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TSA Searches Drawing Mixed Reaction At FLL

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) -- It's been spoofed on NBC's Saturday Night Live, but the more aggressive TSA searches at the airport is fueling anger among some travelers. The searches include full body scans, that look under your clothes; and intimate pat downs if you refuse the scan.

"She do my leg like this," explained traveler Queen McCormick as she moved her hands up her thigh. "She took her hands and came here, to this point," stopping at her upper thigh. "I never had anybody do that! I don't even like the doctors examining me."

She said it made her very uncomfortable.

"I didn't like it," McCormack said, "but I took it because I knew there was a reason for it."

Most people don't like the enhanced security procedures. Some are even calling for a boycott on Wednesday, the busiest travel day of the year. They want to travelers to "opt out." That would mean they would all have to get that pat down causing crushing delays.

But surveys show 81 percent of those asked agree with the scans, that's about 4 out of 5.

"I think it's ridiculous," said traveler Falon Swailes. "I mean doctors see you, it's not like it's open to the public, the whole airport can't see it. It's just them, they're professionals."

TSA says these searches affect about one in every 100 people. While at the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, CBS4's Ted Scouten saw a lot of people going through the full body scan, but saw no one protesting.

And of all the passenger he spoke with, only one disagreed with the scan or pat down. She's a frequent flier and it had nothing to do with touching.

"Why would I want 5-7 times the radiation on an annual basis, based on how much I travel," complained Phyllis Green.

If you go through one of those full body scanners, security experts say you should make sure to take everything out of your pockets. Even a piece of paper will show up on the scan and cause an extra delay.

For more information on these full-body scans, click here.

It's been spoofed on NBC's Saturday Night Live, but the more aggressive TSA searches at the airport is fueling anger among some travelers. The searches include full body scans, that look under your clothes; and intimate pat downs if you refuse the scan. 

"She do my leg like this," explained traveler Queen McCormick as she moved her hands up her thigh. "She took her hands and came here, to this point," stopping at her upper thigh. "I never had anybody do that! I don't even like the doctors examining me."

She said it made her very uncomfortable.

"I didn't like it," McCormack said, "but I took it because I knew there was a reason for it."

Most people don't like the enhanced security procedures. Some are even calling for a boycott on Wednesday, the busiest travel day of the year. They want to travelers to "opt out." That would mean they would all have to get that pat down causing crushing delays.

But surveys show 81 percent of those asked agree with the scans, that's about 4 out of 5.

"I think it's ridiculous," said traveler Falon Swailes. "I mean doctors see you, it's not like it's open to the public, the whole airport can't see it. It's just them, they're professionals."

TSA says these searches affect about one in every 100 people. While at the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, CBS4's Ted Scouten saw a lot of people going through the full body scan, but saw no one protesting.

And of all the passenger he spoke with, only one disagreed with the scan or pat down. She's a frequent flier and it had nothing to do with touching.

"Why would I want 5-7 times the radiation on an annual basis, based on how much I travel," complained Phyllis Green.

If you go through one of those full body scanners, security experts say you should make sure to take everything out of your pockets. Even a piece of paper will show up on the scan and cause an extra delay.

For more information on these full-body scans, click here.

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