Can a TSO make me use the family line?

Old Dec 22, 2009, 1:53 pm
  #1  
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Can a TSO make me use the family line?

Question:

On Saturday, we traveled with our two infants FLLBOS. The set-up at FLL is a little odd, where F travelers can get priority revenue protection check but there is a special family WTMD. No special F WTMD that I could see. We had first class tickets and went to use the regular WTMD after clearing the revenue protection check.

The TSO (who looked like the guy that you were always afraid of in shop class) told us to use the family line. We told him we wanted to use the regular line and that we were ticketed for a premium cabin, not that it mattered here. He started shouting at us, "I just showed you where the family line is." We told him that we were using the regular line. By this time, the steam was coming out of his ears as he shouted at us to use the family line. No go. Finally, he said, "Fine, but you're going to face a delay." Okay with us. A minute later, we were through the WTMD.

Why did we want to use the regular MD? First, the family line had about 140,000 people in it. Second, even with two kids, we are still faster than 99% of the people at security. Third, because we felt like it.

This airport was also the first one where a TSO ever commented on the food that we brought for the kids. They did the separate bag check to confirm that our kids' food was actually baby formula and not a secret recipe to blow up an airplane and the TSO snarled, "Wow, you've got a lot of food." Considering what the east coast weather was like on Saturday, we figured better safe than sorry. Normally, my goal when traveling with the kids is to get through security as quickly as possible, but I'll be the first to admit that I was ready for a fight here after dealing with the first guy. But he left it at that, so I did to and we happily caught our flight.

Mike
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Old Dec 22, 2009, 1:58 pm
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Steam coming out of his ears? Hehehe. That screener's going to die of heart attack on the job. Too bad that screeener didn't know that he wasn't required to be a line dragon.
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Old Dec 22, 2009, 2:18 pm
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Let me guess - FLL Delta Terminal 2 F line? What a surprise Good for you for giving him a virtual bird flip.
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Old Dec 22, 2009, 2:22 pm
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Originally Posted by bocastephen
Let me guess - FLL Delta Terminal 2 F line? What a surprise Good for you for giving him a virtual bird flip.
Yup, FLL Terminal 2 F line.

Mike
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Old Dec 22, 2009, 2:27 pm
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I was forbidden in MKE once for using the family line as a single traveler.
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Old Dec 22, 2009, 3:53 pm
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It's a no-win scenario. We hear reports here all the time of non-frequent fliers who get into the black diamond lane because of their inability to realize that they don't understand how to navigate the checkpoint quickly ... and end up causing frustration as a result.

The problem is that it's hard to identify a "frequent flyer" versus a "passenger with needs" on visual inspection. And I'm not sure there's a solution.
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Old Dec 22, 2009, 11:39 pm
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Originally Posted by mikeef
"Question:

On Saturday, we traveled with our two infants FLLBOS. The set-up at FLL is a little odd, where F travelers can get priority revenue protection check but there is a special family WTMD. No special F WTMD that I could see. We had first class tickets and went to use the regular WTMD after clearing the revenue protection check.

The TSO (who looked like the guy that you were always afraid of in shop class) told us to use the family line. We told him we wanted to use the regular line and that we were ticketed for a premium cabin, not that it mattered here. He started shouting at us, "I just showed you where the family line is." We told him that we were using the regular line. By this time, the steam was coming out of his ears as he shouted at us to use the family line. No go. Finally, he said, "Fine, but you're going to face a delay." Okay with us. A minute later, we were through the WTMD.

Why did we want to use the regular MD? First, the family line had about 140,000 people in it. Second, even with two kids, we are still faster than 99% of the people at security. Third, because we felt like it.

This airport was also the first one where a TSO ever commented on the food that we brought for the kids. They did the separate bag check to confirm that our kids' food was actually baby formula and not a secret recipe to blow up an airplane and the TSO snarled, "Wow, you've got a lot of food." Considering what the east coast weather was like on Saturday, we figured better safe than sorry. Normally, my goal when traveling with the kids is to get through security as quickly as possible, but I'll be the first to admit that I was ready for a fight here after dealing with the first guy. But he left it at that, so I did to and we happily caught our flight.

