I go through the A terminal security lines weekly. BE CAREFUL if you/your friend is traveling on an early flight! There are NW, AirTran and Spirit departures in the 6-7am hour and security lines can be very, very long. I have seen the line go right out the front door--especially on Friday mornings. I have started arriving an hour before departure if I'm on the early flights. Elite/first will get you ahead of some of the crowd, but sometimes your entry point is still deep in the line (I guess n/a to your friend).

I have been quite surprised with the short lines only an hour or so later though. Also note that the right-hand lane has one of the sniffers that blasts you with air in hopes of finding a bomb just in front of the metal detector. This line may move more slowly as there is a wait time while the machine decides whether to electrocute you or not--I mean while it tests the air just blown across your body for signs of explosives.