jordieboy

Just went through security at PHL. Approached the B terminal portal and the line in the "expert traveler" black lane was approaching post-9/11 proportions. Interestingly the "casual" and "family" green lane was empty. Security was sending everyone to the black lane unless there were small children traveling with the party, in which case they were sent to the green lane. One guy with his wife and two small kids had an almost guilty look on his face as he bypassed 20+min of wait time by heading right to the front of the green line.

This is now the second time I have seen this in the AM in recent days.

What is going on here?

FWIW - today I walked over to the C terminal entrance which only had about 15 people waiting in line.

...to quote Syndrome from the Incredibles -2004

"Everyone can be super! And when everyone's super-- [chuckles evilly] --no one will be."

Zanotti

It seems TSA in PHL have completely disregarded any meaning to the signs.

There are random meanings, that constantly change with each shift and crew. I have seen them change the meaning of the lines while in them.

Once the black line was packed and the green guy was empty, I tried to lane jump and was quickly thwarted by the "Taking Scissors Away" crew. The guy checking was even laughing at them. Moments later, they reopened this line and the same guy checked me out.


I avoid B at all times as C is almost always faster.

newbiztraveler

I went through C on Monday and they were randomly throwing people in the black lane, it was completely full. I'm so sick of this... I wish they would return to elite only lanes.

PHLGovFlyer

The screening lines at B & C can be an absolute mess at times and there is generally no logic to how different pax get sent to the queues. Oddly, they've added an elite line at the new D/E screening area with separate elite lane signage. They actually seem to use it when the place gets crowded and it has made a diffence for me - a huge change from when the area first opened (I avoided it altogether).

rookieflyer

That is very similar to SEA in the AM. Last time I flew out of there, the Black line was packed. A family of 4 w/ 2 strollers came by 10-15 mins while I was in line, and went green and were thru 10 mins before me. I thought it was way hilarious.

IzzyL

I went through PHL on Friday night last week. My flight was leaving out of A but I got dropped off at B, which was fine with me because of the shops in the B/C terminal. ( I had a few hours to spend before my flight).
Anyway, I took one look at the line stretching out over the B walkway and the TSA was shouting the line ends down the hall!!!
I tried to to say I was flying first, had a DM card, was preferred, and nothing worked. I turned around went back down stairs and walked to the A terminal and went through the line in 10 minutes. I know it was a hike to the other terminal, but I was leaving out of A anyway and there was no way I wanted to stand in that crazy line in B!

skipdawg

i've seen the crazy B line upon return of trips. haven't been stuck in it, but if I do, I'd walk to any other terminal needed to avoid that line. you can even take the employee shuttle bus if don't want to walk. they should fix the TSA situation and get it consistent so frequent travelers know how to get through faster.

phlwookie

If you use PHL regularly, you probably know that the best policy is to be flexible and just use the line (and terminal) with the shortest lines. Sometimes B is a mess and C is fine, and you can look across the walkway to see that. D-E has the new consolidated security, and many times (esp. just post-9/11) I went through security at F and took the bus. But with E security no longer isolated, you can go through any terminal security to get to your gates.

rharb

Actually the best decision is to avoid PHL altogether. Not only is it difficult to get into the airport, you also are in takeoff queue forever.

I'm sure some of my sentiment is due to the huge loss of flights at my home airport (PIT), but PHL has become way too overloaded.

aquarius

I use Philadelphia's B Terminal every week and I agree that it is one of the most ridiculous thing. I complained several times, but I guess it will take more of us. I, too, when I see these lines at B, I go to C which is always better.

newbiztraveler

Oh, how I wish it were that easy. I used to routinely fly at "rush hour" on Monday morning and remember the announcements like "Sorry for the delay folks, there are at least 30 planes ahead of us. Please feel free to use your cellphones until we are ready to depart." Now that I'm flying Sunday nights, it's all good.

tommyleo

I believe this may be outdated info. The recession has caused all airlines to cut flights. As a result, the takeoff queue at PHL has been quite good over the last year.

Can anyone confirm?

brobab

IME B is the worst of any airport I fly. The current location of the ID check podium practically guarantees a bottleneck and subsequent mixing of the lanes, (assuming they even bother to maintain the lanes).

I saw an unfortunate guy get pulled out of line and lectured by TSA because he had the temerity to close one of the fabric barriers that was left open thus allowing all passengers to cut to the front of the expert line. All the elites were funneled to the expert line and all non elites and families were sent to green. Once you did the Disney walk the lines merged as opposed to having green do one more turn as it was laid out. There were 30 - 40 Elites in line and the TSA agent went out of her way to make them wait while every green line PAX was seen first. So the guy says, "I think this was left open by mistake" and closes it. The ID checker acted as if she had been stabbed and no less than three agents haul this guy to side and tell him not to mess with the lanes. So he gets to the back of the line. One guess as to how quickly that line moved as opposed to green after that....

escapefromphl

I don't think its as bad as it was, but I still try to take an earlier flight. Once Southwest starts its expanded PHL service in a few months it will probably get worse.

coachrowsey

TSA is out of control. A bunch of idiots & morons