Classical musician 'threatened with arrest and patted down by security' at airport after she refused to remove expensive gold flute from its case

  • Jessica Schmitz was flying from Chicago's O'Hare Airport to Houston
  • She said she has flown with her flute thousands of times without problem
  • A TSA agent asked her to place the flute's headjoint in a bin for an X-ray
  • She refused because it would be unprotected and at risk of damage
  • TSA employees called in police officers to escort her out of the airport  
  • The TSA told MailOnline Travel that it 'followed protocol without exception' 

Jessica Schmitz said she had the worst travel experience of her life at a TSA checkpoint this week

Jessica Schmitz said she had the worst travel experience of her life at a TSA checkpoint this week

A professional musician claims she was threatened with arrest and patted down after she refused to remove part of her gold flute from its case at one of the world’s busiest airports.

Jessica Schmitz, from New York, said she had the ‘worst travel experience of her life’ when she passed through a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

The drama unfolded when TSA staff asked her to place the expensive flute’s headjoint in a bin – where it would be loose and unprotected – so it could be scanned by an X-ray machine.

Ms Schmitz has flown with her flute thousands of times and is usually just asked to open the case or explain what it contains, and it has occasionally been swabbed by TSA agents.

But on Sunday she was nearly prevented her from catching her flight to Houston when a 'power hungry agent' requested the scan, she said.

She told MailOnline Travel: 'What I took great issue with is that the agents in question were demanding the headjoint be removed from its case, placed loose in a plastic bin without any protection, and run through the X-ray bouncing around in said bin.

'Such treatment would certainly have scratched, if not dented, the very fragile instrument.'

Ms Schmitz wasn't convinced when supervisors assured her that the instrument made of gold would be fine, so she closed the case and refused to put the headjoint through the X-ray machine.

That's when TSA staff called Chicago police officers to have her removed from the security checkpoint, she said.  

The musician said she was threatened with arrest after she refused to scan the flute's unprotected headjoint

The musician said she was threatened with arrest after she refused to scan the flute's unprotected headjoint

Ms Schmitz agreed to have the headjoint scanned after an agent proposed wrapping it in paper towels

Ms Schmitz agreed to have the headjoint scanned after an agent proposed wrapping it in paper towels

She claims one staff member in particular – the one who requested the scan – gave her a hard time.

She said: 'It appeared the agent in question didn't appreciate me questioning his behaviour, and the more I pointed out the contradictions between his own statements and between his actions and those of his colleagues in airports around the country, the more aggressive and combative he became.'

As police were preparing to escort her into the main part of the terminal, a TSA agent came up with a solution – wrap the headjoint in paper towels and then run it through the X-ray scanner.

Ms Schmitz felt that she had no choice but to agree because she didn’t want to miss her flight and her performances with singer Arijit Singh in Houston.

After the headjoint was cleared, she was given a full patdown and allowed to proceed to her flight’s gate. She claimed a TSA agent made a false claim to police that she tried to hit him before they arrived. 

She said it's not unusual for the headjoint, which is kept in its own case, to draw attention, but she feels staff overreacted.

She said: 'That this agent became so aggressive and difficult, insisting on non-standard screening procedure that would damage my instrument is an extreme overreaction. And that his supervisor came over and wouldn't allow me to write down the initial agent's name and badge number suggests he felt the same way.'

The TSA told MailOnline Travel that it 'followed protocol without exception'. 

Ms Schmitz later said that she discussed the incident with TSA staff and all of the concerns have been addressed and settled.

The TSA says all musical instruments must undergo inspection when they are being carried onto a plane

The TSA says all musical instruments must undergo inspection when they are being carried onto a plane

According to the TSA’s website, musical instruments must undergo screening, and those that are being carried onto a plane require a ‘physical inspection’ at the security checkpoint.

Ms Schmitz told MailOnline Travel that she takes no issue with the fact that her instrument requires a 'physical inspection'. 

The TSA recommends travellers inform the TSA officer if the instrument requires special care and handling.

The website states: ‘Even if an item is generally permitted, it may be subject to additional screening or not allowed through the checkpoint if it triggers an alarm during the screening process, appears to have been tampered with, or poses other security concerns.

‘The final decision rests with TSA on whether to allow any items on the plane.’

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.