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Do I REALLY Need to arrive 2 hours early?

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Do I REALLY Need to arrive 2 hours early?

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Old Oct 10, 2001 | 9:50 pm
  #61  
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Join Date: Feb 2001
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All these reports are for UA counters/terminals.

Mon Oct 1 BUR 730AM no lines, but they said it gets busy (up to an hour) at certain times of the day, especially 530-620AM. Hand luggage and passenger search was extremely thorough.

Wed Oct 3 IAD 400PM, long lines to check in. 1K/First was 15 minutes; Premier/Business was 30 minutes; I didn't ask the regular folks, but it looked like a good hour or so. Security lines were short, under 2 minutes. Security itself was the lightest I have seen anywhere since 9/11.

Fri Oct 5 LAX 400PM, long lines to check in. 1K/First was 15 minutes, other lines looked like previous entry (30 minutes and 1 hour). Security line was 3-4 minutes, checks were fairly thorough.

Sat Oct 6 IAD 100PM, very short lines, but they said it was jam packed at 600AM that morning, so certain times are busy. Security again no line and very little checking going on, despite now the National Guard with rifles is everywhere.

Charles
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Old Oct 11, 2001 | 8:15 pm
  #62  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Brandon, Mississippi USA
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Oct 11 - 10:15am BWI Delta

Arrived at airport 1 hr 15 mins before flight. Saw a long line of people, then realized it was for southwest Delta counter had 3 people in line. Security going to concourse C had one security line with about 5 people in front of me. Had no carry-on (checked everything) and went through without setting off anything (note, when flying out of JAN everyone seemed to be setting the metal detect off and they where making you take off your shoes and belts to put through the x-ray machine) took all of 5 mins, they where making everyone with laptops take them out and turn them on.

Don't know if I just hit the airport at the right time. Can't complain though, although the traffic in Washington at 8:00am almost did the job of keeping me from my flight

George...
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Old Oct 12, 2001 | 10:59 pm
  #63  
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Bend, Oregon, USA -- Latinpass500K, Hilton Gold
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October 4th PDX-STL-MCO

Long 40 minute security lines at PDX in the early AM. Also, longer than normal check-in lines at TWA. STL at noon had no security lines. MCO at 5pm - none.

October 11th MCO-STL-PDX

MCO at 1pm had no lines at security. However, random **thorough** bag checks were being done at the gate during boarding. Seems to be a major change in security tactics -- almost guaranteed to delay every flight.

Couldn't tell if the lines were long at STL; PDX at 8pm: none.
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Old Oct 13, 2001 | 10:17 am
  #64  
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On 9 October, SIN-KIX-DFW-PBI. No waiting at SIN (7 AM) as SQ uses gate security and the flight was lightly loaded.

Slight wait (5 min) to go through rescreening at KIX. Also, selected hand searches of luggage in the jetway and a wand body scan at the aircraft door. As the Japanese are avoiding American flag carriers since the attack, there really wasn't any delay -- 65 pax on a 777.

DFW, however, was a mess when trying to reenter the A concourse after customs. Long lines, not moving. I decided to skip this entry and take the train to terminal C where there was no waiting at all to enter the concourse.
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Old Oct 14, 2001 | 10:58 am
  #65  
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Experiences from my most recent trip:

ABQ (Oct. 8) - Short lines at most ticket counters but hundreds of people in line for the security checkpoint. Due to the long lines, security had closed off the main entrance to the departures concourse and pax were directed to a line which began in the rear of the ground floor and then snaked up a back stairwell and doubled back three times on the main departures concourse. Despite arriving 2 hours early, I missed my flight.

OKC (Aug 9) - No lines.

DFW/B Concourse (Aug 11) - No lines at entrance to checkpoint near the gates reserved for Lufthansa, Korean Air, British Airways, etc. (anyone can use this checkpoint).

IAH/C Concouse (Aug 12) - Less than 5 minute wait.

