgabbie

May 29, 2004
Although not the question here I will add the staples in our belly are easily detectable by the wand type sensors they use. Heck they went off from the metallic ink in a hershey bar wrapper another traveler had. The archway type detectors arent set sensitive enough to trip on our belly staples. My advice for flying. WEAR NOTHING METALLIC AT ALL! No belts, pens, Jewelery, shoes with metal ANYTHING! You will save time and hassle not only for yourself but everyone else. Once you get where your going then change into whatever you like. Metal on our bodies has a culmative effect to trip the detectors. So anyone with say staples in our belly are more likely to be required for futher inspection:( Having NOTHING ELSE metal on our persons minimizes getting pulled out of line. I dont enjoy being wanded, feel something like a criminal, yeah it makes no sense but its ME:( I always wear a belt but they have a metal pin. So I wear elastic waist pants when flying just to avoid the hassle.
   — bob-haller

May 30, 2004
They can set off the security alarms. Our courthouse has one that you have to walk through. I do research for a living and have to go to the courthouse daily. When they first got the system I set the thing off every single day. This was before my RNY. I tried making sure i had nothing metal everyday. Finally the guard told me and I quote " Well Ma'am I think perhaps it's your womanly undergarment". Boy! I went home and ruined all my bra's because I didnt' want to set that darned thing off. I pulled out almost all of my underwires and found out he was right. I never set it off now. Funny thing is since I've lost weight I do wear underwires occaisionally and it doesn't go off. I am thinking bigger bra's had more metal, lol.
   — Carrie D.

May 30, 2004
As a former security screener I am pretty sure that your staples and your underwire bra will NOT set of the walk through metal detector. The newer sensors are more sensitive and may occasionally go off but this is rare. Most of the time it is your shoes that will set it off. Most of us don't know that MOST shoes have a metal strip in the sole. The hand held metal detector will go off even with a gum wrapper but rarely will the walk through go off for these things. So empty your pockets and take off your shoes even when security is in a hurry and tells you its not necessary....
   — Iridescense