TTT

I don't know about "most" airports, but the many that I frequent don't have a Known Crew Member check point so are required to go through the regular TSA line (usually precheck). I have seen instances of cutting, usually an "excuse me" as their bin gets placed at the front of the xray belt.

MSPeconomist

It's happened to me at FRA, IIRC at passport control to leave the EU and fly to the USA on DL. The cumulative effect was a huge delay, perhaps 45 minutes due to airline crews.

I was also rudely shoved aside at TSA security at DEN by a rude and overly entitled UA crew. I had black and blue marks the next day.

LarryJ

Why weren't they going through the KCM entrance which is separate from the passenger lines?

MSPeconomist

I have no idea. I just remember being advised to go to a particular security checkpoint that day as there were some very long lines.

kb9522

I've seen crew bypass the TSA line as well on occasion, but I can't say they've ever been rude, pushy, or entitled about it. I'd probably have been arrested if they had... when someone pushes me, I tend to push back.

LarryJ

They may have been angry that they weren't able to use KCM, for whatever reason, and took out their frustrations on those around them.

A percentage of KCM screen-ees are selected randomly for additional screening but if that involves going through a passenger screening lane we are escorted to the front of that line by a TSO so that doesn't sound like your situation. Could be that the KCM system, or their airline's connection to it, was down. That happens occasionally.

flying_donkeys12

Well that was quick. Only two posts before internet tough guy/girl showed up.

DCP2016

Saw this happen the other day to a crew member, the dude was not happy.

LarryJ

It's just part of the deal. No point getting upset over it.

kb9522

Jane42

I was thinking the same thing...... I am sure people traveling for business are not inconvenienced at all when their bag doesn't make it and they have to show up at a meeting in their travel clothes....

Wherever I have worked, the customer comes first. Retail store? You park the furthest from the building so that the customer can have the most convenient place to park. College? Park the furthest from the building so that the students have the best parking. Inconvenient for me? Of course.

Deadheading? No need to be first for anything. Everyone is flying together and will get there at the same time.

If they are flying the plane, that is a different story. Otherwise, they should put their passengers first.

ATOBTTR

A retail store is a very different operation than an airline operation. And what was the difference in you arriving to work between if you parked in the closest spot and the furthest spot? 2 minutes? And were 200+ people waiting on you? Probably not, unlike deadheading crew heading who often have to work a flight upon arrival and thus waiting 10-15 minutes or more possibly for bags then possibly impacts their next flight's departure by 10-15 minutes, or more if that flight then misses its ATC window, or the impact to the airline's costs if several passengers misconnect at the next airport due to the delayed flight while the deadheading crew had to wait on their bags.

Hah. At my college, student parking was not at all better than faculty parking....

Except it's not all about you and your flight but the larger overall system. Deadheading crew often have to work a flight soon after they land. So the sooner they can get off one flight and to their next one, the better and helps keep the overall system running as efficiently as possible. They also have manuals and such that they carry that makes it better off not gate-checking their luggage but rather having them in their control onboard the aircraft. There's a bigger picture you're not seeing.

vincentharris

Starbucks on terminal B in ATL now has a "special" line for uniformed crew to cut in line.

Just saw it a few weeks back, and did a double look as I thought it was silly.

vincentharris

KCM is an absolute joke, and needs to go away. KCM is not very secure, go ask B6 about their former flight attendant who was smuggling cocaine and cash through the KCM line. She only got caught because she finally got randomly selected to go through regular security, kicked off her heels, left her bag, and ran out of the airport......

vincentharris

Since it is well known that crews often have minimal time from deadheading to working I think this brings up a larger problem

1. Why are they scheduling people with no cushion room?
2. If the deadheading flight is delayed, cancelled, etc. then it sounds like with poor scheduling like airlines do that because now the flight they are working is delayed.

I honestly dont believe the 5-10 minutes waiting for crew bags to be valet checked and delivered to the jetway is going to change anything, I have never seen deadheading crew members jetting off a plane (usually they wait in line in the aisle, or I have seen plenty who will sit and wait until everyone gets off the plane)

If the bags are being valet checked that means in theory they should be the first off the plane and up on the jetway.

People say "well every minute counts for them", well it counts for me too. I have been told by GA's when I need to gate check "whats the difference in waiting at the carousel sir?" Well sometimes I HAVE to plan trips where I need to get off the plane and hit the ground running to make it in time for a meeting. Well if "whats the difference in waiting at the carousel sir?" is their argument then I say "whats the difference in waiting at the jetway?"