I forgot to mention that in the original post of this thread the implication was that the employee was on some level of being lower on the totem pole, not the sense of whose time was more valuable. Sorry, but that's the way it came across, which is why I went into the explanation of my own travels

SIN goes one further and has a wholly separate screening area for crew/employees ^ It is outside public view (unless you happen to be going to/from airside left luggage down that particular corridor).

I think the point is that the airport tenants don't want their employees to find a job at another location. Many airport businesses struggle to find employees.

I don't think that there would be a mass walk out if all the airport employees had to wait in line. However every time an employer takes away a perceived benefit from employees, it makes it harder to retain those employees. Line jumping privileges don't cost the employer any money, but are a valued airport employee benefit.

The only way that this is going away is if enough passengers walk away from the airlines for this specific reason. Mall owners have separate employee parking lots because they know that many customers will drive to the next location if all the choice spots are taken. Airline passengers by and large don't stop flying because of this airport employee perk. Simple economics.

Angry Dan

Good point!

Generally speaking employee parking at the airport is farther away from the terminal than passenger parking. This is because the airports can charge higher rates for spots closer to the terminal. If the airport could make more money by allowing employees to park closer than airport customers then employee parking would be closer.

Angry Dan

Cutting to the front of airport security lines is not a benefit your employer can offer. It is a benefit that airport tenants can offer their employees. And it doesn't cost these employers anything.

Similarly flight benefits are only an option for the airlines. It is a wonderful benefit that airlines can give to their employees. But it is not available for people who don't work for the airlines. Every organization because of the business that they are in has all sorts of privileges and benefits that they can give to their employees that are unique to that company. I would love to have flight benefits, but not enough to work for the airlines.

Your employer CHOOSES not to compensate you for wait times at the airport. It does have this option. I'm certain that if enough people in your position quit or wouldn't take a job at your company because of this issue, they would reconsider their policy.


Angry Dan

I have a few suggestion for everyone that has a problem with airport/ airline employees cutting the security lines.

1. Go through the same fingerprinting and testing.
2. Deal with passengers who can't hear or read signs to save their life. All day, every day!!!!
Ex. As man stares at ATM sign blankly, rudely asks "Where is the ATM?"
3. Be willing to travel with less. There is no need to have your whole office in your carry-on!!!
4. Have patience. Realize that the reason these employees have to rush through security is to deal with impatient customers such as yourself!!!!
5. Get a LIFE!!! I hope you have more pressing issues in your day to day activities than to dump on the kid that sells swatches.

Please keep in mind... That day that you are rushing and forget your watch. you're going to need him!!!!!

Very good first post. Welcome to FT.

So, if I have gone through more extensive background checks by to free nations, I should be able to cut in front of YOU?

Maybe people who have had more extensive background checks and higher government clearances should be permitted to cut in the lines?


How about dealing with airlines that delay our trips by hours or days through overbookings and cancellations, usually through no faults of our own? Where do we get to cut in line?


Would you be willing to put your own personal electronics in a checked bag?

Didn't think so.


That's funny. You're preaching patience to people all the while you're trying to reason your own impatience and unwillingness to wait in a line. That's a good one.


Coming from the person who complains about people and ATM machines. Another good one.


Him = watch? Huh?

Most people carry these things called phones. They have a clock on them.

Very good 3,604th post. ^

I think you all should take some time out and write your local theme park about employee's not waiting in line to get to there job. I saw them walking up the exit line.


Why is it ok to have an "elite" line where ma and pa kettle get to stand in line and watch you move though security quicker then them?

How many of you "traveling professionals" will take advantage of the registered traveler program, giving up your personal information and submit to a background check, to allow yourself access to shorter and less intrusive security screening, if it ever happens?

The current screening of employees is no different, just because the airport has decided that there isn't enough employee traffic though an area to warrant a marked "elite" employee line does not mean that the procedure for allowing expedited access does not exist. Would you all still be complaining if a single lane was marked off with a sign that say's employee's only?

I give it a 4.63.



;)

I have, on a couple of occasions, gone through security during a shift change. The line literally stopped for about 10 minutes while about 20 employees went to the front of the line, and everybody else waited for them.

Maybe we should exchange user names...because you seem angry!!!
But since you felt the need to rip my post apart line by line, I will address your response the same way.

1. Just becaue someone has a higher government clearence does not mean that TSA or Homeland Security care about you standing in line. Those are the people that conduct the airport clearences!!! They don't know you. They did not perform your background check. You are just another passenger that they trying to protect or harass (whichever applys to you!)

2. So when passengers are angry because they're flight has been delayed or canceled, who do you think they whine to? who do you think they treat like dirt because they can't take they're precious lotion through?
Not TSA, because no one wants to be on the "No-Fly" list. No one wants to deal with airport police or security. You all look at the person that is probably selling magazines to make your flight more enjoyable and bite their head off.

3. Patience. I said practice patience because that airport employee isn't going to prohibit you from getting trough security any faster. The problem with getting through security is simple. TRAVEL WITH LESS STUFF. If you fly on a regular basis because of work, you should know what is allowed.
You know that you need to take your laptop out. You know to take your shoes off. You should know to empty your pockets and person of anything that should not go through a metal detector.
What you might not know is. Those chairs at the end of the detectors. Those are for you to use. Gather your belongings, sit down, and put yourself back together.
Maybe you all should be complaining at other passengers who chose to stand at the xray machine and get dressed. They hold up the line.

4. FYI. It may come as a surprise to everyone. Everyone does not own a cell phone. Some people still use watches!! I know it may seem sort of wierd to most. But some people do consider them a part of their wardrobe.

The bottom line is this. Yes airport employees skip line. Everyone gets privileges at their job that the general public isn't allowed to take pleasure in. That's pretty much how things are in this world.

It may be a guilty pleasure for some airport employees to skip the line. :)
Kind of a way to get back at certain passengers for being demeaning towards them!!!

Were those airline employees airline employees? If they were, think about how many flights would have been delayed had those employees waited in line. While employees going to work aren't paid to stand in line, some employees are moving from one assignment to another. Would everyone be okay if their flight was delayed because the gate agent was stuck in security, because s/he was coming from the lobby? Please don't suggest that employee should leave earlier, because someone else would then complain that the counter was understaffed.

The priority security lines are in general for "uniformed airline personell" so to at least ensure that nobody with just an airline ID cuts the line.

They might need to move from check-in to the gate !