Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate - Refused security screening for flight delayed past time on BP

Hi all,

I couldn't find an existing thread that answers my question and the TSA website wasn't helpful. What is TSA policy with regards to letting passengers through security after the departure time printed on their boarding pass when their flight has been delayed?

Last night I was delayed 2.5 hours due to ATC on United LHR-IAD. I knew my connection cushion had evaporated and that it would be tough to make my IAD-BOS connection. But it was the last flight of the day so I wanted to try. Global Entry was awesome and got me through customs and immigration in record time. The UA supervisor at the customs exit called the IAD-BOS gate to discover that the flight was delayed. She told me she didn't think I could make it but also said I should try. The aircraft had not yet left the gate.

My IAD-BOS flight was originally scheduled to depart at 9:55p but was delayed to 10:10p. My boarding pass did not show the updated/delayed departure time. I arrived at TSA security screening at 9:57p. The agent said he needed his supervisor to approve letting me through since my boarding pass was for a flight "in the past." Fair enough. The TSA supervisor had to call UA to confirm the flight delay. Fair enough. She confirmed the delay but refused to let me through security because she said there is no way for me to get through security and to the gate in the 5 minutes I then had before the updated departure time. She was probably right but my flight had not yet departed and as we all know delays are often rolling. My flight was then further delayed a few minutes. While I still may have missed it, I wanted to try. If it had been delayed a little more I could have made it. Was TSA correct in refusing me entry? In my opinion this is not an issue for their discretion but the traveler's.

I ended up having to pay $75 for a room at the Hyatt which is a good deal but I'd much rather be home already.

Thanks,
Ben

Was TSA correct in refusing me entry?

No.

Apparently they don't understand the concept of a flight
delay and have never experienced one... even though they
work at the airport. :rolleyes:

If you had arrived early? You would not have been a security risk.
Since you arrived late? You became a security risk.

TSA logic in action.

This is the well documented pumpkin phenomenon taught to us in the Cinderalla story. When the clocks tick past certain times - people and things transform into other things - in your case you became a threat to security.

Your tax dollars at work.

We should all feel safer now.

Read Catch 22. I think the TSA SOP is based on a work of fiction.

TSA does seem to be very proactive when it comes to ruining a passenger's day.

While I still may have missed it, I wanted to try. If it had been delayed a little more I could have made it. Was TSA correct in refusing me entry? In my opinion this is not an issue for their discretion but the traveler's.

I ended up having to pay $75 for a room at the Hyatt which is a good deal but I'd much rather be home already.


No, they were not correct. Complain; complain; complain. Use TSA's local IAD complaint channel to complain directly. Demand compensation for the hotel room, even though you will get nothing. And complain to UA. The airlines would have a great deal of influence over TSA if they banded together to stand up for their paying passengers, but they squander the opportunity and roll over like submissive dogs.

As an aside, were you at the mid-field international arrivals area that is only for connecting passengers? There's no standard way out of that terminal after customs except through TSA's checkpoint, so I'm curious as to what they did to you. Open a side door or escort you through the terminal or what? The last time I went through there, I don't even remember TSA checking BPs as it was a standard trick for non-connecting passengers with no checked luggage to use the faster midfield arrivals hall.

(Or has IAD changed since my last international arrival?)

I think the TSA SOP is based on a work of fiction.

It's certainly implemented on that basis.

Was TSA correct in refusing me entry?

No.

If you weren't carrying anything that might present a threat to air safety/security, everything else falls well outside the purview of the battalions of officious martinets in blue.

The agent said he needed his supervisor to approve letting me through since my boarding pass was for a flight "in the past." Fair enough. The TSA supervisor had to call UA to confirm the flight delay. Fair enough.

Actually, I disagree. Nothing about this is fair. It's absurd.

I think you should complain, but I don't expect it to get you far. It's policy, ya know. Why is it policy? Who knows. It just is.

Good luck, since you got hosed.

Mike

No, they were not correct. Complain; complain; complain. Use TSA's local IAD complaint channel to complain directly. Demand compensation for the hotel room, even though you will get nothing. And complain to UA. The airlines would have a great deal of influence over TSA if they banded together to stand up for their paying passengers, but they squander the opportunity and roll over like submissive dogs.

As an aside, were you at the mid-field international arrivals area that is only for connecting passengers? There's no standard way out of that terminal after customs except through TSA's checkpoint, so I'm curious as to what they did to you. Open a side door or escort you through the terminal or what? The last time I went through there, I don't even remember TSA checking BPs as it was a standard trick for non-connecting passengers with no checked luggage to use the faster midfield arrivals hall.

