Jebby_ca

Sorry, just had to vent about my experience today...

AT the YYZ T1 Transborder checkpoint, I was directed into the same lane used by flight crews. When I got into the line, there were a few people in front of me waiting to put their stuff into the x-ray, so I got my stuff ready for my turn. I was all ready, laptops and liquids out, everything on the belt, when the flight crew for a flight shows up together - 6 crew members in total.

I was the next person to put my stuff into the x-ray at this point. 5 of the crew members decide to cut in front of me, while the captain of the flight lets me proceed through the checkpoint first. I had to stand around for an extra few minutes waiting for them to get their stuff out of their bags, but I was all ready to go.

Now, I understand the flight crew get priority over regular passengers - but come on... if you see that I am all ready to proceed through the WTMD, will I really slow you down that much if you let me go first?

I should have thanked the captain loudly, within earshot of his colleagues, for his courtesy to allow me to proceed before going through himself, even though he could have cut in front of me as well.

InkUnderNails

Although the captain was nice to let you go through first, the flight crew should have been screened together. Their level of scrutiny is less than ours and it makes sense to let their bags go through as a group as it is easier on the xray operator. Either the operator had to change procedure just for your bags and had to know which were yours to do so, our your bag was screened using crew procedure.

You may have gotten a highly dangerous bottle of water through were the latter the case, endangering all of aviation, running the risk of another 9/11 and leading to planes falling out of the sky. For as we are well aware, there is nothing more dangerous than large bottles of water, except for cupcakes.

MikeFly

I think the x-ray operator could be able to tell the difference between the OP's bags and the captains due to the super secret upside down coin holder signal!

RichardKenner

That indicates the end of the crew bags. There's still the issue of where they start.

InkUnderNails

Signal or no signal, it is more efficient and reasonable to keep crew groups together because of the different level and intensity of screening. There is no need to make the xray operator have to discern what type of screening is required on individual bags if not necessary.

zeikka

I understand that crews fly for work, but so do I 90%+ of the time. If I was habitually late to work or just plain rude to them (as in cutting in front without saying anything), I'd be fired.

Worst one was US Airways flight attendant who cut in front and was then slow as anything. I was ready and ut some of my stuff on he belt when shefot angry/ snippy.

Any airline that would mandate their crews to line-up with passengers would get major PR/ goodwill.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

Several times I have had flight crew get in front of me before If I have put my items on the tables. Once on the tables they get behind me. Not yet had them cut in front once my stuff was on the table. If happened I would say something. Just like did when the FA got behind me in line and did not cut. I thanked her for that.

fti

Seriously? So all crew enter the checkpoint at one time of the day all together? In airports I have seen, there seems to be a relatively steady flow of crew interspersed with passengers. I know you probably mean "crew from one flight" but the principle is the screeners are used to screening a crew bag, then a passenger's, then another crew bag, etc. Not a big deal.

InkUnderNails

Yes, seriously. The OP was about a group of crew members that approached the checkpoint together.

They should go through together. Seriously. Not kidding.

Allan38103

Yes

Not a big deal

goalie

While some may consider it annoying, it is a "necessary evil" as if the crew is delayed at the checkpoint, then their flight could be (n.b. could be) delayed so my sop is to always let uniformed crew (n.b uniformed crew) always go ahead of me

Combat Medic

Or the crew could show up to work with enough time to get through the checkpoint ontime. You know, kindof like I have to.

loops

The flight crews are still dealing with TSA induced bravo sierra long after getting through the milling checkpoint. The crew still has to contend with TSA "inspecting" aircraft they know very little about and make sure no damage has been done to important systems. This post-inspection inspection is a layer of real security as important as any other pre-departure checklist these unfortunate days. TSA will often hide make-believe "threat" items aboard aircraft to test the flight crew's vigilance. I have no problem with letting flight crew get through the line ahead of me. I figure my patience could well result in a timely departure into the blue far from the grasping blue below. I feel much safer aloft.

RichardKenner

Unless it was the first day of their trip, the crew showed up to work days ago. From then on, they're on the clock. Since there are required rest periods, time spent waiting at a checkpoint cuts into their work day, which could easily cause delayed flights later in the day to be cancelled due to them timing out.

cardiomd

On a business trip, I'm pretty much on the clock 24/7 too. Any number of frequent flyers go through security as much as crew members, if not more. They should just go through the elite line like all of us.

(In truth, I'm not *that* opposed to the flight crew jumping in line but I want them to be a uniting force in ensuring that security lines move quickly and screening is reasonable.) If somebody is "exempt" from any procedure, they don't realize how awful it is (e.g. congress and TSA screening.)