Originally Posted by eyecue

We dont have to be introspective. There are things that go on behind the scenes that affect the checkpoint. Pax might see it as screeners doing nothing but there is a reason.

Originally Posted by Bart

I think you would agree that if you show up at the airport less than an hour before departure time, then you are pretty much at risk of missing the flight. Most airlines start boarding 20 to 30 minutes before departure time and start calling stand-bys at approximately 10 minutes before departure time. If you reverse it from boarding time to include a reasonable expected time in the line to check-in (if applicable) and security, I think you would agree that it's prudent to plan on being inside the airport ready to stand in line no less than an hour to an hour-and-a-half prior to departure time, depending on several other factors (turning in rental cars, transportation to the departure terminal, etc.) Add in time for unexpected surprises such as the pocketknife you forget was in your carry-on, and I don't see what's so unreasonable about planning ahead. I'm not saying you should show up half a day prior to departure. I am saying that if you think you can rush to the airport within an hour of the scheduled departure time, then you are increasing the risk of getting caught behind a long line either at security or to the ticket counter, being a selectee and having to undergo the full Monty, and having to deal with a prohibited item in your carry-on.

If you travel as frequently as you claim, then you probably ensure that your carry-ons don't have any prohibited items inside. Furthermore, if you travel as often as you claim, then your criticism of infrequent travelers who take longer to process through the walk-thru is invalid because you would accept this as a reality of mass transportation. If not, then you are living in a dream world, my friend.

Failure of your ability to plan ahead does not constitute an emergency for me. Key word here is reasonable planning.

As for lane closures, again, open your eyes. Congress is holding TSA's feet to the fire on the 45,000 screener workforce limit. TSA has repeatedly explained that it needs at least 55,000 to properly man the nation's checkpoints, but it falls on deaf ears. Deal with that reality, friend. We screeners have no choice but to work within the limitations placed upon us.

Originally Posted by PatrickHenry1775

"Behind the scenes" - what, is TSA starting to screen cargo? What will Ma and Pa Kettle think if they do not see screeners checking shoes and children? Oh well, if TSA screeners are just standing around, they are not confiscating or causing the surrender of :rolleyes: dangerous instrumentalities such as bookmarks and rolling pins.

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I live in MSN, so my departures there don't require a lot of time. I frequently leave my home an hour before departure time because I know that in MSN I've NEVER had to remove shoes, etc. I check in online, so I go straight from car to security. I always arrive at the gate at least 10 minutes before departure and I've never missed a flight.

It's the other airports where I have problems. It's at the other airports where people bark at travelers to remove their shoes. It's at the other airports where I wonder if I'm going to have to go through secondary screening because not removing shoes equals a secondary screen.

If all the airports were MSN, there would be no complaining. But many travelers don't know that -- and those travelers remove their shoes and belts without even thinking about why they're doing it. That makes them sheeple, sorry to say, and there's no way that term is on the same level as the racist terms that another poster mentioned.