So I flew out of LAX a few days ago. I am a lowly Silver Medallion, so I was fully prepared to just go through the general security line, but they had a TSA agent looking at everyone's boarding pass and directing them to the correct line. To my surprise, she motioned me (and my non-elite companion) to what I assumed was the Sky Priority line.

Where I ended up, with about five people in front of me, there were no bins. I was quite confused especially as I saw the people in front of me go through a simple metal detector (not the full body scanner that the "normies" were using), without taking off their shoes or taking anything -- laptops, etc -- out of their bags. My companion and I had the same treatment.

As an exclusive post-9/11 flyer, this was the simplest and most stress-free security experience I've ever had. I'm certainly not complaining, but was this correct procedure? Is this actually the way Sky Priority security at LAX works? Especially with a companion who has no status?

(P.S. Ironically, LAX is the only airport where I've ever been "randomly selected for secondary screening" so this was a nice surprise!)

same thing just now at IAD. the precheck line was open for everyone. I'm guessing its to promote precheck but none of the people in line knew they were in a PreCheck line.

This should be the norm rather than being termed "loose security".

TSA is starting to really vamp up pre check. I think they have publicly stated they want a large portion if travelers to (randomly) get it. I've seen many instances of TSA sending normal pax through precheck when the precheck line is below capacity and normal line is full.

My only gripe is when people encounter pre for the first time they tend to take a loooong time. I see them still taking laptops and liquids out, removing shoes, etc.

107 flights with DL in the past 11 months. I've had PreCheck once.

I went to take off my boots (steel toed) and the TSA agent said it wasn't necessary. I told him they had steel toes, and he looked at me like I had a 3rd eye. He tell me to walk through the metal detector and it alarms. I ended up the back room of CVG getting a full-on pat down and interview because my boots alarmed the residue sniffer.

I'm all for quicker, more efficient security screenings. The TSA needs to do their part and make sure their employees are trained on how to effectively communicate the new policies/procedures to avoid hang-ups like I've experienced.

CVG has been doing this selective pre-check bonus for months, as has LAS and many other airports. Sometimes they add an extra hand swab, but even that's been absent lately from what I can tell. I'd agree that the notion is to get more people in pre check whether they pay $85 or not.

The biggest isue is not that the floodgates are opening but there is not enough staffing or lanes open to handle the extra passengers. Doesnt matter if its 20 it 2000 passengers it stays the same.

The new home for this topic is the Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate forum, which is more appropriate for this discussion than the Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles forum.

Regards,

Canarsie
Co-Moderator, Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles forum

This is not loose security, this would be more along the lines of flying with dignity.

But alas, it is just Precheck.

^

I've been getting PreCheck randomly pretty often for the past couple of months and noticed a "TSA Randomizer" iPad (or similar tablet) app being used to send people to either regular lanes or PreCheck. This is nice because I'm AS MVPG flying a lot on Delta, so I have no chance of getting PreCheck on my BP without paying and interviewing (which I would do if I were ever departing ATL during interview hours).

That said, both locations I've seen with the "TSA Randomizer" were also doing random palm-wipe checks on those that were sent to the PreCheck lane. At one location (MDW) I was palm checked before PreCheck lane AND after XRay when they questioned my DE razor with no blade installed.

More than anything I would just like to see some consistency...

Like I said, I never had the luxury of flying before 9/11 so I guess I have just become too used to the current process as being "the norm" :P

It's certainly encouraging to hear that this was not just a fluke and in fact might be part of a deeper push to ameliorate the security process across the board

Sadly even many people who did fly before 9/11 have become too used to the current process and accepted it as the "norm".

Did you mean to say "vamp" or was it "ramp"? Just got a not-too-pleasant visual of TSA clerks trying to act sexy...

Actually, I think TSA was directed by Congress to have 75% of passengers going through PreCheck by the end of 2014.