gate screening is going away
 

...just got an email about holiday travel from NWA. Here is a part of it:

"In cooperation with the Transportation Security Administration, gate screening of passengers is being eliminated. Passenger identification checks and screening that was formerly done at the gates will now be done at the security checkpoint. As a result, a boarding pass is now required to get through security checkpoints. An E-Ticket receipt or itinerary is no longer adequate. This change has already been implemented in Detroit and is being rolled out to all airports over the next few months. To eliminate uncertainty during this transition period, Northwest recommends that all passengers obtain a boarding pass prior to the security checkpoint. "

Looks like gate screening will be gone in short time.

LAX is already following this new standard.

All the security checks are conducted at the checkpoint and you MUST have your boarding pass to enter.

[This message has been edited by Radiocycle (edited 11-15-2002).]

For almost as long as I've been flying this has almost always been the procedure in Canadian airports. Except in extremely limited circumstances a boarding pass has always been required to get past security. Photo ID is, however, not required for purely domestic travel although AC has a photo ID policy for all its flights.

Canada also doesn't have any curbside check-in although it's been talked about for YYZ.

At DTW last night, they were NOT checking ID's upon boarding. They were making announcements that at gates were specifically instructing people NOT to show their ID's, and they told people who did show their ID's that, "We are no longer checking those here."

Were they still pulling people for "random" searches/wandings, or have these finally been done away with also?

The random screening seem to happen with more frequency during "slow" times at the checkpoints.

I believe that the TSA agents have to be continually screening and doing random checks. If there is no line when you enter the checkpoint the chancesthat you will be picked to be "randomly screened" increase since the TSA screeners don't have anyone else to check.

What a relief if true.

I've been 'selected' on every NW flight both directions going on 14 RTs in a row.

Wish I could see my FBI file!

I deliberately didn't answer this one because I didn't take notice / remember. I believe they were, but this will apparently be going away soon as well.

Don't board first. Hang back until someone else has been selected. I thought we had all figured this one out by now.

bwallet-

sorry, I meant there was already an 'S' on my boarding pass everytime. Mandatory, not random search.

The only problem with this new requirement to have a boarding pass is that you now have to make it to the ticket counter within 30 minutes of the scheduled departure, which is when they release the flight to the gate agents. If you hit the ticket counter at 29 minutes 'till departure, you will now not be allowed to fly, since you can't get a boarding pass to get through security.

I know it sounds like a nit, but for those of us who fly multiple trips in a single week, it's a major hassle to show up at an airport 75 minutes before a flight (which is what they're now recommending) when you *KNOW* there is only a 5-minute trip through security and your flights are always on the first few gates. I ran into this all the time in CLE on NWA flights; they were always in one of the first 5 gates on C concourse, and security there was always very quick for me.... but once waiting in line I missed the 30 minute cutoff at the ticket counter and they told me they'd have to rebook me on a flight *FOUR HOURS LATER*. And they wouldn't 240 me over to another carrier. I grabbed my ID back and used it with my e-ticket receipt & itin to get through security and get my BP's at the gate.

This won't happen anymore, sadly. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

So the random inconvienced traveler sweepstakes are going away, or simply be moved to the checkpoint it sounds. It sounds like the TSA is open to optimizing the process and applying some common sense. Now, if they could tweak the security check point line such that if you accidently bump into the detector for any reason which gives a false read, or someone next to you sets it off, you can either retry, or go via a seperate line to try again before the complete inspection as happened the other day. It is getting better however still lots of room for improvement.

http://www.nwa.com/flighttools/checkin/selfservice.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

- Pat

"Random" screening at the GATES is going away, at least at DTW. ID checs, and having the dreaded -S on your boarding pass means that the TSA will be doing the search as you go through security. After that, they punch two little holes (they look like the MontBlanc logo) on your boarding passes to let the agents at the gates know that you've already been screened.

If your boarding pass "beeps" while boarding, there is a roaming TSA team that will come to the gate and do the search.

Passports are still needed on international flights including flights to Canada.

This has really helped the on-time performance of the airline since now we don't have to have the late-runners screened (or deny them boarding) anymore.

The only real concern we have now is trying to get everyone on board at least 10 minutes before departure. That way they can get on, stow their things, we have time to gate-check bags if there's no more room, and then we close the door of the plane 5 minutes before departure.

So please, please, please! Try to be on the plane and seated at least 10 minutes before sheduled departure. This will also help us get late connections if everyone else is already seated. That way we can wait till the last possible moment to make sure we get everyone on board. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Has MSP gone to this system yet?

This makes trips for those of us with a lot of connecting flights alot less stressfull...just go through security once and you can forget about being rescreened each time...wife and I are flying this weekend with 2 connections each way...should make it nicer not having to try not to be selected at the gate (at least on our connection in DTW)