2-hour-plus lines at Hobby yesterday
Jul 31, 2015, 10:28 am
#1
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
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Posts: 14,175
Jul 31, 2015, 11:02 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Houston (HOU/IAH)
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Posts: 2,267
I almost got caught up in this myself but am glad that I decided to fly my other half out on AA from IAH instead of AA from HOU on her way to a smaller city in Mexico.
Ironically enough I ran into the sorority back on Tuesday after leaving my eye doctor as all the restaurants close by the doctor's office were totally packed for lunch.
Ironically enough I ran into the sorority back on Tuesday after leaving my eye doctor as all the restaurants close by the doctor's office were totally packed for lunch.
Jul 31, 2015, 1:47 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP; Hilton Gold (Citi Card); Priority Pass (Citi Prestige); Nexus/Global Entry/TSA Pre
Posts: 99
KHOU reports the suspicious items where thick booklets which apparently resembled explosives when packed in the bags.
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-te...by-6415830.php
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-te...by-6415830.php
Jul 31, 2015, 4:29 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,752
We flew out of Hobby yesterday, our flight was #1321 departing at 0900. We walked in the terminal at 0800 am via the up escalator from where the rental car shuttle dropped us off. There appeared to be 2x lines, both going to what appeared to be TSA.
It was pure chaos in the entrance hall. So many people, lines and people and lines everywhere.
One line looked to go to the TSA entrance that is close to the baggage check in counter. This seemed long, but manageable. A longer line, that was snaking around in circles that also appeared to go to TSA.
It was confusing as all hell, we have only gone through Hobby once before. When we asked the one person where to go, she pointed us to the snake line. She kept telling us we had to get into that line. We were like NO, we will not make our flight if we stand in that line. We asked why we could not get in the (what appeared to be a shorter TSA line) and she said all these other people were there before us and we needed to get into that line. She then ran off and did something else. We then got in the "shorter line" which we quickly realized was for check-in for "Other Airlines" . We then walked up to the TSA queue, and was able to get to the ID/TicketCheker in less than 5 minutes, and cleared security in about 10 min - 15 total.
Looking at the map here: http://www.fly2houston.com/hou-Maps-and-Directions
It appears the first snake line in front of the escalators went to SWA check in counter, and the other long straight line went to other airline check-ins.
I am not sure if my descriptions make sense, but the short version is : 0800 AM, pure chaos, tons of people, not a lot helping and traffic directing.
It was pure chaos in the entrance hall. So many people, lines and people and lines everywhere.
One line looked to go to the TSA entrance that is close to the baggage check in counter. This seemed long, but manageable. A longer line, that was snaking around in circles that also appeared to go to TSA.
It was confusing as all hell, we have only gone through Hobby once before. When we asked the one person where to go, she pointed us to the snake line. She kept telling us we had to get into that line. We were like NO, we will not make our flight if we stand in that line. We asked why we could not get in the (what appeared to be a shorter TSA line) and she said all these other people were there before us and we needed to get into that line. She then ran off and did something else. We then got in the "shorter line" which we quickly realized was for check-in for "Other Airlines" . We then walked up to the TSA queue, and was able to get to the ID/TicketCheker in less than 5 minutes, and cleared security in about 10 min - 15 total.
Looking at the map here: http://www.fly2houston.com/hou-Maps-and-Directions
It appears the first snake line in front of the escalators went to SWA check in counter, and the other long straight line went to other airline check-ins.
I am not sure if my descriptions make sense, but the short version is : 0800 AM, pure chaos, tons of people, not a lot helping and traffic directing.
Jul 31, 2015, 9:53 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: SAT
Programs: CO Gold, SWA A-List, CP
Posts: 54
There was a very large religious conference here in SAT a few weeks ago and at the end of the conference came a large media and social media push urging the attendees to keep all of the distributed printed materials in carry on bags...complete with signage at the airport.
Aug 1, 2015, 3:06 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
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Posts: 5,798
There was a very large religious conference here in SAT a few weeks ago and at the end of the conference came a large media and social media push urging the attendees to keep all of the distributed printed materials in carry on bags...complete with signage at the airport.
Aug 1, 2015, 4:53 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,088
I suspect they weren't "sorority girls" but ladies from "Delta Sigma Theta," a historic African American ladies service organization that had their national convention in Houston this week. These ladies seemed to be mostly middle aged and up. We met several at the Hyatt Regency last weekend. Lovely ladies. Definitely not college Greek Chicks.
Aug 1, 2015, 8:23 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,257
One would also assume that after encountering say 5 to 10 of these books at the very same checkpoint that the agents on questions would learn and adapt. Otherwise, this gives the evil folks are whole new and legal way in bringing down domestic air travel
....