US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - This will end the discussions about "special" lines

WASHINGTON (AP) - Airlines no longer can speed frequent fliers through special
lines at security checkpoints.
In one of its first acts since taking over responsibility for airline security
on Sunday, the Transportation Security Administration said it was ending
airlines' efforts to allow certain passengers, primarily frequent flier and
those paying first-class or business-class fares, to avoid lengthy waits.

"One of the policy changes we have made is to have no special lines at
checkpoints," agency spokesman Jim Mitchell said. "We need to be able to take
care of all passengers and we need to have a standard way of dealing with
security."

Following Sept. 11, passengers were told to arrive two hours before their
flights for more stringent security checks. In response, several airlines,
including American, Continental and United, set up separate lines for their
most coveted passengers.

"The lines have value, not only for those who use them but those who don't,"
United spokesman Chris Brathwaite said. "They recognize those customers who are
most frequently at airports, and at the same time keep those people from being
in the other lanes, which shortens the lines for everybody."

The head of an airline passengers' advocacy group said the government's
decision to eliminate these lines could hurt efforts to regain the traffic that
carriers lost after the attacks.

"At a time when we're trying to get business travelers back on the airplanes,
this could be a big negative because of the hassle factor that many business
travelers complained of before these priority lines were put in place," said
David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association. "The airlines need
these business travelers to return to profitability."

AP-ES-02-20-02 1618EST

Why do I feel we may be caught in a bit of a playground standoff between the airlines and the new bully on the block (TSA). The fact that their first official act is to take away something many airlines have been marketing the heck out of lately and setting off fireworks at the opening of each new one seems to be more "we'll show you who is boss" oriented than "effective security" oriented.

Over at AA, they just opened (like the past week) an elite lane at SJC...did no one even think to check with the TSA to see if they would allow this to continue once they took over? So much for a coordinated, seemless security experience.

Hang on folks, it is only downhill from here as these current morons who think random groping a uniformed pilot is fun become FEDERAL EMPLOYEES...

Fair is fair then. Airline crew should not be allowed to go to the front of the line.

This is bad news for frequent flyers and bad news for the industry. Long security lines turn flying into a nightmare and contribute only marginally to creating a safer environment. I'm starting to wonder whether clogging our transportation system in the name of "security" isn't what Bin Laden, et al had in mind all along...

US Airways was so far ahead of all other major airlines that they knew this was coming and never bothered creating such lines. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
US Airways was so far ahead of all other major airlines that they knew this was coming and never bothered creating such lines. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif</font>

In junior high gym on track day, we called this being lapped...the slowest runner, for a few seconds, actually looked in first place as everyone else caught him from behind, but then the fleeting glory of appearing to be in first quickly passed as everyone else zoomed by and the person was now WAY behind the pack.

Using this line of logic, US's 1940's era counting of heads to see how many souls have boarded ("6 and 70..really, I got 7 and 73, I'll count again...wait someone is in the lav...wait, oh I don't know, let me count again...close enough, I'm closing the door") may turn out to be cutting edge technology...who needs computers, we've got fingers and toes.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mwp2paris:
Using this line of logic, US's 1940's era counting of heads to see how many souls have boarded ("6 and 70..really, I got 7 and 73, I'll count again...wait someone is in the lav...wait, oh I don't know, let me count again...close enough, I'm closing the door") may turn out to be cutting edge technology...who needs computers, we've got fingers and toes.</font>

So you want the airlines to count on the computers to count passengers that are actually on a plane? How do you suppose they'd do that? I've got news for you, US is not the only major US carrier that does manual head counts, and honestly you have to wonder why a carrier would not do this, especially in this day and age of heightened security.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
US Airways was so far ahead of all other major airlines that they knew this was coming and never bothered creating such lines. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif</font>

By the same logic, the Aussie guy won the Olympics Gold medal in last Sunday's Men's short-track 1000M race by staying behind because other guys ahead of him all crashed. What a shame to such a winner! Hats off to those who didn't win but tried harder.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by chix:
Fair is fair then. Airline crew should not be allowed to go to the front of the line.</font>


Then all our flights will be late for the excuse that the crew was delayed getting thru security.. but at least it will give us time to get on as well http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I still don't get it... the gov't agency may control the security, but the airlines are still paying for the bulk of it. Seems like the airlines should have a say in who uses which line... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif

Isn't their also an issue of when a crew members "day" begins as far as FAA rules, they are only allowed a certain number of consecutive hours being on the job (and some lesser number actually working in the air)? I want to say it's like 12 hours on the job and 8 hours actually working in the air, or something like that, or am I totally off on this?

Anyway, the point being, if that time in line counts towards their 12 hours for instance, I'm all for them skipping the lines because that would cost the airlines way too much $$$ (which would then go into the price of the tickets I buy).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by chexfan:
I still don't get it... the gov't agency may control the security, but the airlines are still paying for the bulk of it. Seems like the airlines should have a say in who uses which line... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif</font>

As long as the airlines are taking the feds money coupled with the perception that they are not adhering to prescribed security guidelines they will not fight this the press would crucify them. They will wait for the FF community to raise enough hell with their legislators about this ridiculous turn of events. I plan to start writing and e-mailing my representatives today.