Mike"
Last year, they had the Black Diamond scheme of lanes, experienced travelers in one lane, casual travelers and selectees in another lane or 2, and a lane for disabled people who traveled in wheelchairs or had walkers or canes and those with special needs and families. That has all gone from MKE, probably because there is not enough staff to make it workable. IMO, the reasoning behind Black Diamond was to try and make everyone happy. Experienced travelers wouldn't be slowed by those other categories which generally take longer to pull out their items and put them on the X-ray belt. No TSO can compel you to use a specific lane. No TSO should be yelling at you, period. So long as you remain calm and do not impede the screening process, there is nothing they can do.
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Old Dec 22, 2009, 11:53 pm
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"Thanks for telling me where the line is. But I'm going to use this line today."
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Old Dec 23, 2009, 1:52 am
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Originally Posted by QUERY
Last year, they had the Black Diamond scheme of lanes, experienced travelers in one lane, casual travelers and selectees in another lane or 2, and a lane for disabled people who traveled in wheelchairs or had walkers or canes and those with special needs and families. That has all gone from MKE, probably because there is not enough staff to make it workable. IMO, the reasoning behind Black Diamond was to try and make everyone happy. Experienced travelers wouldn't be slowed by those other categories which generally take longer to pull out their items and put them on the X-ray belt. No TSO can compel you to use a specific lane. No TSO should be yelling at you, period. So long as you remain calm and do not impede the screening process, there is nothing they can do.
^
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Old Dec 23, 2009, 6:38 am
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Originally Posted by QUERY
No TSO can compel you to use a specific lane. No TSO should be yelling at you, period. So long as you remain calm and do not impede the screening process, there is nothing they can do.
Ahh, but there's the problem. The rule against "interfering with the screening process" is awfully vague. We've seen it used to attack passengers who did nothing more than standing around passively observing the checkpoint. I can easily imagine a scenario in which a bad TSO "orders" a passenger into a particular screening lane, the passenger chooses a different lane, and the TSO takes that disobedience as "interfering with the screening process" and escalates the situation into a full-blown conflict.

(Aside. I understand why the "interfering with the screening process" rule is in place, and I also understand why the definition of the rule is vague. I'm not arguing with that. But I've also seen here that the rule can be, and has been, abused.)
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Old Dec 23, 2009, 8:32 am
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Originally Posted by jkhuggins
Ahh, but there's the problem. The rule against "interfering with the screening process" is awfully vague. We've seen it used to attack passengers who did nothing more than standing around passively observing the checkpoint. I can easily imagine a scenario in which a bad TSO "orders" a passenger into a particular screening lane, the passenger chooses a different lane, and the TSO takes that disobedience as "interfering with the screening process" and escalates the situation into a full-blown conflict.
Then it could have gotten interesting. We had a good two hours before the flight and I would have been happy to call a supervisor.

For the most part, it just isn't worth it to me to cause a scene. I'm polite to the screeners and they're generally polite to me. But I'll also stand up for myself. That's why I was so annoyed that the bully was getting so red in the face. If you've seen the Harry Potter movies, he reminds me of the guy who played Vernon Dursley.

Mike
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Old Dec 23, 2009, 9:18 am
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i will use the elite line whenever possible but if the elite line is backed up, as they say "that ain't my problem" and i will look for the shortest line (family or otherwise) and use it, plane and simple and sorry folks, but there ain't no one who will/can tell me otherwise.
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Old Dec 23, 2009, 10:37 am
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Originally Posted by goalie
i will use the elite line whenever possible but if the elite line is backed up, as they say "that ain't my problem" and i will look for the shortest line (family or otherwise) and use it, plane and simple and sorry folks, but there ain't no one who will/can tell me otherwise.
The idea behind the Elite or Black Diamond lane is to put the experienced travelers all in the same line as they are most likely to transit the checkpoint without problems and in the quickest manner possible. Sure, other lines may be shorter, but if you get in behind John Q. Public and his 6 kids you may be there a while.

My experience with the Elite lanes is that the folks who use them the most are not any more or less likely to have problems transiting the checkpoint than anyone else. I like the idea of the Elite lines, but the assumptions that were made in the initial run up to the programs just are not turning out to be all that valid.

Now, as for doing what the TSOs tell you, you take your chances that there is a TSO on that checkpoint that is just having one of those days, and is just irritated enough to push the point. Im not saying its fair, or that its right, but it is a fact of life.
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Old Dec 23, 2009, 10:53 am
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A TSO can't make you do anything. A TSO can only deny you entrance to the sterile area out of concern that you have weapons, explosives or incendiaries. For TSOs who are friendly, polite and efficient, I am friendly and polite in return. For those who think they are General Patton, I either ignore them, call for a supervisor, or call for a LEO.

That said, and regardless of how fast you think you can get through the line with two infants compared to other pax, you're not going to be faster than the average frequent-flying business person with a rollaboard and a computer bag. The polite thing to do would have been to use the family line.

Just my opinion.
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Old Dec 23, 2009, 11:03 am
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Originally Posted by PTravel
That said, and regardless of how fast you think you can get through the line with two infants compared to other pax, you're not going to be faster than the average frequent-flying business person with a rollaboard and a computer bag. The polite thing to do would have been to use the family line.

Just my opinion.
W
O
W

The OP said he made it thru the WTMD in about "a minute" and according to the OP, the family lane had "about 140,000 people" in it.

So the OP, IYO, was "impolite" for not getting behind a huge crowd of people?

Rolleyes wouldn't do this one justice.
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