Dying woman humiliated by revealing TSA pat-down
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SEATTLE -- A dying woman says a a security pat-down at Sea-Tac Airport left her embarrassed in front of crowds of people.
Michelle Dunaj says screeners checked under bandages from recent surgeries, and refused to give her a private search when she requested one.
Dunaj, who is dying of leukemia, carried a large amount of prescription drugs through Sea-Tac to head to Hawaii for what would be one of the last trips of her life.
She called Alaska Airlines ahead of time to request a wheelchair and to ask how her medicines should be separated for the security line.
"I did everything they asked me to do, so I didn't think it would be an issue," she said.
But Dunaj says nothing went right at the security checkpoint.
A machine couldn't get a reading on her saline bags, so a TSA agent forced one open, contaminating the fluid she needs to survive.
She says agents also made her lift up her shirt and pull back the bandages holding feeding tubes in place. Dunaj needs those tubes because of organ failure.
With other passengers staring, Dunaj says she asked for privacy and was turned down.
"They just said that it was fine; the location we were at was fine," she said.
Said TSA spokesperson Ann Davis: "Officers are trained to perform pat downs in a dignified manner and, at any point, passengers can request a private screening with a witness present."
However, Dunaj says her request for a private screening was denied, and she does not want others with special needs to run into the same problem.
"And when somebody wants to take a trip, especially what I call an 'end-of-life trip' because you want to see your family and friends, then it becomes more important than just taking a trip," she said.
Davis said it is against policy for passengers to be denied privacy if they ask for it. The agency is responding to a request by KOMO News to look into the incident.
This woman had a right to a private screening and was denied that option. Clearly TSA failed and humiliated a dying for no justifiable reason. These imbeciles also endangered her life by rupturing her saline bag and the screeners responsible should be fired and prosecuted.
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TSA has become a haven for misfits who take enjoy harassing and abusing passengers that they perceive as being privileged elitists who need to be taught a lesson. TSA canât retain anyone normal to do this disgusting job and the endless turnover results in poorly trained, unprofessional mall cops screening passengers.
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TSA Deputy Director John Halinski said in testimony to Congress in August that TSA receives over 700,000 traveler comments a year, 60,000 of which they classify as complaints.
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Congress and the public think that most of 700,000 are complaints but even this low ball number is still amounts to 5,000 complaints a month and those are just the ones that get reported. Countless other incidents are not reported because of passenger fear of retaliation or are âlostâ by TSA.
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There were 101 TSA workers arrested in the last 22 months including 13 arrested for child sex crimes, 28for theft, 12 for smuggling contraband through security and one for murder.
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TSA even allows a known pedophile, Thomas Harkins to remain employed as a TSA Supervisor in Philadelphia giving him authority to search children.
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What kind of agency turns a known sex offender loose on children? The same kind of demented agency that harasses and humiliates a dying woman.
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America cannot afford $70 billion over ten years to fund an agency made up of uneducated bullies with two page rap sheets. TSA needs to be replaced with something that actually works and the TSA management responsible for this mess prosecuted for malfeasance.
@Bill Fisher wow very informative!
KVAL...... Â We used to be able to "thumbs down" Â people's comments.... what happened to that??? Â Miss your old web site....
SUE THEIR AZZES.... Â
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HOW RUDE!!!
I definitely think that this is unwarranted. No doubt a lawsuit will follow. I hope that they do indeed sue, but I have doubts on the success of their suit if they sue. The TSA  can always fall back on procedural policy. This is a sad story ideed!
I can't believe the ignorance of the TSA agents in pulling back this woman's bandages.  Those bandages were protecting the access points of the tubes into her body.  Those idiots could have  introduced bacteria  resulting in a serious infection such as peritonitis.  TSA agents should defer to some one else who is qualified, when it comes to an obviously serious medical condition. Â
TSA = Law enforcement washouts on a power trip.
