In Reply to: Re: Diapers and Airport Security posted by Calle on April 05, 2008 at 16:36
No, at the London end it was actually two female security people and they asked to search my jacket. It is a long flight to Boston so I took two spare's with me but didn't want them in the overhead locker, as I didn't want to be getting my bag out and pulling diapers out in front of my co-workers.... for obvious reasons.
So in each pocket I had a plastic carrier bag containing a rolled up dry diaper. When the security girls searched me and started going through my jacket, I started to panic, as this was at the gate and I wasn't sure if any of my co-workers were already seated behind me (we all arrived at the airport seperately).
In my panic I saw two options.... come clean to the security girls and ask for discretion or risk them pulling a bag out of my pocket and pulling the diapers out for all to see - after all, to them it could have easily been a bomb!
So I just told the security girls that I had a 'medical problem' and had some 'supplies' in my pockets, and asked if they could be discreet. To be honest, they didn't bat an eyelid, they simply felt in my pockets and gave me back my jacket.
At the US end, we had a change over at Washington Dulles for out connection to Boston, and it was slightly different. At this point we had our full luggage with us and of course my bag included enough diapers to last me for 4 days and nights. Luckily as I mentioned I went behind a screen and they gave my case a good checking.... again, they didn't bat an eyelid when they saw the diapers.
It probably is one of the stranger things airport security see, especially for a male in his early 20's (bit different if it's a 70 year old woman who's had 5 kids!), but I guess as long as you don't have a knife or bomb or drugs they probably don't care.