pdsales

Currently Precheck at ORD's American Terminal (Terminal 3) is limited to the security line at the Northeast corner of the terminal. (The terminal runs Northeast to Southwest.) I've trudged to Priority Access a couple of times only to find the Precheck line so long I'm better off with the Priority Access line at the center of the terminal.

Today while I was in the Priority Access line at the center of the terminal TSA opened a separate Precheck line that can only be accessed after passing through the Priority Access line at that center security line. TSA opens it "during peak times" right now said the agent, which makes it catch as catch can at present, but he also said that they would open it full time within a couple of weeks.

ORDflyer

I applaud the idea of another pre-check line at O'Hare. However, I use the pre-check line near the First Class counter all the time. There is never a long line in my experience. Certainly not enough to justify going back to the center area to save time. What the OP may not know is that the pre-check line he thinks is so crowded is not for pre-check, but (1) consists of non-pre-check folks who are quickly shoed away by the gate guard or (2) ordinary Priority Access people who are directed to the right (priority access) by the gate guard, rather than to the left (pre-check). The longest pre-check line I have been subjected to is 4 to 5 pax.

sts603

I've never ever had to wait for Precheck in any airport. Period.

neo_781

I believe you are referring to Checkpoint 8. There are actually 2 lanes, one pre-check and the other is for Priority (not including Gold I think) - Exec Plat, Platinum and First Class and the people who don't have pre-check for that flight (maybe due to random selection, etc).

I regularly use this checkpoint and I would disagree about the wait times. Even if the pre-check part is twice as long of a line as any other checkpoint, it is virtually always going to be faster than taking off your shoes, jackets, belts and going through the scanner, etc...

However I am glad to see that they are expanding pre-check to another checkpoint.

Pooh

Yes. Two separate lines. One for pre-check and one for 1st/exec plt.

My son and I connected from LHR through ORD to TUL a week or so ago. After exiting customs and going to security again at ORD, there were, perhaps, eight people in the TSA pre-check line. (Regular line in the center of the terminal was long - I'd wager at least 30 minutes, if not 45 or more.) But the AA representative directed us to the empty 1st/exec plt line. The TSA agent checked our boarding passes & IDs immediately - ahead of the other folks in the pre-check line, then told us to step into the pre-check line in front of the other fellows. (Both my son and I are pre-check approved.) I would have been happy to wait given the short pre-check line; I wasn't expecting the double cut.

Took us about two minutes to get entirely through security. As I said, I wasn't expecting the double cut. But it was definitely sweet.

Apieinthesky

While I'm not familiar with the geography of ORD's T3, I do believe you are referring to the First/EXP/PLT security line, where the current PreCheck setup is. The F/EXP/PLT line is way over to the left (when facing the checkpoint) of the PriorityAAccess line and all the other AA desks and security checkpoints. I've often seen the PA line to be very long, but never the F/EXP/PLT line, and PreCheck is filtered out by the initial scanner and directed to the left side of the ID checkers. Never had much of any wait for PreCheck.

DZONELB

have you tried flying out first thing monday mornings? I have, every other week for several months now. It is NOT 4-5 people. It snakes way past either Flagship check-in or FC check-in depending on where they decide to line people up. The first time I saw i just laughed and posted it angrily on my FB.

DZONELB

Either:

1. You're very lucky
2. Do not fly during peak hours
3. do not fly that often

Pre check is starting to be a joke with the amount of people lining up, and it's no longer like in the past where half the people lined up were just lost and clueless, 90% people lining up are per-approved.

It's still pretty fast to go though and less hassle, so am really not complaining.

aafreq

I just 'passed' thru this very checkpoint today at 7:45 AM....
Traveling in F....printed out my BP at home and noticed NO pre pass logo,
Despite being GOES qualified !
Stopped by the counter and was told that pre pass no longer appears on the BP...
Printed out new BP still with no pre pass logo...Told by agent that the logo no longer is printed
Accessed the pre pass lane.....had 10 PAX waiting in line, being F entered the F lane to the RIGHT of pre pass lane and was 'cleared' NOT to pre pass lane but to standard F lane...
Off came the shoes, belt, computer etc.....what da ...why did I pay $100.00 for this ???
Random or not this is ludicrous !!!

Apieinthesky

This whole post is extremely strange to me. First of all, GOES is the system to enroll in the trusted traveler programs, such as Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI. I don't know what "pre pass" is, but I assume you're talking about PreCheck. The AAgent may be misinformed, but the PreCheck logo does in fact appear on boarding passes now, whether printed at home, mobile, or printed at the kiosk (not sure about the ones printed on the card stock by an airport agent).

What do you mean you "accessed the pre pass lane"? Isn't there only the one entrance (unless you come from the Flagship Check in, which places you on the left side right in front of the ID Checker), after which your boarding pass is scanned and you're either directed to the left (for the PreCheck lane) or to the right for regular screening?

Also, random means random. How many times do you fly and how many do you get selected for random screening? Calling the system ludicrous for being randomly selected for regular screening once out of the many times one flies would be, well, ludicrous.

AATrout

Perspective might be helpful. How long have you been enrolled in Pre and was it previously an AA invitation? And how was your clear rate until now? Class of travel is not a factor, really. I've had Pre fails when in a F seat a couple of times that overlapped my GOES enrollment early last year, and a few this year too.

You could avoid the surprise by scanning your BP with some of the tips in the 1st post in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html

chicago_guy

Just last week the pre check line @ORD was at least 3 times longer than the EP/priority line, so it happens, but it still moved more quickly than the EP line.

Two OT notes - there were still several people in pre check pulling out stuff and taking sports coats off, slowed things down and was slightly annoying from the perspective of them not realizing it was defeating the purpose.

And they added a pre check finally at DTW non-Delta terminal, but it is at the exact opposite end of AA gates. They told me they would be putting one at the AA checkpoint in a week or two. Thank goodness! That place is always such a pain with checkpoints!!

aafreq

Pre pass = pre check....you seem to have deduced that on your own.
NO, I repeat NO pre check logo appeared on ANY pre printed at home BP nor printed at the AA counter.....therefore....if what you claim is correct....that the logo "does in fact appear on BP now" did not appear on both of our passes...we are both plat....it is LUDICROUS to be shunted off to a 'kettle' line due to AA
Lack of proper Ticketing procedures...
ORD is a ZOO to begin without the added confusion of whether one is pre check
Approved, random or not........FYI, there are TWO side by side entrances to pre check lanes, if you enter the F lane you have no access to the pre check lane once you are checked by the agent....I have been 'randomly' selected 4 times out of 5 trips thru the Zoo...Do you think it may be my goatee ?

chicagoflyer1976

I can't believe it when I see people doing this. I think anyone who goes through Pre-Check and behaves like this should have their pre-check status revoked for life.

brp

You seem to be unclear about the purpose of the GE program (what you pay the $100 for) as well as the name

GE is for access to the US via immigration. That's it. That's what you oay the $100 for. If it's not worth it to you, then you shouldn't pay it.

It also allows the possibility to get Pre-Check, as do several other avenues. But that's not the program, and that's not what the $100 is for.

It may be beneficial for you to review the relevant website to become more familiar with the function (and name) of the program.

Also, the notion that the airline gets to decide whether to give you Pre-Check or not, and that it is an "airline ticketing procedure" also shows a lack of understanding about the program.

I can certainly understand your frustration. Misunderstanding how a program works- especially one that you've paid money for - can be annoying.

Cheers.