If the traveling public would stop, take a deep breath, get to the airport on time and calm down. All they need to do is ask nicely for a supervisor when someone is not acting professional. Having worked for the airlines I will do my best to move mountains for someone who is friendly with me rather than loud and obnoxious. (I am not saying this woman was obnoxiousâ¦this is all about unprofessional TSA agents)
This is just not ok. I have sent an email to Sea-Tac letting them know just how I feel about what this lady went thru. How horrible and unacceptable. I sure would be getting money back from this trip Michelle. Don't let them get away with this.Â
@takeiteazy my heart goes out to this woman. No one should be humiliated like this, but why is it Alaska Airlines responsibility to give her a refund? The airlines, TSA, and Sea-Tac are completely separate agencies and it is not Alaska Airlines fault that this happened to her. It is the power trip TSA agents who are responsible. Your letter would have been better sent to TSA not Sea-Tac.
The first time that an ignorant and rude TSA agent asked me to remove clothing in public so they could check to see if I was concealing explosives was several years ago and it was the last time I flew on a commercial aircraft. I will never fly again as long as I am asked to endure that kind on unacceptable treatment. The formation of the TSA was a hysterical reaction to 9/11 that has done little to deter terrorism, but does a good job of punishing innocent American citizens. Michelle Dunaj is not a terrorist or criminal, yet she was treated as if she was, and that is unacceptable. Stop flying until the situation is corrected, and more importantly write letters to all airlines telling them you refuse to fly until the TSA is forced to behave in a civilized manner.
I'm sorry for this woman's disease, but sorry, I can't feel that much sympathy. This is only the latest of a long line of problems with the agency, on top of the issue of a large amount of theft carried out by TSA employees. At some point, USAAmericans have got to grow up and demand that things change or just not travel. Period. Going on bucket list trips isn't a reason to ignore the growing amount of inefficiency and waste associated with this agency. Either shut up and submit to what happens to you, or grow up and demand changes by refusing to fly.
 @calmplexx You have issues! I would get them dealt with soon.
 @calmplexx YOUR A BIG ASS JERK.THIS POOR SICK DYING WOMAN WAS TAKING HER LAST TRIP AND FOR YOU TO SAY SUCH THINGS IS EVIL.SHE WASNT IGNORING ANY THING.SHE WAS TRYING TO TAKE HER LAST TRIP BEFORE GOD TAKES HER HOME.LIKE FOR REAL HER BEING SO SICK YOU THINK SHE HAS THE TIME AND ENERGY TO FIGHT THESE IDIOTS WHO DID THIS TO HER.WHY DONT YOU GET OFF YOUR SORRY BUTT AND DO SOMETHING INSTEAD OF JUDGING SOME SICK DYING LADY. YOU BIG FREAKING JERK!!!!!!! YOU NEED TO FREAKING GROW THE HELL UP AND SHUT UP!!!!!! TO ATTACK A DYING LADY YOU ARE A  SICK FREAK.ROT IN HELL !!!!!!
 @victoria  @calmplexx Couldn't have said it any better myself Victoria!
@calmplexx: You obviously have some kind of mental disorder that prevents you from sincerely empathizing with your fellow humans. If Michelle Dunaj read your comment, I imagine she would again be insulted and hurt. Good job calmplexx.
 @calmplexx Wow. You are one sick puppie
 @calmplexx What? What the hell kind of a response is this? Someone does everything they are told to do after checking in advance about flying while terminally ill, is treated thusly, and you have no sympathy?
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Your disdain and impatience for the TSA should be completely removed from your ability to feel sympathy for someone being humiliated and having their life endangered (contaminated life saving drugs she needs to bring on the trip with her, much?). Wow. Yikes. You need to reevaluate.
Who else thinks the TSA should just be disbanded? The amount of bullcrap they get away with is only increasing...
I wonder whether TSA just attracts rude and arrogant people or whether they actually train them that way?Â
@hewhoo They are law enforcement washouts on a power trip
Shame on you Sea Tac!! That is rude you have no respect for people!!!
It sounds like it was not sea-tac's fault but the tsa's fault I am glad i dont fly anywhere. This is a sad situation for her she should have been able to have some privacy.