He can go through the machine. The pump can't. I am not looking to bypass security. You might need to re-read my post.
All right, I will. It's not an "opinion". I *do* travel with a number of medical devices! When we had an infant, there were more than there are now...
Got to love when they want to screen the bottle, the formula can, the breast pump AND give me a little squeeze to ensure I wasn't misleading them about breastmilk!
how do we get his pump through security without having to be hand searched every single time.
It *has* to be screened each and every time, there is no way around this. Be your best advocate, as
@gap2368 and
@anorman are saying: before you get to the counter, have all your other stuff ready-and-up-there, hand them the pump and explain it cannot go through the machine as instructed by your doctor.
If they have to wait on you to explain, unhook or take up their time, of course they are cranky about it. I have experienced a world of different treatment between having my shoes off early, holding my baby out, asking 'what do I do now?' and following their directions
exactly, and having a cranky face while I muttered and messily unpacked all over the counter and grumbled that TSA is the worst thing ever.
That gets you aggressive patdown screening. Or three trips through the process just to see if you'll break down and admit guilt to something.
If you are polite but very very compliant, it tends to go all right with the TSA. Remember... very very compliant. No attitude that this process is uncomfortable or invasive, no impatience. Otherwise, they happily exercise their right to search your
entire person, make you miss your flight, and generally be difficult.
If driving is an option, I would definitely consider that option, especially as you are feeling frustrated by the TSA security process in the airport. Personally I would MUCH rather take a flight and fill out a little declaration card to take through Customs, rather than subject myself to the game of 25 Million Personal Questions that the land-crossing border guards ask. They have the right to ask these questions and they SAVE your answers for when they ask you again! If they don't match up, you get a full interrogation. Questions about my taxes, my employment, recreational habits, destination, length of stay, etc. In the airport, all that the Customs guards care about is my declaration card and its potential income value because it's easy to deduct, "Plane came from Orlando. Bet they are coming home from WDW. Bet they have some souvenirs."
TL;DR: Nobody escapes the clutches of the TSA