I was at IAH for a United event on Wednesday only to be confronted with absurd lines at T-E thanks to the dog screening. Since we only were given gate passes, no precheck, not like it mattered because by the time we got up to the xray machines, everybody got precheck! They said "everything stays in the bags, everybody through the metal detector." A little peculiar but its TSA. Who knows...

We have a thread discussing TSA screening dogs:

The root cause of long TSA lines includes poor staffing management, requirements to remove shoes and belts, requirement to now remove all electronics larger than a cell phone, removal of kippie bags, now powders, more often than not snacks, all requiring the use of more bins, and yes poor deployment of screening canines. All of these things create longer than needed TSA security lines and all are caused by the amateurish management of TSA. Matters have reach the point where the public has no idea how to prepare for TSA screening. Screening policies vary from airport to airport and even within airports. Toss in the increasingly aggressive nature of TSA screenings, lack of proper oversight and general indifference TSA shows to the public I don't see any improvement in the near future. In fact I expect the burden placed on the public by TSA to get worse until finally the public rebells and demands sensible changes to airport security screening practices.

Yeah, there were occasions in years past when they were measuring wait times by handing cards to pax right at the TDC - then reporting 'wait' times as though the time spent in line getting to the TDC didn't count. They were actually only measuring the screening process itself. Um...hello? We don't arrive at the airport 2.5 hours early for a 15 minute ID check/xray/scan/grope, we arrive early to accommodate the highly unpredictable and potentially very lengthy time in line.

Accurate reporting on wait times and staffing based on flight/pax volumes instead of screener convenience would go a long way towards reducing wait times, even without the (unpredictable) availability of the canines.

But, as I overheard one screener say, 'What do I care? The pay and hours are the same no matter how fast or slow we push people through".

Note: I am in no way suggesting that that one screener is in any way indicative of the entire work force. I have been 're-educated' to appreciate the fine work the overwhelming majority of folks in blue do, putting their lives at risk every day to protect us as they do.

I was there too! I found the whole process absurd and outrageous - but will comment on the appropriate thread.

DTW gate-level security checkpoint this afternoon (7/25/2018). Line had less than 20 people in it. Took over 30 minutes for TSA to screen less than 20 people. Unbelievable.

Precheck was reasonably fast at SFO last week and very fast at OGG today. Of course the regular lines were much longer. No complaints here.

DFW A terminal yesterday, Pre line extended well outside of the Checkpoint area, regular unwashed line no waiting. Leave it to TSA to screw even this up.

Can anyone who flies often give me a lowdown of how bad it is currently?

Last I flew IIRC you had to take out anything larger than a cell phone (ex: tablet). I've heard they're paranoid about powders (doesn't affect me), anything else I should be aware of? I usually aim for 2 hours prior to take off should that be sufficient?

Moderator's Note
 

Please discuss in the following threads:

In the Practical forum:
In the Debate forum:
Thank you,

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

Saw a bag pulled yesterday for a tablet that had not been taken out.

Finally get 'free Pre' and they announce only one electronic larger than a cellphone per bag. I had an old Kindle, and old Samsung tablet, and a new Kindle and a new Paperwhite (Amazon sale happened while I was away from home).

So old Kindle in my small carry-on, unpack rollaboard and carefully packed new old tablet, and two new Kindle devices, and put each of the two new devices in a doggie bow. Meanwhile, my small P&S camera got flagged and had to come out of the small carry-on.

When I left, the guy behind me was going through the same thing. Even if we were only delayed one minute each (and it was longer than that), and even if only a small portion of travelers have more than one device per bag, I can see where the lines could slow down. The guy two people back from me was stuck waiting for his bag because the xray screener was sort of helping the guy behind me unpack his bags by pulling them in the middle of the tunnel, removing items, and sending them back through.

Flew out of FLL today. Was given Pre and had a quick line. No electronics out at all. No bins to put things in so perhaps that was the reason.

Jumping in on an old thread. At SNA now and a good block long line at Terminal C so used TSA at terminal B where it was under 10 minutes.

reviving after 5+ years I love it!!

yes the OC is always bad esp on Sunday nights I’ve seen the regular line stretch way back. Once again no line for pre-check (at least last time I flew)