Just venting here........Just came thru security in IAH terminal E. the busiest time on a Friday. (took almost an hour thru the"Elite haha" line There is room for 8 X ray lines but ONLY 2 were open. I counted 26 TSA agents standing around. Now I know UA does not control the TSA (They must be controlled by some Jobs program) but they must have some say??? People were looking mighty scared they might miss there flights. Does anyone know how much say UA or any airline has over how many lines are open. TWENTY SIX TSA's FOR 2 LINES!!!!!

I've seen this in SFO before, except I was audacious enough to say something - which looking back was quite cheeky and probably ill-advised. I work for a government institution; all I can say is, what else do you expect? Not a lot of motivation or accountability for TSA it seems.

Are you familiar with the Checkpoints and Border Policy Debate forum?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/check...cy-debate-687/

Airlines have zero say over what happens at the checkpoint.

No, so I shall go there. My question since this was at a UA hub was does UA have any say over how many lines are open

C'mon, you know that answer. Hub or not, airlines are powerless against TSA.

There is some sort of pressure airlines can apply to get more lines open, but they have no direct control/say/power.

That makes sense. I find it hard to believe airlines have NO say. Maybe no control but not no input

Arrived at 12:15pm for 1:27pm flight at PIT. Only 4 of 6 lanes open. Seemed to be TSA training day. Took 35 minutes to get through the elite line including opt out of back scatter X-ray. Please just let me go though the WTMD!

I live in a city of 300,000 people and we have a nice airport with two TSA lines. No elite lines. For the most part they are very good and friendly, the way we are in the south.

The last two times I have been through I have been taken aside and patted down. Each time I am told that it is because of my zip-off-to-shorts travel pants. Both of these trips have been to DCA. At DCA, on my way back from these trips, I am in the DL elite line. The scan of my ticket shows that I travel a great deal, 3 M miies just on DL, and am in my 70s. So, I and my grey hair, am directed to the quick line--sorry I cannot recall the exact name. Woo Hoo. This is the way to go. Laptop stays in case, coat stays on, shoes stay on, liquids on quart bag stay in the carry on.

I think my concern at TSA is reliability. Why is an old guy like me, wearing the same pants, searched where I live but walk right through in our nation's capital?

TSA was a jobs program - it is clearly NOT a security program. It would be GREAT if UA controlled the screening process - it would be faster (or it would have been if PMUA was in charge).

This is an airline issue too. Each airline station manager is encouraged to maintain an ongoing working dialogue with each airport's Federal Security Director. They do this for a wide range of issues, including placement of elite lines, and streamline the entrances to the checkpoints.

You should email your airline (UA) and the airport's FSD.

Caution here. SFO security is contracted to a 3rd party: http://covenantsecurity.com/sfo/ and not directly staffed by TSA.

That doesn't make it any more effective or efficient of course...