BWI can be a patience trying airport at the best of times, but for those of you who have not flown in/out of BWI on NW in awhile, there has been a concourse change, where NW is now on councourse D with CO.

Ordinarily not a big issue, but, concourse D does not have a First Class/Elite security line...everyone stands in the same line, and it can snake across six turns of the line dividing straps, then work its way down the hall to the next concourse and beyond. The line moves swiftly, but just in case, make sure you are physically in the terminal at least 60 minutes before departure, or you might not be able to make your flight.

Thanks for the warning -- I'm flying out of there June 6. Last time I did NW from BWI the security checkpoint was dead quiet.

boca is right on the money. I had a 645 am departure yesterday and the line was at least 45 minutes. However, they do pull people with imminent departures, which is what saved me yesterday.

For those of you who know BWI, when I arrived at 550am, the line was all the way to the international terminal. Within 15 minutes it had snaked all the way back to the United check in area. Unbelievable.

In the last 2 years, BWI has gone from one of the most user-friendly ariports to one of the worst. Probably a combo of heavy SWA use and increased security. In any event, it's been almost 2 years since 9/11 - it's inexcusable that BWI has not figured out how to implement the new procedures without causing travelers major grief.

A question: Has anyone actually missed their flight due to the lines here? My experience has been that they pull people with soon-departing flights from the line. Makes me wonder why I get there early at all!

Every time I fly from BWI, I ask myself why I bother. Plus, the lack of an elite line is beyond me. Maybe since NW had an elite line in C, and no longer has one in D, that may stir the pot.

To NW/CO's credit, it is good they're moving together. In the event of a delay on the 6:05pm DTW, there's the 6:15pm CLE next door. I think one thing that helped relieve lines at C is the alternate security point at B with the link... people in the know can shift to whichever is shorter, and everybody wins.

I have a BWI departure Friday-- and I always get there shortly before since I work in DC beforehand. Wish me luck.

[This message has been edited by Viajero Joven (edited 05-28-2003).]

For some reason I always use CO and UA into BWI and NW into DCA--so I'm used to the wait. The one redeeming quality to that line is that it moves fast. Sometimes it's kinda nerve racking though if you're cutting it a little close.

Ran into this on Saturday 5/24. We had a 6:20AM. The line was long as usual, but we got through in about 20 minutes. The upside is that they are close at D2-4.

The downside like boca said is no elite/first line...that is a major pain! I was reading an article lately though that touted BWI as having improved security wait times significantly through various initiatives. I have to agree that wait times have significantly decreased from a year ago and post 9-11.

Why BWI? We are equally distanced from all 3 major airports. IAD is a last resort due to terminal configuration and parking distance. I like NW out of DCA because they have their own terminal, which is first on the shuttle stop and parking is close, although a bit awkward. The only trouble with DCA can be location and traffic (depending on travel times). Overall, BWI has the best parking variety (use Pre-flight), but a not so great terminal layout and security lines are difficult at best. The upside is price.

So, the winner is BWI for price and DCA for overall convenience...and that is my methodology.

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Randy
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HH Gold; WN CP; NW Gold Elite

Just to show how dicey it almost got on Sunday, while I was waiting to ask the half-brain dead guy from Globe Security where the non-existent FC line was, the lead agent from NW stormed over to him and started yelling "where is your supervisor".

Turns out they let two pax through the checkpoint without checking IDs, and when the ID was checked at the gate, it didnt match the tickets.

She threatened to have the whole concourse shut down and everyone sent outside. I stifled the urge to warn her if she did, I would have her job for disrupting so many travellers on a holiday weekend for such nonsense, but things got settled down in the end. That would have been a HUGE mess with hundreds of people missing connections in EWR, IAH, MSP, MEM and DTW. I think I will try to switch my Sunday flights home to the 6p departure out of DCA...BWI is too much for my nerves.

That implies that BWI is actually convenient to someplace. Present company and tazi aside, BWI is very inconvenient for the average DC-area traveler. The B-30 bus is a god-send.... and I swear the MARC train whistles send the shuttle buses running-- I have yet to see one waiting on arrival, and I'm convinced they scram to avoid the crowd. The security mess adds insult to injury, and really reminds you that you're a bargain basement flier.

Anyway, they should have the FC/elite line at the D concourse--- what good is an elite line for the Southwest gates?? But guess DL and AA are still over there, so I'll be nice.

[This message has been edited by Viajero Joven (edited 05-28-2003).]

I joined that long line at 6:15 friday 5/23 morning---so long that it stretched into the international area. I finally got through security at 730. It was a mess. And I resented being yelled at to remove my shoes...sandals that have gone through security at BWI 2 times already without a problem. Nor did I have a problem when wearing them at 10 other airport security checks.

Equally bad was ABQ on Tuesday 5/27---they do have a first class line...but you can't get in it until you've reached the screening area. It took 40 minutes to do that...the line began past the CO counters and was snaking toward the outside doors when I joined up. The CO agents said it was the worst they've seen...

Hm. I have been using BWI weekly for the last 9 months and the only time I've had to spend more than 10 minutes in line was when I used the Elite line on Concourse C. Maybe I just travel at the right times (Thurs/Fri evening). Weird.

On another note...anybody think there's a chance they'll open a joint WC/PC at BWI? NW has 3 gates and CO has 4.

I would love to see that! Maybe we could start a petition? The WC/PC at DCA is just another reason to fly DCA.

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Randy
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HH Gold; WN CP; NW Gold Elite

They tried to get me to remove my shoes before going through the metal detector at BNA and I did not since I had worn them through DCA two days before (and they're friggin' leather shoes! Not metal-studded, either... ). They put me into the secondary line so that they could swab my shoes (I didn't have to remove them). He said it's a new nationwide rule; I informed him that that was funny since they had not done it in DCA... So the stupidity grows...

I noticed this stupidity about the shoes too...leaving FLL that morning I had to take off my shoes, as well as my return through BWI. It appears to be a new rule. Yet another stupid rule in a long lineage of stupid rules since 9/11.

Not only is it inconvenient (waiting for a chair, to put your shoes back on), but also unsanitary for anyone in sandals who has to walk across an obviously dirty floor barefoot.

The shoebombing deal has been tried once already, and is unlikely to repeat...so it's time to scrap that nonsense.

I flew through BWI last month and recall being advised at the NW counter to stay to the right side of the big line along the wall for an elite entrance to the security line. It worked well and there were only 3-4 people waiting in this line. Nasty stares from the big line folks. Has this changed?

I often use BWI for meetings in the northern suburbs of the DC area (Rockville, Silver Spring, Bethesda) and hire a town car because of the HUGE cost difference between flying to BWI and DCA (the Southwest effect).