Having battled the two hour waits at both SFO and SNA this week, I have a serious suggestion for the airports:

Create an "express line for people who have proper documentation and NO CARRY ONS!

90% of the line waiters were with bags, but in neither case could I bypass the line to stroll through.

In the past, XRAY passengers waited. Now it looks like everyone does.

The most efficient method is to have as few security checkpoints in the airport as possible, thus maximizing the number of metal detectors and X-rays machines for one checkpoint. An express line is useless because almost everyone has something to put in the X-ray machine.

When there are lots of checkpoints and few machines per checkpoint, some checkpoints have lots of people in a long line while other checkpoints sit idle. Having fewer checkpoints minimizes the difference in wait times, thus increasing overall efficiency. Even if all checkpoints have a wait, at least you equalize the wait for everyone.

Naturally, it would cost a lot of money to re-design the security checkpoints. But until then, at the very least, there should be no requirement that your boarding pass match the gates nearest a particular checkpoint when more than one checkpoint has airside access to your gate. That effectively combines multiple checkpoints without any construction work.

Implement an elite security lane as it exists here in Europe.
LH does have a special lane here in MUC for Business, First and Star Gold passengers.

I agree that an express security line would make sense. Elites already have elite check-in lines that have been virtually empty in my seven flights since 9/11. Non-elite and coach passengers, however, get stuck in hour-long check-in lines only to then have to wait in very long security lines. While generally elites may spend more per ticket to fly, the bulk of the passengers on which airlines depend to fill seats are non-elites. Airlines must do something to keep them in the air. Express lines at security could certainly help. They could be limited to folks with just wallets and purses or those without laptops.

When I flew through DEN on Friday last week, they had exactly this. There was 1 line that was dedicated to people with no hand baggage. I'm not sure if they were allowing people through with just an e-ticket itinerary though.

star_world

I don't think you need a different line, just a different feed into the same lines. You can easily have two machines feeding from four lines, two for people with carry ons that have to be checked, and the other two for people with no carryons or nothing to be xrayed. Every other person has bags, every other one doesn't. When the line is held up for a search of a bag, take more people without. If they set off the machine or do have something, send them to the end of the long one. Everybody shouldn't be held up if they don't have to be.

duplojohn as star_world pointed out, there are some airports (like DEN) that have wisened up and provided these lines. I don't doubt that more will follow their lead. They better anyhow...

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"What do you mean you didn't get miles for that?!"

Separate lines for no bags makes plenty of sense, but only in those situations where you have lots of machines/scanners like Denver, Atlanta. Some airports have 1 or 2 in each location and therefore not very practical.

As to separate for elites, not sure this is valid. Just like you do not have parking for elites, drop offs for elites. This is an AIRPORT function, not an airline function. Yes, I know in most cases that the airline "owns" the security at certain terminals or gates.

I am a PM-top level on DL- and would love this, but really have doubts it makes sense to create an "elite class".