Does anyone know which Senate or House committee has oversight on this matter?

It seems like a simple matter to me... the gov't is controlling the actual screening. The airlines (or whomever is paying) can determine how the people are getting to those screeners!

UA Is keeping their Priority Screening Lines:
http://www.ual.com/site/primaryPR/0,10026,1528_1048,00.html

Amen Chex, amen.

Now if only I could get Us to set up a line at ORF.... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Regards,
-Bouncer-

There is still hope! Here's the portion of the article in the WSJ that deals with elite lines.

From the WSJ

Federal Airport Screenings Cause
Conflicts With Carriers' Methods

Meanwhile, airlines have complained to the Bush administration that the government is alienating the industry's most valuable customers by forcing the carriers to shut down special lines at security checkpoints for elite-level frequent fliers. Industry representatives said Thursday that the new federal agency responsible for overseeing the screening of passengers and luggage, the Transportation Security Administration, told them it would let airlines continue to operate those lines, which the airlines had been using in recent months to speed up processing of their best customers.

The TSA acknowledged "communications glitches" over how frequent fliers should be treated at checkpoints, and a Transportation Department official said the TSA is developing "a more uniform and standard set of criteria for responding to potential security breaches."

In assuming responsibility for airport security last weekend, the agency had instructed its field agents to prohibit the use of separate metal detectors and X-ray machines for different classes of passengers. Under this policy, many airlines had planned to continue operating special lines for their frequent fliers. Once the frequent fliers reached the front of the lines leading to where airline representatives ask for tickets to be presented, they would be pulled aside. They then would be sent on to the next available security lane, one shared by regular and elite passengers and operated by the government.

Instead, TSA representatives at some airports interpreted the agency's guidance to mean that they should eliminate any kinds of special lines for frequent fliers. The differing interpretations have resulted in wide variations in the treatment of frequent fliers at different airports .

For several days this week, for example, Delta Air Lines continued to operate elite lines in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth and Salt Lake City but not in Cincinnati or at New York's La Guardia Airport .

The government's handling of the issue also is important to carriers because business travelers -- though they make up only half of the passengers on a given flight -- account for about two-thirds of the industry's annual revenue, based on some industry estimates. Keeping business customers is especially important to the carriers because most have reported sharp losses since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"It was a misinterpretation on the part of the TSA," said Michael Wascom, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association, a Washington group that represents the major carriers. "We've been told they are taking steps to clarify their position. ... The lanes are theirs, the lines are ours."

Almost every other major airlines, AA, UA, CO, NW, DL, have recently opened or reopened special security lines for elite members. Why is US so slow to respond? Where is Mike Isom when you need him?

See USA Today's acticle on 2/22/02 below:


Airlines told to change special security lines for elite fliers
By Barbara De Lollis
USA TODAY


Very frequent fliers and high-fare travelers face longer waits at airport security checkpoints under a new government policy that has closed express lanes reserved for them at some airports.

Airlines said Thursday that they were trying to keep special lines or were reopening ones that had closed in a modified way to comply with a directive from the Transportation Security Administration.

The TSA assumed responsibility for airport security from the airlines this week.

Many airlines had created the special lanes at bigger airports to help their best customers reach departure gates sooner by avoiding the long lines that resulted from stricter security after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Some airlines set aside metal detectors and X-ray machines just for frequent fliers.

Under the new policy, airlines will be able to operate separate lines -- one for premium customers and more for everybody else -- but the lines will merge just ahead of the metal detectors and X-ray machines.

Screeners will be able to check passengers alternately from the premium line and then another.

Frequent fliers would still save time but perhaps not as much as they did before.

The Transportation Security Administration says the new policy is intended to ensure that security equipment and personnel are used to best advantage and that all passengers are treated equally.

Confusion about the TSA's directive has led to varying responses by the airlines.

Last weekend, American shut down its elite lines at Dallas/Fort Worth, but not at Chicago O'Hare or St. Louis, a spokesman says.

Delta responded by shutting its elite lines at Cincinnati, a spokesman says. It has since reopened the special lines without machines designated only for them.

Northwest Airlines says it won't be making any changes because it already had set up the kind of elite-passenger lines that the TSA prefers.

To make it work, Northwest recently added 30 metal detectors that will serve all passengers.

''We took two lines that feed a single set of checkpoints and pulled from elite lines first,'' spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch says. ''Because our approach is different, we have been told we can continue to offer the service.''

We are all equal in the eyes of the government...socialism rocks!

Then explain the "i-pass" type toll lanes that only local "frequent" commuters get to use and which are paid for by taxing (tolling) everyone on that road. We should have the TSA run it so that you can alternately use the ipass lane along with the non-FC'ers.

Regards,
-Bouncer-