Ok; let's have an intelligent discussion on what is reasonable for checkpoint screening times. I know it is party line to say 1 hour before flight, 1.5 hours etc. But, assuming the airline computers are working (i.e. the person can check in normally) and the appropriate number of checkpoints are open, 1.5 hours is an extremely long amount of time. Take my situation -- I can print my boarding pass at home, skipping airline check-in entirely. I know the plane boards 30 minutes prior to flight. I like to get to the gate a few minutes before that so I can get my place in line, upgrades etc.

More than a twenty minute wait (which, thanks to Registered Traveller, I never have at DCA, and in fairness, rarely have at other airports) is extremely excessive. If there is more than a twenty minute wait then they need to open more lanes; bottom line. To make a paying airline passenger wait more than 20 minutes because of security (on more than a one-off basis) is excessive. This to me means I am at the security line an hour before flight time. I often have many minutes to kill after getting through security. I don't want to get there and have to waste any more time waiting.

Think of the net economic loss to GNP if every business traveller was at the airport 2 hours early for every flight... What unproductive wastes of time.