Airport line monitor in TSA PreCheck lanes?
Feb 18, 2020, 7:10 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: IAH mostly.
Programs: I still call it Onepass every now and then. Platinum.
Posts: 500
I know this is an old thread, but it's a topic dear to my heart. These people are in every airport. They really can't do anything to you if you just walk past. I always say, "Precheck thanks" and keep walking. I know where I'm supposed to be, I don't need to be told.
If you keep walking they will usually raise their voice and act insulted because you disrespected their "authority" but most of the time they just move on to the next person. If they do raise their voice just say "you aren't TSA" and keep walking. They know they really don't have any power to stop you. They are not LEO's or even TSA. They are run of the mill airport employees.
Only twice have they ever done more than just raise their voice: once there was a younger girl in LAX who followed me waaaaay down the corridor into the security line (and abandoned her post) and harangued me for five minutes until I got to the podium and went through... with no consequences. Another time there was lady at IAH who REALLY didn't like me telling her she wasn't a TSA agent so she walked up to the podium to tattle on me and angrily pointed at me standing in line. The TDC just barely grinned. I got to the podium and not a word was said and the TDC acted like nothing had happened at all.
All that being said, they do serve a purpose and if a person is unsure of which line to get into, they likely don't fly often and will let themselves be intimidated into stopping, so this "Queue Monitor" will get them into the right place. But if someone obviously knows where he is supposed to go they should just let it slide, which is what most of them do.
If you keep walking they will usually raise their voice and act insulted because you disrespected their "authority" but most of the time they just move on to the next person. If they do raise their voice just say "you aren't TSA" and keep walking. They know they really don't have any power to stop you. They are not LEO's or even TSA. They are run of the mill airport employees.
Only twice have they ever done more than just raise their voice: once there was a younger girl in LAX who followed me waaaaay down the corridor into the security line (and abandoned her post) and harangued me for five minutes until I got to the podium and went through... with no consequences. Another time there was lady at IAH who REALLY didn't like me telling her she wasn't a TSA agent so she walked up to the podium to tattle on me and angrily pointed at me standing in line. The TDC just barely grinned. I got to the podium and not a word was said and the TDC acted like nothing had happened at all.
All that being said, they do serve a purpose and if a person is unsure of which line to get into, they likely don't fly often and will let themselves be intimidated into stopping, so this "Queue Monitor" will get them into the right place. But if someone obviously knows where he is supposed to go they should just let it slide, which is what most of them do.
Feb 18, 2020, 8:06 am
#18
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Never understood why people are rude to others who are just doing their job. To be frank, as a Pre-Check holder one ought to be very happy to have the line minders present as the line jumpers just gum up the process and cause delays if they make it to the Officer at the podium.
The line midners aren't everywhere and the airports / carriers which don't pay for them experience slower Pre-Check lines.
The line midners aren't everywhere and the airports / carriers which don't pay for them experience slower Pre-Check lines.
Feb 22, 2020, 6:42 pm
#19
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: MSP
Programs: SkyMiles, Global Entry, Non-Rev
Posts: 101
MSP has them. They are fine, I just briefly show them my "Pre Check" indication and we both go about our day, with one notable exception. Had a real "winner" one time that obviously failed reading class and wanted to "study" my boarding pass, I gave in, mocked him in the process, and carried on with my day while I looked back and saw him acting flustered and mortified that I talked back to him. Never saw him again so they probably canned him. Thankfully every other person I've ran into can simply quickly check a boarding pass with no issue.