Originally Posted by
GoingAway
To the OP - the id-checker didn't recognize the bp/elite status/F designation would be my guess. They are trained based on the bp's they see most often and that's what they "know". At Dulles, anything with any sort of status marking would get you in the premium line because all airlines enter security through the single area.
Oddly enough, Dulles is the only place where my AirTran first class and ELITE-marked ticket has failed to get me access to the elite line, even after discussion.
The person I encountered said that AirTran did not have a first class, for starters. I said they had business class, and as the elite line was for First AND business class, it should count. Then he insisted they had no business class, and were an all-coach airline! He said he used to work for them, and I was just trying to pull a fast one over on him. Rather incredulous (as it seemed like surely they should get AirTran passengers moving through enough to know that's not true!) I argued with him for a bit. Neither my arguments, nor pointing out the ELITE on my boarding pass, got me into the line. I could've called for a supervisor -- heck, I nearly called Air Tran on my cell phone -- but I just went into the much longer regular line. I still had plenty of time to make my flight.