JGR01

These PEOPLE who fly full fare First once a year and just do NOT know how the manage TSA security .. having to fish out their boarding passes AGAIN.. sheeeesh

What are we going to do with them??

Its about my same level of frustration with road warriors (by their special gold/plat/black tags on their roll-aboard) who constantly have to fish out their cell phone, their change, the computer, their car keys, their pocket change and then proceed to take off their expensive watch.. sheeesh .. come on road warriors... can you put this crap in your carryon before the security line! When I am traveling ALL my change immediately gets dropped into my carry-on .. no matter what side of security I am on at the time..

You arrive at your office ready to work .. right?? Why not ARRIVE at TSA Security READY to pass thru??

anabolism

That was them all right. The men wore blazers with yacht logos or something. The women wore country-club dresses.

I never have any change when leaving home, and try to have small plastic bags with me so I can pack change into them for the return flight. Saves time at security, and also keeps it from falling out of my pockets onto the seats.

JDiver

Le grand bump - compendium posted.

TWA Guy

Thanks, most appreciated!

FlyAO2

Ocassionally at MIA I have had success as the E Gates, by just asking the TSA agent... Sometimes she lets you cut the line through the side.

Otherwise C gates checkin is usually pretty empty as there are very few C gates. (and as someone already said, A-E gates are connected)

Flyer23

I connected through ORD the other day, and ended up leaving security to purchase a ticket for future travel. The checkpoint between K and L appears to be reserved entirely for elites and first/business. Very cool... it completely alleviates some of the issues with funneling elites in to the normal security lines (such as having to go to the furthest-away metal detector, a la LAX) or having a separate metal detector for elites (a la DFW... with one metal detector for elites and 2-3 for non-elites, a much longer non-elite line may actually move faster). And yes, it barely had a line when I was there, while the G-H checkpoint was packed.

The premium security checkpoint is also conveniently located to the premium check-in counters. Like LAX, ORD has a check-in line exclusively for international first and EXP, separate from domestic first, business, and GLD/PLT.

Another note on ORD: I happened to be flying out of L, and the L checkpoint was totally dead. I believe there was a sign that said you needed to be holding a BP for an L gate, but it might be worth a try, especially for non-elites who can't take advantage of the premium checkpoint. The amazing thing is that all three of these checkpoints are located within an easy 5 min walk of each other, yet G-H is so much more crowded.

JDiver

You're welcome, TWA Guy! And thanks all for contributing!

Oh, my, that bumped the thread again...

TWA Guy

Is there an elite line at LGA Concourses C or D? I need to take an 0830 LGA-DCA shuttle in a few weeks and the minimal wait at DL is quite appealing. Thanks!

Flyer1965

Since RDU said "No details" I thought I'd provide:

RDU has an elite line for all of these travellers: Gold/Plat/EP/First/Business
A couple of other new airlines now share what used to be originally AA exclusive terminal, I'm not sure if they can use this line or not. It's to the right, and sometimes you can't see the sign but depending on the time of day will save you a TON of time

ILuvParis

I was there this a.m. and you are correct. This security checkpoint, labled Security Checkpoint #8 incidentally, is exclusively for elite AA flyers. This morning, about 11 a.m., there was no one there at all.

JDiver

The good news: When you check in at AA, they now take your luggage, instead of your having to check in and then haul your bagage to the CTX machines. Additionally, at SFO AA and UA are now connected airside, and one can wander back and forth to an extended numner of restaurants, shops, ATMs, etc. And if one checkpoint seems quite crowded, sometimes another in the UA area will not be.

The less than good news: OTOH, the new AA pier security checkpoint, though allowing one to pass to the airside of the terminal, was a zoo this morning - not very many people, but agents appearing very harried, rude, shouting, issuing commands to passengers, and generally being fairly inefficient in managing the people.

The elite queue is well-marked, to the left of the usual line, and has a dedicated WTMD and xray set. But they allow pax to enter, then queue around a "u" shaped group of tables to load trays, etc., making it pretty cramped when people decide to go to the head of the "U" and making it quite natural for those entering from the elite line to try to cut in front of those already waiting to process.

Next, the "bull pen" for the SSSS pax is next to the elite entry, and SSSSers are escorted from here into the elite queue ahead of anyone already in line. Crew may also use this line, and also get in front of elites in queue, so be aware it may actually take longer than non-elite at times.

By and large, the different snaking lines make for confusion and encourage people to try cutting in - I had a couple tell me "but I am in FIRST CLASS," and had to show them my BP and say "we ALL are in First Class or are elite. THAT is the back of the line, thank you."

The injecting of SSSSs in front of you for their "special attention" causes delays and confusion as well, as they are often hung with metal, various and sundry items that they need to shuck before getting processed.

To top it all, the personnel, at least today, seem to be harried, rude and unprofessional, shouting like gauleiters at passengers, grabbing items and reorganizing them in the many plastic boxes, tossing stuff in or out of them, and doing things that make no sense: my small laptop computer sleeve, marked "VAIO" was selected for swabbing; the small flat USB mini-hub was taken, swabbed, smelled (!) and visually inspected, finally put through x-ray. Did someone think SFO was near Silicon Valley, so security should be familiar with these items? Not in this life... and it took 3 or 4x as long to process the same number of people most other security points - including the previous setup at SFO - would take.

When did American Airlines fare-paying passengers exercising their right to travel become cattle, to be treated like suspects? Let's hope they iron some of the bugs out of the new system. Meantime, check any UA security entry for less traffic, and enjoy the option of wandering airside to an extended array of vendors.

dsweet

SNA has them, although the one on the United side (you can get to all gates from either checkpoints) is generally shorter in the morning.

Flyer23

bump...

Also, MCI has an elite checkpoint. If you go allllllllllllllllllll the way to the front of the regular line, there is a small sign that says First Class, and then under it something like "Admirals Club at Gate 79." The entrance to the security line is blocked off by one of the normal rope thingys at this point. I asked the gatekeeper if I could use it as an EXP (I did not have a FC BP, my upgrade cleared at the gate) and she opened the rope thingy to let me in.

BTW, totally agreed that SFO's security checkpoint is a mess, elite or no. Last time I was there, the elite line was longer than the regular, so I just used the regular line. This stuck me in the middle of the line of the elites going around the table, and it was unclear as to when I should merge (and of course, the elites weren't about to let me in).

bloompy

LAX - The elite line/lane is actually easy to find! While I am not sure about the compass direction, I can tell you that once you pass the Tom Bradley International and approach the first entry to the AA building (terminal 4), where "Qantas' First Class" drop off area is, ENTER right there. Right after you enter, look to your left, and there will be an escalator that has a clear sign of F, B, EXP passengers. Once you reach up there, however, you mingle with the rest of the other passengers.

SFO - it is true, it depends on traffic and personnel.

SJC - always a dedicated line on the right side that allows F, B, and EXPs.

tazi

Tak MIA concourse B off the list as it seems the whole concourse itself is missing.