Man with prosthetic leg misses flight; TSA says proper procedure followed

PITTSBURGH — A man with a prosthetic leg said he missed his flight Monday because Transportation Security Administration agents were not efficient in screening him.

Chris Griffin said he was pulled to a separate screening room at Pittsburgh International Airport after an explosive residue, that he said was chemicals used to clean pools, was found on his hand.

According to TSA regulations, if explosive material is detected, the passenger will have to undergo additional screening.

While Griffin said he understands why he was pulled aside, when he was checked in the room, he said TSA agents didn't seem to know what they were looking for and repeated screenings that were already performed on the prosthetic leg.

Griffin said he told the agents he only had 15 more minutes to make his flight to Newark, but he said they didn't work any faster.

“I don't think there was a set protocol to follow, and it was just, it wasn't very efficient and I ended up missing my flight because of it,” said Griffin.

After looking into the incident, a TSA spokesperson said in a statement to Channel 11 that surveillance video showed the “entire screening process took nine minutes,” and “officers followed proper procedure and screened him both efficiently and professionally.”

Griffin said he travels often and has only been taken into additional screening once, shortly after 9/11. He said it usually only takes a couple of extra minutes to get through security with his prosthetic leg.

WPXI