LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- With the holiday travel season about to be in full swing, TSA safety checks at airports continue to be a hot topic of discussion across the country. With controversy over the checks comes word that TSA may back off some of its more invasive screening techniques.
The majority of travelers we spoke with continue to say they are on par with the changes as long it makes air travel safe. There aren’t any body scanners at Louisville International Airport yet, and according to travelers we talked to they didn't have to deal with the new measures during their recent travels while in other parts of the country.
When it comes to the TSA's new security procedures, the debate isn't short on opinions. "Personally, I'm just thankful they're trying to be safe. I don't mind the inconvenience," said Denny Burk traveling from Atlanta.
"I just think Americans still have the right to decide who looks at or touches their genitals," said Steven Sieglitz who is traveling home from Las Vegas.
Others are choosing to take a light hearted approach. "More than anything it was a joke between my friends and I. One of those things where we were like, ‘have a good time with the pat downs,’" laughed Tabb Ormsby, traveling home from Georgia.
The new security measures are still causing some apprehension for travelers and a growing grass roots internet movement is encouraging travelers to opt out of full body scans on Wednesday, the biggest travel days of the year.
One traveler we spoke with said even a TSA agent she talked to can sense the anxiety. "He kind of laughed and said people are not looking forward to any of it and it' been getting bad press. They were really sweet," said Barbara Ormsby traveling back home to Kentucky.
TSA says there are 385 new full body scanners at airports across the country, but there are 2,100 total security lanes. That means more than 80 percent of security lanes won't have the machines or the intrusive pat downs.
Of all the travelers we talked to, not one was subjected to a full body scan or a pat down, but with regular airport security and busier terminals during Thanksgiving Thursday, there were still some headaches.