(Or has IAD changed since my last international arrival?)


Thanks for all the reassuring replies. I thought about pulling out my physical Global Entry card as evidence that I was not a security risk but I didn't have it with me. I also thought about escalating the situation and insisting that I be let through, but I'd been traveling for 20 hours, was wiped out, and realized that escalation would probably result in the police being called.

My flight from London arrived after the midfield arrivals hall was closed. So although we arrived midfield, we had to take the bus to the main terminal, clear customs/immigration there, pass back through security in the main terminal, and hop back on the bus to D for my connecting flight. Had midfield arrivals been open I would definitely have made my connection.

Complaint time.

[snipped for brevity]The UA supervisor at the customs exit called the IAD-BOS gate to discover that the flight was delayed.[snipped for brevity]

You might have mentioned to the TSO that "The UA supervisor called and they're holding the flight for me, but only for a few minutes." Not really a lie, since the UA supervisor had actually informed them GA that there was a passeger on his way to the gate, so the GA may have gone about his business just a hair slower to allow you time to make it before they closed the doors.

I wonder if the GA delayed that flight another 10-15 minutes, then decided they couldn't wait any longer.

You might have mentioned to the TSO that "The UA supervisor called and they're holding the flight for me, but only for a few minutes." Not really a lie, since the UA supervisor had actually informed them GA that there was a passeger on his way to the gate, so the GA may have gone about his business just a hair slower to allow you time to make it before they closed the doors.

I wonder if the GA delayed that flight another 10-15 minutes, then decided they couldn't wait any longer.

Sadly I said basically exactly that to the TSO. She just seemed intent on being a PITA.

Was TSA correct in refusing me entry?

No. It's especially ridiculous because, it seems, you had just gotten off of another plane and were going through the post-immigration checkpoint rather than coming from the outside, when the argument could potentially have been made.

Demand compensation from United. Even if they don't give it to you, they'll point you in the right direction of who you should go after from the TSA. Realistically, you won't get any money back, but you can cause some headaches if you feel like it.

How about suing the TSA for the cost of the delay?

Had they just let you through it sounds like you very well might have made it as the plane obviously was there for some minutes after you got to the checkpoint.

You might have mentioned to the TSO that "The UA supervisor called and they're holding the flight for me, but only for a few minutes." Not really a lie, since the UA supervisor had actually informed them GA that there was a passeger on his way to the gate, so the GA may have gone about his business just a hair slower to allow you time to make it before they closed the doors.

I wonder if the GA delayed that flight another 10-15 minutes, then decided they couldn't wait any longer.
Then they'd have to change their minds to something benefiting the passenger and lose out on the opportunity to teach the OP a 'lesson'. It was never gonna happen. Like going to the Department of Motor Vehicles, if they decide you're not going to have something in any particular moment or instance, you're not getting it.

Of course, you can't professionalize until you Federalize :rolleyes:

She just seemed intent on being a PITA.

TSA employee. Res ipsa loquitur.

UA could have given the OP a "standby" bp for some later flight (to anywhere--assuming there was one), this would have gotten him through tsa.
TSA at some/most:) airports are idiots--there is a thread on FT, where TSA did not want to let a pax through security when he showed up before midnight to take a flight the next day--a little after midnight.:confused:

UA could have given the OP a "standby" bp for some later flight (to anywhere--assuming there was one), this would have gotten him through tsa.
TSA at some/most:) airports are idiots--there is a thread on FT, where TSA did not want to let a pax through security when he showed up before midnight to take a flight the next day--a little after midnight.:confused:

That would have taken too long.

The TSA specializes in delaying people just enough.

A better line of communication between the airline/airport and the TSA checkpoint is all that's needed. (yeah, I know....)

Where I'm located, we have a direct line to the Checkpoint supervisor and will advise them of any delayed flights and by how much so last minute checked in passengers and connecting pax are able to make it though.

We have very proactive folks who do want to make it easier on people.

A better line of communication between the airline/airport and the TSA checkpoint is all that's needed. (yeah, I know....)

Where I'm located, we have a direct line to the Checkpoint supervisor and will advise them of any delayed flights and by how much so last minute checked in passengers and connecting pax are able to make it though.

We have very proactive folks who do want to make it easier on people.

Actually a "better line of communication" between TSA employees and common sense would work wonders for 80% of issues between passengers and TSA. Unfortunately it seems the "War on Water" can't hold a candle to the "War on Common Sense" that TSA is waging.

Unfortunately it seems the "War on Water" can't hold a candle to the "War on Common Sense" that TSA is waging.

Amen to that!^^^