TSA Checkpoint Alpha – Dane County Regional Airport

One of the quickest TSA check points in the US. I can always arrive 10 minutes before boarding at this checkpoint and I still make it to the gate with 5 minutes to spare. They rarely give me the run down of «no you dont need to do that hear or this or that», just quick, easy and convenient. I prefer the standalone checkpoint here than the old one they had further down, you would always get non TSA passengers bumped into the Pre line which slowed things down. Much better now.

I have a rare chronic skin condition known as acne inversa or HS. This condition causes boil like lumps or absences to emerge in private areas or where there is skin to skin contact. I travel all of the time and NEVER had a problem going through a TSA screening before, but this time it was different. I walked through the body scanner and then the TSA screener (I forgot to get her badge number) said she needed to rub me down because she saw some yellow areas on the screen. This was normal so I cooperated. She rubbed up and down my thighs, then proceeded to rub my private area. I was not sure what she was doing because other TSA screeners in the past never go that far and rub your private areas if you passed all of the other screenings. She felt a lump and asked me what it was and I told her about my skin condition. She did not believe me and went to get her supervisor. Long story short, I was pulled into a room and I had to pull down my pants and underwear and show her my lumps to prove to her that I was clear to fly. This was not only unnecessary, but excessive and VERY invasive. I felt awful having to show a complete stranger my private parts and reveal my lumps that I try so desperately to hide. I left out of the room in tears and all the TSA screener had to say was that «she was just doing her job».
I personally think because I was a black woman walking through an airport in Madison, Wisconsin on a Tuesday morning I was subject to increased scrutiny. All of the TSA screeners were white and I’m sure they thought I was trying to conceal drugs or some other contraband.
It’s even more frustrating because according to reports, the TSA failed to detect a number or explosives and weapons during testing conducted by a undercover team but yet almost sent me through a full blown cavity search!
What about women who have breast cancer and have lumps on their breast or anyone that has a disability or condition that causes abnormalities? Will they be searched too? Should people with disabilities have to undress to prove that they are clear to fly?
I really hope someone from TSA see’s this and speaks with the TSA screeners at Dane County Regional Airport. Because today I felt violated and no one should have to feel like that when just trying to board a plane.

I love our little airport. Getting through security has always been a breeze (I’ve waited maybe 10 minutes during the holidays, but that’s the absolute longest), the staff is always friendly, and on this occasion they were really showing their customer service skills by sending an agent down the line to see if anyone had TSA pre-​check to get the line moving even faster. The guy actually seemed stressed out that we were going to wait five minutes before getting to the front. To solve the «problem» they opened up another line so that more IDs were getting checked at the same time. Never change, Madison TSA.

Only one experience going through here, but as far as TSA checkpoints go, I’ll actually give it 4 stars??? The lines were short, and multiple TSA Agents were actually smiling, friendly and having conversations with travelers. Going through security, it doesn’t get much better than that…