Another Money Belt Question

I wear mine thru security. It is attached to a belt (made by Bison) that has a non-metal buckle so nothing sets off the alarm.

Kim,

I don't believe it's a good idea to wear a Money Belt while going through airport security, even if it does only contain "paper" items.

Some Money Belts have metallic components in the zippers or other hardware that can trigger metal detectors. I would find it somewhat embarrassing to have to have to pull clothing apart to remove the Money Belt for screening. In addition, that reveals the location for anyone looking.

I normally keep my Money Belt in my Daypack. On some occasions, I'll visit the washroom just before landing and put the Money Belt on. At other times, I wait until I get to my first Hotel. My first stop this year will be Rome, so I'll probably use the first option as I'll be riding on the Leonardo Express, and will be jet lagged and hauling full kit (therefore probably a bit "distracted").

Cheers!

Thanks for your input. I think that I will put it deep in my day pack until after security and then put it on. (minus the passport until after customs in Italy) We are flying into Florence and then walking around until our apartment is ready in the afternoon. I know that I will be tired and distracted.

In ten plus years of wearing my money belt through airport security, not once has it set off a metal detector or have I been instructed to remove it. The belts contain no metal, the zippers are made of plastic.

In the old days, I wore my moneybelt through security.

However, nowadays, if you are asked to go through secondary and the virtual strip search machine, it will freak out the operator. (You are not supposed to have anything on you except your clothes.)You will then have to also go through a body pat down, they will ask to see what is under your clothes, and may want to paw through it.

Do you really want some stranger rummaging through your moneybelt? I now put mine deep in my carry-on bag and when finished with security, stop at the loo to put it on.

I don't know about money belts, but I have had a neck pouch set off an alarm. It was a cheap model I bought at Walmart and had a metal zipper.

I've worn mine through airports in several parts of the world and it's never set off the metal detector. The zipper is plastic and I don't have anything metal in it.

I've always had on my money belt through security, but next time I fly, I will not. Frank brought up an important point. Thanks Frank!

To add to my earlier Post, I definitely agree with the points mentioned by Frank II. I'd never considered the possibility of encountering a Full Body Scanner. I'm sure that the profile of Money Belt with unknown contents would most certainly trigger a secondary search.

Even with plastic zippers, I still advocate not wearing a Money Belt through security.

Cheers!

In regards to the new full body scanners, my understanding is that one doesn't have to empty out their pockets before being scanned by it (like you do with the current metal detectors). So if you don't have to empty out pockets, why wouldn't it be okay to wear a money belt?

Another issue...many European airports subject all passengers boarding transatlantic flights to full pat-downs before boarding the airplane. I've always worn my money belt during these pat-downs, the security guy has always "felt" it, and I've never had to remove it.

Thanks everyone for their posts. Unfortunately, I have not flown to Europe in the past three years. In the past, I wore my neck wallet with no problems.

After reading everyone's posts, I am going to keep my money belt deep in my day pack until after security and then wear it.

Michael....

You may not have to empty out your pockets during the body scan....but....you're expecting an operator, in another room, looking at a TV screen, to try to figure out what it is you have on that is not a normal piece of clothing. What he is going to do is alert the TSO at the machine that he sees something. They will then investigate. You might get lucky and get a TSO with a brain and will let it go. Or, you'll get one that doesn't have a clue, and the next thing you know, you're going through pat down, the money belt comes off, it's either man handled or forced to be sent through x-ray. All a waste of your time. So, what makes more sense...wearing the money belt and going through all of this, or just putting it in your carry-on while you go through security.

As for the second part. I'm surprised....you're a seasoned traveler and you're comparing European airport security with the theater we have here? I too have warn my moneybelt through pat down in Europe. They feel it, ask, I show them, they say have a nice flight. Here, they're ready to call out SWAT.

But in the future, because so many European airports are getting body scanners, I'm going to keep nothing on me while going through security. It just makes life easier.

Do what you gotta do Frank, until I actually get hassled by the TSA or their Euro counterparts for wearing a money belt, it stays on.