e30st

Whenever I go through security screenings, around 90% of passengers don't collect the trays and just leave it there, blocking others from getting back their stuffs.
And no, its not just a general stupidity issue, or a problem of low-educated people. Many bizclass flyer, frequent flyers with bragtags on their hand luggage also leave their trays behind.
Any real frequent flyer shall know that if you put your damn tray back where it belongs, it speeds up security. And still, most of the flyers don't do it.
Last time, when I saw a guy (around my age range, I didn't want to be unpolite with older folks), who left his tray there, I just kindly asked him: "excuse me sir, is this your first time ever flying?"
(it was a priority lane for business class and status passengers, so obviously he was flying regurarly)
So he replied with pride and confidence: "Ehh, no, I fly intercontinental at least twice a month"
I replied "Then why do you leave your trays behind, slowing down security screenings?"
He got the point, smiled at me, and collected his trays.
Let me know if I was an ....... here, the whole conversation had some humour within it, I also was quite silent, so I didn't humiliate him in front of other passengers.

It really drives me crazy that at many airports the bottleneck is actually the lack of tray-collecting. If everyone would do it, time could be reduced by 10-15%.

What do you guys think?

kennycrudup

Shouldn't that be the job of some of the TSA? Their nickname of "Thousands Standing Around" came from the fact that there always seem to be a bunch of TSA just literally standing there, and if anyone needs "re-education" perhaps it should be them, such that if they see trays stacking up the idle ones can do re-collection duty.

rickg523

I'm with the OP. I agree that when otherwise idle a TSO could, should, be doing it, but since they aren't very much, it's a pretty simple thing to do to speed things up. Though, ime, in the Pre lines it's not a been major problem.

kennycrudup

... come to think of it, same here.

Kamalaasaa

rickg523

I myself often don't even use a bin on Pre, just one those little bowls, for the wallet and keys, etc. Carry-on and briefcase go directly on the belt. I see lot of people doing the same in Pre, so maybe there's just less bin use ime.
But, still, the original point of this thread is valid. You should stack your bin after you use it.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

If one is a frequent flyer, one should be in the pre-check line, and to be honest there should not be bins, bowls, or bozos in the line. Empty yer pockets and put your trinkets in your carryon not a bowl. Nothing comes out or is taken off so what does one need a bin for their coat? Just put it on top of your carry on.

Now what is funny are the airports where everything goes into a bin regardless. I think it is funny when I put my bag directly on the belt and they immediately get bent out of shape grab my bag and put a bin under it.

DragonSoul

In some non-US security lines, passengers have to put everything in a bin, and use multiple bins if more than one item. I've had to use as many as four bins, but there was efficiency in staff collecting them.

jah718

Don't think the OP said this was necessarily in the US, so pre - check may not be an option.

As to the people saying there should be a person whose job it is to put your bin away, seriously?! Just pick up the bin and put it at the end, it is literally the easiest thing to do. This type of behaviour always makes me angry in the security line.

Badenoch

I don't see this as a problem and believe a 10-15 percent reduction in time is wildly over-inflated. Once I'm done with the tray it stays where it stops. I'm not going to linger to stack them.

Should a fellow passenger self-appoint themselves tray monitor and rebuke me for my conduct they can anticipate being ignored entirely or on the receiving end of a response that is short, sharp and quite possibly profane.

Bluehen1

Yeah, except that everything goes into a bin when you've got the automated lines including Pre-Check in Terminal C at EWR.

jeff191

In my experience, it can be confusing as it's airport dependent. At some, the screeners will collect and stack the trays whereas at others they just look on while the trays pile up. Sometimes they'll only clear the trays once the belt has stopped due to too many left on there. I typically remove my trays as it takes a few seconds but do see others often leave them. However, I think it's just people not paying attention, not being intentionally rude.

And I fly out of ATL where in the Pre line everything has to go in a tray so there is always a pile of empty trays at the end where people did not remove and stack.

timfountain

Trays are a rare luxury at most Pre-check lines and I am not about to stack them up for two reasons. #1 I've personally witnessed a situation where a passenger put their bin on top of another one, only problem was that the other passenger didn't see that happen and started looking for their now buried cellphone which they expected to see in the top bin. This started a long charade of mutterings about a stolen phone and TSA goons running around trying to find it.... It was solved eventually. #2 it's not my job! Seriously, we need to give Tub Stacking Agents something to do, I mean, there are Thousands of them Standing Around looking furtive.

Lehava

Should people stack their bins yes, was it OP's place to correct/scold another passenger no IMO. Either stack the ones there to be helpful or stack yours and move along. Most frequent fliers spend way too much time and energy being offended by other people or feeling they have the right or responsiblity to school strangers.

Gig103

Since my real reply was covered (Get TSA Precheck and skip the bins), I will add a snarky comment:

Leave the busy-work for the TSA, there are agents standing around waiting to molest passengers and they can move bins in the interim.