davie355

I flew out of SFO T2 for the first time and encountered this style of wraparound line (pic from Twitter, not mine):


I walked toward where the roped-off maze began, found the vertical TSA PreCheck banner, showed my BP to the employee standing there, expecting him to point me to a shorter line.

But there was no other line. The employee motioned for me to merge into this massive line, in which everybody (it seemed) received PreCheck screening. I was confused - there's no way everybody in this line had a KTN, right? Maybe I happened upon a "managed inclusion" scheme? I thought those phased out years ago.

What is the actual normal protocol for PreCheck/priority at T2?

Eastbay1K

There should have been a dedicated Pre lane on the far left.

davie355

Pre, or airline priority? Is an airline rep escort required for that?

I do recall seeing a small line gathered on the left side of the security checkpoint area, but the entrance to that line was cordoned off, there was no employee there, and no signage indicating what that line was for.

(The only PreCheck banner I saw was on the far right.)

dhuey

Unless they moved it very recently, the T2 Precheck line is on the far left as you face security. I'm not sure (I always use Precheck), but I think the middle line is non-Pre Priority, and the right is regular. The Precheck line at T2 has been getting longer lately, but I doubt it would get as long as what we see in the photo. My guess is that this is the regular line.

Keep in mind that if T2 security is really bad, you may want to go over to T1-C (Delta) and enter there. An airside hallway connects T2 and T1-C.

davie355

Great tip, thanks.

gaobest

I usually fly out of T2 on weekdays and there are 3 lines - precheck, priority, and regular.
i assume you flew out today so maybe weekends have changed to only 1 line?
how long do you think you waited in total for security, from the end of this line to getting your carryon & shoes after the X-ray machine? Did you have time to get food or look at the fun display? Play with the butterflies near Lori's Diner?
i love love T2 for Napa valley farms and the book store. I don't have AC access but feel that the beauty of T2 makes it feel like a lounge albeit one where the food costs $
i know T3 is also renovated and nice but it's too full of UAL elites and kettles - as I used to be UAL kettle (2P) for almost 2 decades. I don't miss T3 at all!

davie355

Actually I flew out on a weekday morning (6-7am departure) and I personally waited only 5-10 minutes for security, as the employee by the TSA PreCheck sign motioned for me to join the line right then and there, so I didn't go back to the very end.

While long, the line moved briskly (multiple document checkers and X-rays in operation) so the maximum wait time from the very end would probably be 15-20 minutes, if that.

And I have to agree SFO is beautifully appointed

dhuey

Night and day from when I moved here in 1989. Such a dump back then. Now it's among the nicest in the world, especially the International Terminal.

KathyWdrf

AFAIK, Terminal 3 already existed by 1989, and it isn't/wasn't a dump.

dhuey

Yeah, T3 was okay. Everything else, not so much.

nnn

Did you happen to see any dogs around? I have been in a situation where everyone gets Pre-Check when the K-9 unit is working.

Visconti

Also, in SFO, I've noticed an increasing amount of non TSA pax in the TSA line. I thought they were eliminating random access?

docbert

I'm guessing this is what happened, although I would have thought the OP would have mentioned a dog if there was one...

When they are using a K-9 then all passengers get the equivalent of Pre-check (shoes left on, electronics normally left in, metal detector used, etc).

I've hit this occasionally at SFO, and oddly enough more frequently at SJC (possibly due to there only being 2 screening points?). Definitely makes the whole process much quicker, although going through SJC last week I managed to hit the line right as they had sent a 'decoy' past the dog, and he had correctly detected it, so we had to wait in line for a few minutes whilst the handler played a game with the dog as it's "reward".