OK...for the sake of this thread, please refrain from rants, screeds, name calling, etc.

I'm very curious...what are the rest of you experiencing when you travel, with respect to security checkpoints and their delays/hassels? Additional screening at gates, etc.

Personally...I travel just about everywhere, but I've not been overseas since last May. Homebase for me is Memphis...and typically I wait maybe 2 minutes at the security checkpoint, mostly the delay is due to people having to pull out laptops. TSA folks seem courteous for the most part, though I have noticed some inconsistencies (w/regard to what's allowed and what isn't).

I've traveled several times during this recent "code orange" alert, and really haven't noticed anything different at the security checkpoints, just the random vehicle searches and the closing of parking spaces close to the terminal.

My experiences at other airports are identical, including DCA (in and out over Christmas...I was expecting to see things really cranked up there but didn't).

I see such vehement feelings out of some folks, I guess I'm wondering what others are seeing at "their" airports.

#EDITED FOR POOR SPELLING.#

[This message has been edited by H2O_Goalie (edited Jan 06, 2004).]

As much as I respect your point of view, H20, and I do, the appropriate place for your post would be in the Travel/Security forum, since it is not related to a news story.

Having said that, about 80% of the stories here have a tenuous connection to news, and exist only to allow people to grind a political axe in the most public forum they can find. But we don't seem to have any effective moderation here on a consistent basis to protect against that.

So perhaps you could relocate your post there?

[This message has been edited by Felix Unger (edited Jan 06, 2004).]

FYI: posts to In The News must almost always start with a news item, and must always discuss a news item.

This belongs in Travel & Security. It does not follow the format we have here. Thanks for posting, I will move it there so let's continue the discussion there.

--richard, moderator

I am a nearly 100% leisure traveler, but do it enough to keep top tier status on American.

I have never had any real problems with TSA. The only problem I have is in California, where they always make me take off my shoes, even though they have no metal and do not cuase problems in airports in every other state.

I flew yesterday.

Seven minutes from curb, to ticket counter line, to bag checked and boarding pass in hand.

I waiting a few minutes more to watch my checked bag go through the "minivan" machine. It waiting about 3 minutes in line, went through the machine then was placed directly on the belt to the bag room.

I was a selectee but I was through security in less than five minutes.

The worst part was it cost $1.63 for a cup of coffee and that was with a discount!