I was surprised how they hustled everyone out this evening. Saw one guy waiting for the restroom and they said, and I quote, "You've got exactly one minute to be done and leave."

I left at 9:14pm, and the dragons were already pulling the security curtain across the entire front of the lounge. Certainly seemed abrupt. It is EWR, of course.

How I love NJ personally. I would have taken my time as a result.

Another wonderful experience at A this am.... Colleague had a rental car, so I hitched a ride with him for our flight as opposed to wife or Uber dropping me off. Seamless rental return (THIS is actually one area of EWR that has improved, albeit you need to be flying out of A lol), and then we decided to go through security in A and bus over to C. Seemed reasonable, as backtracking to the Airtrain and then crossing fingers you're not waiting 20 minutes for the next train is super annoying.

Anyway...not a meaningful line at Clear. In 2022 in C terminal, this line would've been five mins max to get through security. In 2024 C, probably 10-12 mins. In 2024 A terminal? Almost 45 minutes. As I watch the way the line snakes into the security machines, and then watch the rubix cube of those machines....I have to actively suppress rage every time. Somebody in a cubicle got the great idea for these- that they would be superior to the old school straight line moving belt....and completely destroyed the flow of security traffic. I just can't..... The irony is I really like A as a terminal. I think they got it right. It's airy, tons of food options, UA club is decent if small. But security is SUCH a fail that it's insanely frustrating to move through there....

Little wait going through the Premier entrance and getting the Pre-check note from the TSA agent. Very easy again on a busy Saturday morning.

Is it a no-brainer to hit the premier entrance far left as opposed to the Clear w/pre-check on the far right? I've been bogged down tremendously with Clear in A for a good while now.

has been for me recently

Asking TSA Pre for Premier Access at EWR A?
 

I flew out of EWR last week after a forced overnight on my journey. Despite having an international J class ticket on UA, there was no Premier Access other than for folks needing to drop bags. When I asked the CS working the PA area, they advised there was Premier Access for security and they sent me to Clear - whom of course said no bueno. After some back and forth with the staff managing the security lines, I was told there's no Premier Access / Priority Security for United flyers at their important large global hub, so ended up just over 45 minutes in a long snake to get to front of the line and in total just a hair under an hour to get through from arrival at line to existing airside with carry on baggage only - at around 9.30am on a Sunday. Could be worse I guess but I definitely would have rather spent the hour having breakfast in the club.

I see some comments such as "getting a note from the TSA pre-check" - what is this?

While I get that the Airport Authority / NJ etc ultimately controls the facility - as their biggest customer and tenant, it seems unfathomable to me that at United's premier international global hub that J class flyers have zero fast-track access through to the airside terminal. And this is a brand new purpose built terminal facility - is this the plan for the long haul?

As an aside - and even more frustratingly - I should actually have TSA Pre (I have renewed and valid Global Entry) but it's been "broken" for about 2 years now since I last renewed and countless emails to TSA and now CBP just go nowhere - ugh.

There is a Premier Access entry to the security screening from the back of the Premier Access area. That area is all the way on the left as you come into the terminal. The TSA Pre note is given to passengers in the regluar line whose boarding pass shows they should have access to TSA Pre. It means you don't have to take your shoes off and can use the WTMD instead of the surrender b:ox.

Looks like what is still left of the old A is being torn down currently.

Are you referring to the headhouse or the banj:os? When I was last there a few weeks ago a good bit of the banjos was gone and they were busy digging up all the tarmac around them and putting in new drainage.

My vantage point was the banjos, as I was arriving into EWR and noticed it while taxiing to the gate. Pretty much reduced to all rubles now.

Original plan called for the headhouse to remain without banjos.
The May 2023 vision plan calls for all of old A to be leveled, including the roadways in front to make way for the new terminal B which will take up all of the A/B parking lot right to the tower.
It looks like this plan allows a simpler tram and an airside walkway between A and B.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...eb791e7d07.png

From yesterday as we landed on 22L and had to taxi to the A gates. The last 'banjo' is being demolished now. The walkway to that banjo still stands but all the guts have been taken out including the windows.

-RM

UC at A is closed currently due to water line break.

So no Bluegrass Music Festival at old terminal A then...