"Airport security drives metal-free fashions"

Sunday, December 19, 2004

Airport security drives metal-free fashions
BY SARA KEHAULANI GOO
The Washington (DC) Post


Rolf Reifgies always got in trouble at the airport security checkpoint
because of his suspenders.

Whenever the Wisconsin businessman flew out of Minneapolis, Milwaukee or
Madison, Wis., the metal in his suspenders set off the magnetometer. Then,
six weeks ago, he discovered BuzzNot, a brand of suspenders with plastic
clasps.

"Works like a charm," Reifgies said of the $19.99 pair he found on
SuspenderStore.com. Now when he takes off on trips to sell his milking
equipment, Reifgies glides right through security. "It's a nuisance if I
wear regular suspenders."

In this era of tightened airport security, retailers are coming to the aid
of the aggravated traveler, offering new products -- such as bras and shoes
-- designed to get passengers through the checkpoints without the indignity
of a pat-down.

Shoemakers Johnston & Murphy, Florsheim and Rockport sell dozens of styles
without metal shanks in the soles and market them to frequent fliers.
Florsheim identifies the styles with tags that look like passports labeled
"airport friendly" inside the shoebox.

"We had requests, mainly from airline pilots, asking which shoes were
airplane friendly," said Thomas Florsheim, chief executive of Weyco Group
Inc., the Milwaukee parent company of Florsheim. "It seemed like we were
getting more inquiries from our people who sell our shoes."

Many passengers think it is worth the effort to find shoes and clothing that
will help them avoid added scrutiny at the airport checkpoint.

Travelers who set off the walk-through magnetometer are automatically pulled
aside, and a screener waves a hand-held metal detector over their body.
Then, the screener conducts a physical pat-down search to check for hidden
explosives or other prohibited items. The pat-downs have become more common
since September, when two Russian planes exploded after two women allegedly
brought explosives on board.

Even if passengers do not set off the metal detector, the TSA warns that
passengers may be pulled aside for more screening. Typically, passengers who
buy tickets at the last minute or buy one-way trips will automatically be
selected. Screeners also may choose passengers at random for additional
screening, no matter what they are wearing.

The unpredictability of the screening process has prompted many frequent
travelers to wear slip-on shoes, rather than ones with laces. Rick Pyatt,
director of government relations at Goodrich Corp., said he always removes
his shoes even if TSA screeners do not request that he do so. "It's
frustrating because (the shoe removal rules are) different airport to
airport," said Pyatt, a former commercial airline pilot. "I try not to wear
shoes with laces to the airport."

Many men's dress shoes and women's pumps contain steel because it adds
stability, shoe retailers say. Few women's shoes with heels are free of
metal. Online retailers such as Shoedini.com and Zappos.com have created
sections devoted to shoes that will pass through airport security, but the
selection for women is small, consisting of Ugg boots, sneakers and sandals.

"Manufacturers need to address the needs of women to get through airports,"
said Tom Casale, founder of AirportFriendly.com, a Web site that sells
travel-related gadgets.

One Japanese company, Triumph International, launched what it called a
"Frequent Flyer Bra" in late 2001 that was guaranteed to not set off airport
metal detectors. The bra has metal-free clasps and underwires made of resin
instead of metal. But the bras are not available in the United States, and a
spokeswoman for the company in Canada said she did not know whether they are
still manufactured.

Bra makers say there are few signs that women will change the kind of bra
they wear because of airline security hassles. About 70 percent of women
wear bras with steel underwires sewn into the lower structure for support
and shaping, according to underwire manufacturer S & S Industries of New
York, a supplier for Victoria's Secret, Bali, Warner's, Playtex, Vanity Fair
and other bra labels.

"If it was going to be an issue, it would have been close to 9/11," said Jon
Broz, senior vice president for sales at S & S.

Instead, sales of underwires have only increased. S & S also makes underwire
supports made of plastic, but Broz said they don't offer the same support.
"It's a tiny percentage of the market," he said.

The TSA, however, recommends that women not wear underwire bras because they
can set off the metal detectors, though some travelers say they wear them
and they don't set off the detector every time.

Last year, the TSA put on a fashion show at Reagan National Airport with
models wearing clothing that would not set off the detector. The woman wore
cotton pants with plastic buttons and slip-on shoes. The TSA recommends that
women remove all jewelry, even earrings, barrettes and body piercings,
before arriving at the checkpoint.

Jayne Thompson, a Lutheran pastor in Manhattan, Kan., said she was required
to undergo a pat-down recently even though she did not set off any alarms.
She found the experience so humiliating that the next time she flies, she
will try to shame the TSA into recognizing the indecency of its actions.
"I'm going to wear my sports bra and my clerical shirt, and if they insist
on doing the pat-down, I'm going to take my shirt off," she said.


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************