'Noticeably subdued' airports suggest people opting out of flying altogether
WASHINGTON - November 24, 2010 - News reports on Thursday declared the National Opt-Out Day protest against TSA screening procedures a bust, noting short wait times at airport security screening and TSA reports that there wasn't any spike in passengers opting out of body scanners.
But reports from travelers and local news sources suggest that at some of the busiest airports in the U.S. the TSA has backed down and resorted to using the old screening procedures - metal detectors and less-intrusive pat downs.
Anecdotal reports from airports across the country suggest lighter-than-expected passenger traffic, implying some travelers may have decided to opt out of the screening procedures by not flying at all.
"One day before the the pre-Thanksgiving wave crests, Atlanta's airport was notably subdued, vendors and travelers said, with minimal wait times and limited, if any, use of the controversial full-body scanners," the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Atlanta-Hartsfield, a Delta hub, is the busiest airport in the nation.
Many of the scanners at the main security checkpoint were roped off at mid-day Tuesday. Transportation Security Administration spokesman Jonathan Allen said travelers should expect the enhanced security measures, such as the scanners, to operate "just as they would any other day." He didn't address why the full body scanners appeared to not be in use Tuesday.
