IAH has these airserv employees that guard the entrance to the security lines. They are so useless. This morning flying out of IAH I was flying DL but the T-A security lines were nuts and precheck wasn't open, so I went over to C.

Airserv dude: this is a Delta boarding pass, you have to go to A
Me: no I don't
Dude: but this is a United only checkpoint
Me: no, it's terminal C

At that point I just put my BP in my pocket and walked past him. Why can't they just make sure you have a BP and leave it at that not making up BS rules that would likely trick the infrequent traveller?

Just to make it better, the TSA guy said we don't see many DL BPs over here. I told him I know better than to clear security at A and he simply laughed and agreed with me.

Here at HNL we also have 3rd party securitas (insert Cartman voice ) who patrol watch the airport. Though I've never seen them goof up like yours did.

And to be fair...it's not like GAs, FAs, CS reps, TSA officers, or Lounge Gatekeepers are necessarily sitting on perfect track records for knowing the fine nuances of their trade.

You'd be surprised how many of these "<redacted by moderator>" have no clue which terminals are connected airside. At LAX, regardless if I fly UA or AA, I always go to T4 as I can use the AC with my membership and eat there and shower before my flight. So far, I haven't been hassled much, but the potential stress of dealing with these mostly beyond useless <redacted by moderator> is something I dread every time. Since these employees don't have scanners, sometimes to get past them, I just keep older digital BP's on my phone and flash one that looks like something in the ballpark of what they'd expect to see. Of course, once I get to the actual TSA checker, I then pull out the real one.

Actually, once, many years ago at SFO back when AA shared T3 with UA, and my AA flight got cancelled and I got moved to UA, so I walked over to the UA gate, as they're connected airside, and the GA asked me "how I managed to get to the UA gates from the AA gates." She started to freak out that I must've not re-cleared security. I had to tell her several times that the AA gates were in the same security area as UA. I even invited her to come take a look

The big Securitas boss for all of Hawaii is Donahue.... the former Hono PD Police Chief....

Why am I not surprised. HPD... hmmmm.

I worked with them when I was at Hickam....and it was a crap-show dealing with him and his folks.

I thought you were going to say a crap-shoot.

I hate these guys.

Yes, I know that they are doing the precheck line a favor by keeping <redacted by moderator> out of the wrong chute, but it's a hassle having to to show Apu my boarding pass like a good little sheep. I know where I need to go, leave me alone.

I wonder what happens if you just don't show them anything at all and ignore them. If TSA reacts, then they'd be going against their claim that everything before the TDC isn't TSA's problem. Police don't have any basis to react. Airline doesn't either.

I'm sure they'd think of something, though…

There's no great solution to be had here, but dumping on the guy doing the job he is paid to do demeans the person doing the dumping, not the guy who is just doing his job. Calling them "drones" and the like isn't exactly productive.

As most people acknowledge, the problem here is pretty simple and if there isn't someone to do a preliminary check, the line gets backed up with people who really are in the wrong place and that slows the system down.

Since it's impossible to tell who really does mean to be at a given line of a given checkpoint, maybe the solution isn't to have a fit it, but simply to politely respond by saying that you do know that it's generally an "XX" checkpoint and you have a "YY" BP, but it's OK.

Same thing happens for the self-important who rant about this for Pre-Check lines. They have fits both about the poor guy looking for the Pre-Check symbol on BP's and then when the line gets backed up while TSO's are booting the idiots out who've bullied their way past the guy they think is a "drone". Who's the drone?

Of anyone having a job at an airport related to passenger screening, the folks at the top of the escalators at Dulles checking tickets probably do help people avoid going into a wrong line (even though it doesn't matter at Dulles). When I think about it, I don't remember an "up" escalator in the checkpoint area. I'll bet they have saved more than one person without a boarding pass the chore of having to hike up the stairs or somehow having to escape the TSA dungeon. I always at least smile and say hello to these folks; can't say the same thing for the TSA clerks.

Has anyone just tried being plain nice in this situation?

"You have a Delta Boarding Pass, you need go to A"
>> "Actually I'd prefer to go here since [line is short|I'm weird|whatever reason]"
"But Delta is in A"
>> "Yes, but I can walk over to A after security"
"Ah, I never knew, go ahead"

Yes, there will occasionally be people who just don't get you and will keep incorrectly telling you that you can't do what you're doing (at which point it's worth walking away), but it wouldn't cost that much effort to explain what you're doing, and then they might learn something too (and be more helpful the next time round).

Yeah, being pleasant is the technique I like to use when I want to visit the Admirals Club on Terminal B/D concourse at LGA, when my flight is out of a different concourse or terminal. Even with New Yorkers, polite response works nearly every time. What a concept!

Is referring to an under-performing TSO as a 'drone' any different than TSOs referring to all pax as 'fares'?

We're not in preschool.

Once again, you've presented a scenario that assumes all Pre-line BP checkers are polite and professional in demeanor. You have emphasized the importance of pax to be humble and compliant, to eagerly anticipate and comply with a different set of expectations and rules every time they approach someone at the checkpoint.

Perhaps you could also address the behavior of the TSOs standing there checking BPs for Pre. Some of them are professional; others are over-paid line monitors whose sense of self-importance is inflated because they get to be 'gatekeepers' and no one they don't like is allowed to pass. Their behavior is challenging and confrontational and serves only to heighten an already stressful and tense situation.

If you ask if I have Pre and I answer in the affirmative, smile and let me pass. I do not need to dig out my BP to 'prove' it or to get some additional magic scrawl. If I look confused, then ask to see my BP. If I'm trying to fake you out, I'll get bounced at the head of the line anyway - along with legit Pre pax who have Pre on their boarding pass but don't get the 3 beeps.

I'm particularly amused by anyone trying to defend the ignorance of a TSO who doesn't know which terminals connect past the checkpoint. Seriously? If a TSO is that ignorant of the airport layout, something is lacking in his/her training.

I respectfully disagree.

I have seen way too many situations where pax claim to have PreCheck when they don't. Some don't know what it is, some are just trying to get through a shorter line, some had it yesterday but not today and think it still applies, some think they should always get it even if its not on their BP because they signed up for Pre/GE.

It takes time to process each person through the TDC, and if they don't have Pre they slow down the process, especially when they argue with the TDC that they should be let through anyway.

So, I think the BP checkers are a necessary evil, and trying to bypass them as you describe just makes you a DYKWIA.