Pat-down Screening

Category: travel

A manual inspection of a passenger’s person performed by a screening officer.

A pat-down is used when a scanner alerts to a potential anomaly that cannot be cleared by automated systems. It is conducted by an officer of the same gender and involves a physical check of the outer garments to rule out hidden items.

Common Examples

• After the body scanner flagged a potential object in my jacket, the officer requested a brief pat-down screening for safety.
• Passengers have the right to request that a pat-down screening be conducted in a private room with a witness present.