ATL security bin system - move your bin or not?
 

I hope not to open a can of worms of whether the relatively new bin system for security is good or bad (it has been working fairly well recently, IMHO), but....

There are giant signs that ask pax to pick up their bins and stack them after removing their luggage following the x-ray. Many pax don't do this, and while the system appears to have been designed to *eventually* stack the bins automatically, the empty bins back up the line - so the signs make sense to me. Anyway, today I made a comment to another pax, somewhat under my breath, like "nice job with the bins" when he removed two bags and therefore left two bins for a group of other pax who were dutifully picking up the slack for him and other pax who don't follow directions. He pushed back hard and told me he had specifically been chastised by TSA and told to leave the bins alone because they automatically stack. "I've done this hundreds of times and I know what I'm doing." Uh, if you fly that much, you know the bins don't stack themselves, and you shouldn't rely on any single TSA for advice.

Am I wrong? Am I DYKWIA?

I encountered this for the first time at JFK a few weeks ago and as an experienced flyer I was thrown for a loop and in fact someone behind me jumped in front of me because I didn't see the open bin in front of the person in front of me. Bigger bins are nice, but it wasn't quite big enough for all my stuff since I also have to pull out a laptop

MYOB. OP should not have engaged another passenger on anything other than a matter which directly affects his immediate safety.

Who puts what bin where is between TSA and the individual passing through the checkpoint.

I don't think there's anything wrong with someone making a comment about this, as long as it's civil / polite, and the person making the comment is prepared for any attitude in return. I'm sure I've done worse!

:)

Think it's perfectly fine to engage someone that is causing a problem. If you're going to be rude/inconsiderate of others, then you need to be ready for it to bite you.

I make a point not to stack my bins.
I thought that was within the TSA spectrum of duties. :p
They certainly stand around enough to do it.

t
 

What a silly thing to post about

I always stack my bins. It's always annoying when the line backs up because everyone leaves their bins there and myself and maybe another passenger are stacking bins for others just to get our luggage. So to avoid being "that guy" I stack my own. I've never bothered with comments though, I don't think it's even intentional. Had another passenger next to me make a snarky comment once and the offender was genuinely confused as to why - so I think it just didn't occur to him to stack.

Not a big deal though, I'm more annoyed by people that don't go to the open bins before security. Line backs up even when there are multiple open spaces in front of people who are loading. That causes a much bigger delay.

Except that at ATL specifically, it's not uncommon for the un-stacked bins to pile up enough that they can't send anything else through the x-ray machine, and then SOMEONE has to get them out of the way if anyone wants to get their stuff back. And half the time the TSA people seem to be allergic to that area at the end of the rollers.

So it doesn't affect my immediate safety, but it sure as heck affects my ability to move on with my day.

They need to get the end set up for automatic bin-stacking ASAP. Not sure why that wasn't installed from day 1.

When I need to move bins to get my stuff back after the X-ray machine, I stack them in a way (usually rotating each one by ninety degrees as if stacking piles of papers) that some TSA employee will still have work to do.

I've had issues with bins not getting placed back in the feeder, so there are no bins for the people entering security, who have to stand there until a TSA guy decides to stack up the empties on the other end. I am in agreement that the passengers who don't move to the next open space and block up the line are worse, hence why I'm a proponent of invasive and painful strip searches for passengers who manage to gum up the PreCheck lanes at ATL :p

Well played MSP. I will follow suit.

At least 2 other people appear to disagree with you. This thread will assuredly become a sticky.

It needs a wiki as well. Possibly with additional stacking options.

ORD DL TSA has to be the absolute WORST there is!! I always have issues there!

The worst of the worst at ORD was when I saw a bunch of them standing around speaking Spanish to each other - - - I guess they assume that no one else understands what they're saying! Well, they were making fun of the passengers going thru security, making different noises, etc. I should have reported it to a supervisor, but instead chose to rant to the SkyClub agent!

But, alas, I guess that's a topic for a different forum! :)