TSA Blames Passengers for Long Lines

I travelled through Denver airport a few weeks ago and it was a terrible experience.

And --- the TSA reps seem to take great pleasure in treating passengers like they're idiots.

Yes - they need to take the job seriously I guess, but honestly do they have to be such jerks?

 

Passenger preparedness can have a significant impact on wait times at security checkpoints nationwide…<<

While this is true, it's also true that a lack of clear signage and instruction compounds the problems. I don't understand why there isn't by now a standard carry-on bag that all luggage makers must conform to so there is no question of which kind of bag is okay to carry on board. Many times I have seen passengers attempting to stuff full size suitcases in the overhead bins, an armload of coats, a satchel bag, etc. It all contributes to the delays both at security and on board the aircraft.

But that said, the TSA needs to remember that not everyone is a seasoned traveller and that many of us fly only once every few years or so. We're not familiar with the procedures, where to go, what to do. Lots of video monitors with well designed graphics could really make life easier for both the passengers and TSA agents. Perhaps they could tap the theme park industry for help in this. Every day, tens of thousands of people have to learn how to board and onboard unfamiliar ride vehicles via instructions that have to work no matter what language a person speaks. But the TSA turning it into an us vs. them argument is not going to help.

 

Airlines used to give away "flight bags" back in the 60s and 70s. These were simple vinyl zippered bags with a thin shoulder strap. They were not fancy, but you could fit pretty much anything you'd realistically need on a flight in them. And they could be emblazoned with airline logos, too. They also fit perfectly under the seat in front of you or in the overhead bin with no problem. People carry so much stuff onto a plane, it is really ridiculous. Perhaps standardized, one size fits all bags that everyone has to be limited to would make everything more efficient. No arguing, no nonsense, no dum dums trying to cram a full set of American Tourister luggage and 12 shopping bags in the overhead bin.

 

It makes for a catchy headline, but it's pretty much true. 99% of the time, the bottleneck ultimately ends up being at the far end of the conveyor belt, where passengers struggle to put their shoes and belts on, shove their computers and liquids back in their bags, and try not to forget anything.

I consider myself a pretty seasoned traveler (1-2 roundtrip flights per month on average), and I continue to struggle with the awkwardness of it all. Some airports have seating beyond the conveyor belts to help give you space to get everything in order, but that's not always an option and it's still going to be an awkward 30' walk with all your belongings regardless

As much as nobody wants to admit it, I think the bigger issue is those freaking checked bag fees, which drive everybody to try to squeeze as much as possible into their carryons (myself included). This leads to more items that need to be screened, and more delays throughout the TSA process. It also leads to significantly longer boarding procedures while passengers play overhead bin Hunger Games, meaning the airlines' very expensive aircraft and crew spend more time sitting on the tarmac and not flying. If one were to run a cost benefit analysis on the entire checked bag process, it's shocking how much money the airlines throw away in an attempt to squeeze a few more pennies out of passengers

I realize this isn't exactly what you had in mind, but the Welcome: Portraits of America video that plays in US Customs queues was developed with Disney, using the score from Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. I'm not positive, but it looks like the hot air balloon/Napa scene in Soarin' got included in the visuals as well. It doesn't make any attempt to be informative, but hearing the music is always a pretty nice "welcome home" to me

 

YES! There is financial incentive for people to avoid checking bags (not to mention the problem of lost luggage and the slow process of retrieving your bag at destination). But that extra hit of $25 or more per pay is nuts and can really hit a family traveling together hard in the wallet -- another $200 bucks to your airfare that is "hidden".

It should be the opposite -- charge per carry-on item if anything.

 

>> and it's still going to be an awkward 30' walk with all your belongings regardless<<

Exactly. You've got an armload of shoes, belts, tickets, carry on stuff all while trying to hold your pants up.

 

Frontier charges for a carry-on (in addition to the "personal item" under the seat in front of you), and it's $5 more than a checked bag. I think they're $25 and $20 respectively. Frontier has a whole lot of problems, but they are able to load the plan incredibly quickly, especially when you consider that most of their passengers are relatively infrequent travelers

 

I flew Spirit Airlines, and they are about as no frills as you can get and still have wings on the place (the seats are thinly covered things fairly close to a bus seat, with bungee cords serving as the seat pocket!). They are cheap cheap cheap because they are absolutely strict as can be about carry ons. And if you do have to check a bag, they really ding you. It also resulted in a really fast boarding and unboarding process. While I didn't enjoy a plane that stripped down and basic, for the short flight I took it was nice to have the whole process greatly sped up.

