No More Elite Security Lines
 

I'm double posting this here to elicit some help from Randy. A thread in Buzz addresses this topic.

Us FTers, IMHO, need to complain loudly, persistently, and to whomever will listen, with Randy's help I believe, to get this illogical and really unacceptable policy reversed. The government has no authority really to control the screeing lines any more than they can say that because the FAA inspects planes that there can be no difference in the seating or the price one pays inside the metal. They are paid to screen everyone the same who comes through, and that's it.

No problem in Europe getting special lines but screened by the government. There is no basis here either for doing so really except some bureaucrat who wants to do something to show he's important.

Randy?

I hear you but you will probably be dissapointed to learn that I don't favor special lines for elite flyers. I fly with the best of them and have more miles than i care to count sometime, but I'm also a taxpayer and now that the Feds have taken over the responsibility, don't think it right for taxpayer dollars to support special lines. Why? Honestly, it has more to do with my pragmatic understanding of the infrastructure that airports are working with today. I really haven't found the lines to be of any concern to me now that things aren't as screwed up as they initially were, and I just went in and out of Salt Lake City which arguably has the most attention for this right now because of the Olympics. Airports are public facilities to my understanding and public places really can't cater to private interests. Airlines can and do what they want for their best customers, but airports have all customers in mind when they try and offer services.

So, I'll take the heat on this one but at least I'm not changing my stripes. I was quoted over 2 months ago as predicting that the government would take this action and was fine with it. I can't and won't change my mind now that it is here. Sorry. Now, you can start tossing the tomatoes......

Fair is fair then. Airline crew should not be allowed to go to the front of the line.

I agree. If we have to calculate 2 extra hours to get to work when flying, so should they.

I'd go one step further as well. Airlines should be prohibited from selling connecting tickets that require a second security screening unless they have a 2 hour connection. Continental (the one I'm familiar with, though I'm sure there are plenty of other examples) is selling a ticket that goes EWR-CMH-LAS. With the EWR-CMH leg a CO express flight landing in terminal A and a CMH-EWR flight that's a codeshare on HP departing from terminal B. They allot 45 minutes for the connection, which would be a push if there was no additional security screening.

If no provision is to be made for special circumstances (elites, connecting passengers, etc.) then these types of connections should be prevented as well.

I don't find the argument convincing that government shouldn't acknowledge private interests.

All sorts of public facilities cater to certain groups and those who pay more. Public stadiums have special entrances for season pass and skybox holders, tollways have special lanes for pass holders, national museums have high-level-members-only benefits, etc. All of these are as equal access as elite ff programs. Simply pay for whatever membership, special ticket/seat, or the requisite number of miles to get the benefit.

While the concept of treating everyone the same has a certain poetic elegance, it's not as if dropping elite security lines will suddenly open up air travel to a new strata of society heretofore denied the benefits.

Elite FF's are the security fee's best customers just like they are the airlines, and this isn't an unreasonable benefit.

We so regularly ask our government to act more the private sector, why would we want to take this important part of the economy and make it run more like the DMV?

Interesting how the gvt is so very concerned about Elite lines, while is still see Argenbright being in business.

At LHR, premium pax (even those on upgrades) pay a lot higher taxes on tickets - that helps to justify it.

Personally, I think it's a waste of time to lobby the government into setting up "elite" lines. It would probably only be a matter of time before the ACLU brought up and won a lawsuit for this kind of discrimination, unless everyone was allowed the option to use the line if they paid an extra fee. That's the only way this would probably be legally viable - for an extra $10 per trip, anyone can use the shorter line, not Pres. Bush saying "well, Continental airlines has told us that John Smith is a really good guy, so he'll get the VIP treatment, even though he's paying the same $2.50 per segment fee everyone else is."


What we should be doing is lobbying the government to make the lines 10 minutes or less, like Minetta promissed. It won't do much to help FFers' egos, but it would help ensure that everyone gets through quickly, regardless of FF status. (Which is also helpful to us, when we fly airlines we don't have elite status on.)

d

Doppy, am I reading that you just stated that premium flyers in FRA pay higher taxes on their tickets and this helps pay for the elite security lines. This seems to contradict what you posted in the BUZZ.

Randy: If you argue that airports are public places, then where do you stand on the INPASS program? Everyone pays the same INS fee but the frequent business traveler has the option to get the INPASS card and bypass the long passport inspection Ques.

The real problem that I see with the elimination of the express lines is that it may well lead to some very serious financial problems for some of the airlines.

Here in the Northwest, for instance, we run almost 100 shuttle flights per day between SEA and PDX alone, not to mention all of the other commuter destinations in our area. SEA/PDX is a 2.5 hour drive, but a lot of people love to fly it, if they can cut the commute time to 45 minutes. Throw an extra hour or two on top to allow for security on either end and the airlines can kiss those routes goodbye.

I am sure there are similar circumstances all over the USA and this decision on the part of the FAA may well spell financial disaster for some airlines, which, IMHO, would be a very sad thing.

Additionally, I take lots of discretionary trips for both business and pleasure. These are often very quick turn around events--SEA/SFO, SEA/LAX, or SEA/LAS in a day to pop into a show, meet with a client, go out to dinner with friends, etc., etc., etc.

If I am looking at two hour security lines on either end, those trips will go away as well. The airlines and the government must work together to do the very best they can to encourage the frequent flyer, because this is where the bulk of the airline revenue originates.

I truly believe that those of us who feel strongly about this issue should organize and lobby the FAA for the reinstatement of these express lines.

If the argument is that because the screening is being done w/ federal tax funds, and therefore can't accomodate nor support elitism, then it would seem that what we need for a convincing case is precedence. Can anyone think of another tax-based service where some form of elite accomodation is allowed? What about the special parking lot for Congressmen at National? Is that a stretch? (I envision them arguing it's maintained for efficient security monitoring).

Randy, often times an elected official will change their opinion on a issue that they oppose when the vast majority of the voters that they represent feel strongly in favor of it. You are the face that everyone at FT puts on the body of all frequent flyers. This issue isn't about capital punishment or abortion, it's about economics and supporting the very existence of our airlines.

I respect your opinion, and you are entitled to it. However you have to admit, that you have become the voice of all frequent flyers and as such, it is your duty to speak out on our behalf. If you were to take a survey similar to the ones that are done for the online version of your magazine, I predict that the outcome would be overwhelming in favor of elite lines at the airports.

Therefore I urge you to support us on this issue. In war, you can be a conscientious objector and still be at the front line. You don't have to carry a weapon, just tend to the wounded. In this case, the wounded will be us the frequent flyers, and every airline that will see a drastic drop in revenue as we cut back in our flying. I was planning to take the shuttle LGA-BOS for a weekend, and now I plan to drive. This type of thinking will be repeated by most of us at FT.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

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My 35-post self seconds that motion enthusiastically!

Randy
I invite you to move to ATL and try and see what the am Mon. lines are like. Basing your decision on your personal experience is fine. It's your personal opinion. But,when asked by reporters re. this,please remember that you are asked as a rep of us all.
Using your argument,why have early boarding?Shouldn't all be treated the same?
Bottom line,IMHO,we will fly less. Airlines will have a harder time recovering.

Randy: What good is early boarding if you are still stuck in the security line?

How about highway tollbooths which have reserved lanes for people who sign up to use the radio-frequency auto-billing devices?

That's the same as an elite line. You pay extra in order to get through the same checkpoint more expeditiously. It's open to the public in the sense that everyone could choose to pay more in order to get into that line.

All citizens can use the elite lines if they fly enough or pay enough. That's equal opportunity.