At one point (I won't identify the airport), I was subjected to the most thorough screening I have ever encountered (as were all other pax).

At other times, I also noticed people being selected (apparently at random) for complete hand checks of all carryon items and more body checks by hand and wands. All-in-all, I felt pretty safe.
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Old Oct 14, 2001 | 12:26 pm
  #66  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Sun City, CA, USA
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This may not belong here, but it DOES concern security.....;-)
CHICAGO - The war on terrorism took a strange and sad turn Friday as airline
officials at O'Hare International Airport refused to let a 73 year old grandmother
board her plane as she had in her possession two, six inch knitting needles.
Apparently authorities were worried that she may knit an Afghan.
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Old Oct 14, 2001 | 1:40 pm
  #67  
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Southern California - UA1K, Delta GM, Starwood Gold, Hilton Gold, AA Platinum
Posts: 1,456
MSP is a problem.. but seems to be getting better.. if you do have not status.. be careful.

First the line last week (Oct 4) was about 40 min on a Thursday.. this week (OCT 11) was about 25-30 min.. so better.. but the Northwest lines are bad.. Delta was quick..United is mixed.. pays to be Premier. My friend told me Friday was 45 min.. so you never know.

I would give min of 1 1/2 at MSP.. but feel better with 2 hours
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Old Oct 14, 2001 | 2:28 pm
  #68  
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Here is my experience on a EWR-MDW flight:
Got to EWR Term A early expecting some sort of delay. Checked in at the kisok (no line), went to present my id to a CO staffer, who told me it would be checked at the gate. Had my ticket & ID checked prior to walking down the passageway to gate 26--all went smoothly. No problem or delays at the luggage scanner (I had one small briefcase as a carry on + a purse). In the PC, I again asked about having my e ticket 'initialed'--"at the gate" again I was told. At boarding time, CO did mention that ID's would be checked and random bag searches could be expected. As I was in FC, they boarded us first and I didn't get to see if they did seach anyone. We left on time, so all in all much smoother than I expected (or experienced prior to 9/11th).
No problem for deplanning at MDW--BUT be warned as I was leaving the terminal for the CTA at the exit for the trains/garage the lines were very very long. It seems that passengers departing on flights from MDW have to display tickets & ID prior to entering the main terminal and it looked like there were only 3 or 4 security personal staffing the desks--this at 2 pm on a Sunday afternoon. The lines streched into the parking area and I did notice lots of people apparently taken unaware of this delay development.
I leave on a 7am flight back to EWR on Tues, hopefully things will be easier at that time, but just in case I will add in some extra time.
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Old Oct 14, 2001 | 2:57 pm
  #69  
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Last Sunday the 7th, (the start of the Afghani bombing) I checked in at SEA for a AS flt to SNA around 2:00p for my 5:45p flt as I kept hearing about the famous security line for Terms C & D. After dropping off the rental car (see story below), we got right into FC line, checked our luggage, and went through security in a total of maybe 15 minutes.

I did notice that the security "clerk" was past the metal detector asking for your BP while of course your purse or wallet with the BP's are going through X-Ray. Luckly, the line was very short or he would have really caused a jam up. We just went over to the BoardRoom next to CJ's for a few drinks and a dose of CNN.

Rental car story:
I had rented a car for 2 days from Hertz for $51.00 for the weekend. I forgot that I had a coupon for 2 free days of NeverLost so I modified my web reservation. It added $12.00 to the total but said that the Gold Express Return agent would deduct the $12.00.

At return, the agent deducted 2 days of car rental and charged my AMEX $14 plus change. I told her that it was wrong, she ran it through again and got the same total, so off I went. So far AMEX has only charged me $14. Maybe she also moonlights as a security "clerk" for Argenbright?
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Old Oct 15, 2001 | 8:16 am
  #70  
 
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The lines at LAX yesterday were very long. SW had a line outside that ran the length of the terminal, as did UA. UA's 1st class/1K checkin line took about 20 minutes, as did the line through security.
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