Security Wait-Times on Website
Aug 10, 2004 | 8:15 am
#1
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Security Wait-Times on Website
Partial Quote From the WSJ 08/10/04:
Full story at wsj.com
Security-Checkpoint Wait Times
At Airports Are Going Online
WASHINGTON -- Airline passengers will now have a new guide to help them figure out how early to get to the airport.
The Transportation Security Administration will launch today a new Web site that will provide more detailed, airport-by-airport information on wait times at security checkpoints. The site, http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov, will provide estimated hourly and daily average-wait times, based on the last month's data, at any given airport.
TSA officials began posting the information on its Internet site several weeks ago, but it was almost impossible to find and difficult to use. The new site is designed to be more customer-friendly, TSA officials said.
"It's certainly more consumer-friendly than the one we have up there already," said Amy von Walter, a TSA spokeswoman.
This information isn't likely to help much during Thanksgiving, Christmas and other peak travel times when passenger traffic spikes to abnormal levels. But it does provide better information on wait times for business or leisure travelers.
At Airports Are Going Online
WASHINGTON -- Airline passengers will now have a new guide to help them figure out how early to get to the airport.
The Transportation Security Administration will launch today a new Web site that will provide more detailed, airport-by-airport information on wait times at security checkpoints. The site, http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov, will provide estimated hourly and daily average-wait times, based on the last month's data, at any given airport.
TSA officials began posting the information on its Internet site several weeks ago, but it was almost impossible to find and difficult to use. The new site is designed to be more customer-friendly, TSA officials said.
"It's certainly more consumer-friendly than the one we have up there already," said Amy von Walter, a TSA spokeswoman.
This information isn't likely to help much during Thanksgiving, Christmas and other peak travel times when passenger traffic spikes to abnormal levels. But it does provide better information on wait times for business or leisure travelers.
Aug 10, 2004 | 11:05 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2003
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The person at TSA who decided to publish this data should be seriously promoted.
It doesn't solve (or create) any problems (or cost any real $), but it does provide useful information instead of wishy-washy "show up 2 hours before your flight" BS that we often hear from airports/airlines/TSA.
^
It doesn't solve (or create) any problems (or cost any real $), but it does provide useful information instead of wishy-washy "show up 2 hours before your flight" BS that we often hear from airports/airlines/TSA.
^
Aug 10, 2004 | 11:40 am
#4
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Agreed - this is a great idea.
Hope that airports with embarassing wait times are called on the carpet and not given more screeners to solve the "problem".
Hope that airports with embarassing wait times are called on the carpet and not given more screeners to solve the "problem".
Aug 10, 2004 | 3:11 pm
#5
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Unusually useful.
And the data appears to correspond with my own anecdotal experience. I would be curious to see if others agree (e.g. peak wait times at DL's ATL hub, etc.)
And the data appears to correspond with my own anecdotal experience. I would be curious to see if others agree (e.g. peak wait times at DL's ATL hub, etc.)
Aug 10, 2004 | 5:55 pm
#6
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You can bet your bottom dollar that this data exists so it can show up in Congressional budget justification documents and in testimony. As is vividly demonstrated almost daily, everyone in the DHS from Ridge on down could give a rat's eyelash about their customers -- the taxpayers. 
Aug 10, 2004 | 7:19 pm
#7
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Flying out of my home airport - GSO - I have been given a survey with a time stamp on it for about two months now. Time stamped when they give it to me, I then hand it to the screener as I go the the detector. Don't know what they do with the information, but I can tell you that my wait times in line have been cut in half during the last month or so
Aug 10, 2004 | 8:47 pm
#8
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Originally Posted by studentff
The person at TSA who decided to publish this data should be seriously promoted.
It doesn't solve (or create) any problems (or cost any real $), but it does provide useful information instead of wishy-washy "show up 2 hours before your flight" BS that we often hear from airports/airlines/TSA.
^
It doesn't solve (or create) any problems (or cost any real $), but it does provide useful information instead of wishy-washy "show up 2 hours before your flight" BS that we often hear from airports/airlines/TSA.
^
In the end, flights were held, and everyone made it, by a good margin, and only a net 2-3 minute delay in the end.
Aug 11, 2004 | 11:14 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2003
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Originally Posted by apl175
It reminds me of a time at RNO when one of the WTMDs had failed callibration and was taken out of service. The line was excruciatingly long even at 5:15am (for a 6am flight). With the only recourse being "We always recommend that passengers show up at least two hours in advance.." which puts one at the airport at 3:45am (at *least* 2 hours in advance)...which means that even if you stayed at a hotel nearby...you'd be out of bed, probably at or around 3am....
In the end, flights were held, and everyone made it, by a good margin, and only a net 2-3 minute delay in the end.
In the end, flights were held, and everyone made it, by a good margin, and only a net 2-3 minute delay in the end.
Disgraceful.