carsnoceans

I am a regular on UAs first flight from ORD-LGA on Mondays. Given the peak of travel and ungodly flight time, lines are always long and I am always cutting it close. However, my timing is tuned to the minute. I have a TSA Pre from my global entry and it takes me less than 3-4minutes to clear security. It's perfectly timed to boarding time announcements!!

However, last weekend, the agent <phrasing changed by moderator per tos> at TSA Pre line asked me to take the next line which was not exclusively TSA PRE pax. Regular pax were in that line as well and even tho I did not take my shoes off, everyone else did!! Also I was asked to take out liquids and laptop in that line! Thankfully I did not have either and that saved precious seconds. By the time, I got to gate they were doing final call. Close save. But it agitated me to hell!

I knew that was the wrong line but since (real) tsa Pre line was getting long, that lady asked me to move to next line (This is left most security checkpoint at ORD). Maybe ORD fliers will know what I am talking about. Are these people <word changed by moderator per tos> working for UA or tsa? Because next time, I will tell <deleted for tos>. I saw the real Tsa Pre line move 4x times faster as the female pax before me struggles to take out 3 bags of liquids, boots and laptop from her "rollaboard bag". Almost had a raging fit there.

Have you guys been in this situation? If so, is my reaction deserving or am I over reacting to the situation? I hope you do realize in the morning flights time is precious cOnmodity and having TP is a perk that I paid for.

LASUA1K

It's an ORD issue. It frustrates me to see lanes not open at 5AM. How the TSA doesn't staff ORD at 5AM is ridiculous.

With more people going thru TSA Pre, they will need to add lanes.

LarkSFO

What is TP?

I hear UA is making you buy that onboard on some flights...

Pre-Check has been getting less fun since they opened it to the masses.

Does ORD have Clear available?

https://www.clearme.com/

LaserSailor

You self-generate your anxiety by 'cutting it close' and 'timing it to the boarding' IMHO.

You can also be selected for random non-Precheck screening as part of the TOS of Precheck, so eventually you will miss your flight if you insist on doing this.

Timing it 'to the minute' just is not possible unless you don't mind missing your flight on occasion.

WineCountryUA

dangerous approach -- random denial of Precheck, broken TSA equipment ... you are playing with fire and will get burned

PreCheck is not a guarantee and to treat it as such is incorrect.

All indications with PreCheck being opened up to the general public is the 1 minute PreCheck lines are a thing of the past. Allow 15 minutes extra and avoid the stress / anxiety.

carsnoceans

I didn't know about denial of pre-check. Can I be denied even though my boarding pass shows TSA Pre logo?

Pre-check opening to masses is definitely something that concerns me and cutting it close is not a good habit. I am not taking pride in it. But the topic is staff pointing me in the wrong lane for the heck of it! It's ridiculous. Can I argue back and try to stay in the proper lane regardless of what those agents <changed by moderator per tos> say?

LaserSailor

All security screening involves a 'random component' and PreCheck has in the past (still does?) occasionally send a 'cleared' member for 'regular' screening. I have experienced this and have not been delayed more than 5 minutes.

Arguing over TSA procedures rarely gets you through faster.

(flagged mods to remove back and forth)

brendog

[Unduly personalized/off-topic text edited by Moderator.]

That said, as much as I'd like to travel like it's 1999, I try to give myself 30 minutes longer than I need these days, as the "security" experience is so highly variable.

Kacee

[Conforming moderator edit.]

No, this thread is silly. The title is sophomoric and unwarranted, and the subject (crowding of pre-lines) has been discussed at length in the dedicated TSA Pre thread. Additionally, as others have pointed out, your "issue" was entirely of your own making. Smart travelers anticipate potential airport delays and build a cushion into their schedule.

theddo

Yes, you can argue. I would suggest indicating clearly that you aren't a terrorist and that your travel pays their salaries and they work for you and are your servants and then simply continue through the check point, they will not stop you.

If they get agitated it's important to yell loudly and clearly inform them of their inferiority.

PushingTin

I sympathize with the OP. When I'm at the airport, I'm at work, this is part of my job. I wouldn't be surprised if my feet hit the same tiles everytime I go thru the airport. 15 minutes adds up here and there and I would argue that it isn't so much the time as the variability. I personally am a hurry-up-and-wait person- I leave time for one 'ooopss' and I pack an extra pair of underware- you just never know. That said, if you are going to offer these special access, they need to make sure it actually works. If you can't count on it, you have to pad more time, so what is the real benefit.

I actually cleared DEN customs faster than the GOES guys last time, but I got the Global Entry because when the standard line is back up for an hour, I know I can get thru the GE line in less than 20 minutes.

You know you have precheck before you get to the airport, so having it isn't an issue.

Why are we <deleted per tos> because we expect that things should run right? I still spend more time in airports than 99.9% of people. Sure I go thru fast today, but I'm back 8 times a month min.

sinoflyer

Who's the idiot here? Knowing the principles of probability, something like this is bound to happen. I've never heard of a situation where you can be denied Pre-check despite having the Pre-check logo on your boarding pass, but I suppose that it could happen. Besides, I haven't heard of a situation where you can bypass the BP checker unless you physically walk to a different checkpoint. Is anything ever 100 percent certainty? If an extra five minutes (tops) jeopardizes your boarding, then you should reevaluate your habits. Better give yourself a bigger cushion and smarten up.

eng3

I think the "random denial" is done prior so if you have the logo on your BP (or of your barcode scans with the 3) then you should be getting pre.
Perhaps they have an additional level of "random" where the TSA agent is suppose to randomly check a certain percentage of passengers. It is a convenient excuse to use when someone screws up.

I have randomly gotten my hand swabed for chemicals after going through the metal detector when it decides to randomly beep. (not sure what chemicals have to do with a metal detector.)

The agent was probably trying to put you into the shorter line for your own benefit. If this happens again, instead of ... "argue", I'd suggest you politely ask if you can stand in the longer line. The TSA agent may not care. And ofcourse, don't leave it to the last minute. Outside of security, you never know about traffic or missing a gate change announcement, who knows.

JDS747

Yes, you most certainly can be denied! I've never had it done to me, but I have seen others in front of me be asked to step over to regular security, and told about it being random. Not only on the left at ORD but other locations too.

Don't forget those people running the security lines over there are TSA law enforcement officers (whether they are idiots or not is another story). You sure can tell them off but don't expect to get what you want for doing it. It will likely only get you escorted to a room for further screening/questioning.

carsnoceans

All those who are harping about giving more time at airport - in general practice you are right. But you are not in my shoes. Unless you are getting up at 3:45am every Monday to start a 19hr work day (every week), think before you preach.

I appreciate comments from others for informing me of Pre check dilution and random selection.... however the hell they justify it.