I will also never understand why planes are so seldom loaded back to front. It just makes sense, but most airlines do that the other way around, slowing up the whole process.

I really try to avoid air travel as much of possible for all these reasons.

 

Mythbusters did an episode on plane loading. According to their testing, back to front loading turned out to be the slowest loading of all. The fastest was just letting everyone board as they pleased, but that resulted in a lower satisfaction score.

 

BINGO!!!
We always stay within the limit on size but we manage to stuff in a lot of clothes. Even on a trip to Hawaii. We know where the thrift stores are so knew we could get quite a bit of clothes for less that the baggage fee.
Twice, on Horizon we heard an announcement for complimentary bag check (they were overloaded or something) and we jumped at the chance. I hate trying to wrangle a carryon into the overhead.
I flew SW last year and it was so nice to check a bag and only board the plane with my purse and a book.

>>>I really try to avoid air travel as much of possible for all these reasons<<<
We are getting to that point too. We drive unless the airfare is super cheap.

 

I'm pretty sure I read that baggage fees are THE thing that made airlines profitable again. Most were losing money for years until they discovered that trick.

But I agree with 2oony that if anything they should charge for carry-ons. Right now it's a no-brainer; if you can stuff everything into carry-ons, you will. You avoid the baggage fees AND the slow baggage claim at the end.

If they let you check for free and charged for carry-ons, it would be a dilemma. Fly for no additional fee, but have to deal with baggage claim. Or walk right out of the airport, but pay for the privilege. This is actually more in line with the usual way of paying for saving time and/or convenience.

Best of all might be allowing ONLY small bags like the one 2oony pictured as free carry-ons. That way you could carry on things like medicine and a laptop, but screenings would go much faster (as they don't hold that much), and loading would go much faster too. Then you'd have to decide whether you wanted to pay for convenience of carrying on something larger. Some would, some wouldn't.

Being that I usually travel with only carry-ons if even remotely possible, I'm advocating for something that would either end up costing me time or money. But the current airport situation, certainly at JFK and LaGuardia, is just pretty awful right now.

 

It will never work. It is much too reasonable.

 

I traveled out of Denver last month and the lines were short. I guess it must be a hit and miss sort of thing. As for them being jerks, I think that's in the job description. Thought I can say that I found immigration officers at DIA (when I came back from Europe last summer) to be even more unfriendly.

 

Actually, Frontier Airlines does just that, and they charge MORE for carry on than for checked bags.

 

Ah, you beat me to it!

 

That also is hit and miss. Flying from Sacramento to Seattle last January I did my usual. That is, elastic waist pants, no jewelry (except a gold bracelet that does not come off). We qualify for TSA precheck so I left my shoes on. In Sac I beeped. They made me take off my shoes. I still beeped. The guy just pointed me to the xray. I was like, *I have no metal.* But I cooperated fully as I have heard the stories of those who do not.
Flying back out of Seattle I did my usual. In fact, it was the exact same clothes. I told the guy that apparently my *gold* had made me beep. He said it shouldn't and had me step aside. Then he told me to just put my arm through. NO BEEP! I walked on through shoes and all and no beep. The guy was just so nice and accommodating. Polar opposite of Sac.

 

If I can check a bag for free, I'll absolutely do it. It's kind of nice to be able to bring that extra pair of shoes or a full-size can of shaving cream without having to worry about getting everything through TSA. But if I've already gone through the hassle to get it to the gate, they're going to take it from me over my dead body.

On a recent trip I knew I was kind of over the baggage limit (backpack, roll-aboard, ski jacket, helmet) so I voluntarily checked my bag when they asked for volunteers. And wouldn't you know it, the bag didn't make it to my destination. On a direct flight. Ridiculous. That's what I get for trying to be a good person and play by the rules

I don't think I've ever been through LaGuardia, but JFK is my all time least favorite airport. I can't stand LAX, but it's got nothing on how terrible JFK is. There's just no space for anything, including restrooms, gate seating, or people. Luckily I only have to transfer planes there occasionally, so it's pretty easy to avoid.

A week and a half ago I went through TSA at Dulles and LAX, and both waits were surprisingly painless, with waits less than 5 minutes. Tonight on the news, they're showing multi-hour waits in Chicago. I have no idea what's causing the huge spike, but it sure doesn't seem to be a national problem. Yes, there are the usual delays here and there, but I struggle to see this as a pandemic of intolerable waits (though the bad ones look *really* bad)

 

Okay, that is just crazy.

But, as a 5'2" 63yo woman; I really do not like wrestling for the overhead bins. (But I will do it to save $25)