Unbelievable US security request

[Damsel]

I don't like to comment on security measures but the following is absolutely unbelievable. An acquaintance of mine had to travel a few months back from Australia to the US and the UK. He has a Taylor Spatial Frame fitted to one leg so travelled Business Class and First Class. At the first class check in counter in Boston he was actually asked to remove the frame from his leg!
I have one of these dreadful frames currently attached to my left leg, there are a multitude of rods screwed directly into rebroken bones with wire through your leg and you physically have to move the bones so many mm's every day. I cannot believe that he was asked to remove the frame. It is blatantly obvious to anyone that there are rods on the frame going "into" your leg! How the hell can anyone make a request like that? My friend was traveling with all necessary documentation and his companion was a surgeon.

[groundbum]

I think expecting checkin agents to be familiar with all the modern medical apparatus is a bit much. So as a first pass the check in agent says please can you remove it.

Hopefully at that point your friend and his surgeon friend and his paperwork explained the detail, and the agent gracefully backed down or sought a supervisor? This is kinda normal in customer services where the front line person knows the rules, but isn't familiar enough with all the infinite variations and goes and gracefully gets help when something they'll encounter every ten years occurs?

G

[Chuchinchow]

Let's get this quite clear if we may, please.

You are telling us that it was the check in agent at BOS who allegedly told your friend to remove his Taylor frame. Why would he/she have done such a thing?

AFAIK, security is the purview of TSA operatives, but not individual airline employees.

[PAXboy]

Notwithstanding the problem that was encountered: These days, anything out of the ordinary can be advised to the carrier in writing before travel.

[Shack37]

Damsel
All one can do is try to maintain a dignified calm in the face of such apparent ignorance and explain the "difficulty" involved in removing the frame.