Flying out of small airport, have security questions...

[Disneyfan1977]

Hi all

So we are flying out of our very small airport in our home state. I am worried about security and wonder I'd TSA agents are at these airports too? Do they examine carry ons and what not? Got a wonderful price for our family of four (450.00 for 4 tickets round trip non stop). Plus it's about a 10 minute drive from our house.... The airport is in new castle delaware... Any help is appreciated!

Thanks

 

[DebbieB]

Hi all

So we are flying out of our very small airport in our home state. I am worried about security and wonder I'd TSA agents are at these airports too? Do they examine carry ons and what not? Got a wonderful price for our family of four (450.00 for 4 tickets round trip non stop). Plus it's about a 10 minute drive from our house.... The airport is in new castle delaware... Any help is appreciated!

Thanks

Yes, all commercial airports have TSA and the procedures are the same.

 

[DryCreek]

The screening will be similar to any larger airport, except you will probably not have to pass through the explosive detectors (puffers) or "naked body scanners" that are found in the larger airports.

Enjoy our flight. We try to fly out of Waco Regional Airport (ACT) whenever possible. They have only two gates, one security line, and friendly TSA agents. Hh yeah, parking is free too. Both long term and pickup/dropoff. All lots are within a five minute stroll of the terminal. Sure beats having to fight your way into and out of DFW!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Yes your carry on luggage will still be screened just like it is at a larger airport.

 

[CPT Tripss]

OP, please come back and post after your trip. I'm interested in your security experience. Small airports seem to either have friendly and professional personnel or just the opposite. As New Castle is a possibility for me, your feedback would be helpful.

 

[dudspizza]

Imagine if small airports didn't have security measures in place..... any terrorist or highjacker would use that as an entry point into larger airport.

Say a bad guy gets on in a small airport and lands at a larger airport... they are now in the secure area with whatever weapons they needed.......

The 911 hijackers entered through a small airport in Maine.....

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

OP, please come back and post after your trip. I'm interested in your security experience. Small airports seem to either have friendly and professional personnel or just the opposite. As New Castle is a possibility for me, your feedback would be helpful.

My experience is the smaller the airport the more harassment you get. Big airports don't have time for the games

 

[CPT Tripss]

Imagine if small airports didn't have security measures in place..... any terrorist or highjacker would use that as an entry point into larger airport.

Say a bad guy gets on in a small airport and lands at a larger airport... they are now in the secure area with whatever weapons they needed.......

The 911 hijackers entered through a small airport in Maine.....

Portland has enough flights that at least a good portion of the airport security screeners there are full time and don't have to work split shifts. The 9/11 bad guys had ID and were not carrying prohibited, at that time, items.

My experience is the smaller the airport the more harassment you get. Big airports don't have time for the games

True about the small airport actions. But if I stated that, it would just pooh poohed as anti TSA bias. Large airports also play games of going outside their SOP.

I'd still like to hear OP's experience.

 

[ariel71]

They have only two gates, one security line, and friendly TSA agents. Sure beats having to fight your way into and out of DFW!

So true.

O'hare at Christmas - hour and a half to get through security, barely made the flight. Return from Wilkes-Barre, PA - completely empty line with six TSA agents watching me as I approached. I was just waiting for one of them to say "mine" like the seagulls in Nemo. But kidding aside, the agents I've encountered at small airports are very friendly and the lines are a breeze.

One word of caution about small airports though - you have limited options if something goes wrong, especially if it's a once-a-day flight. If I'm in a risky position (like taking the last flight of the day in the winter), I do try to have a general idea of what other routes could work, even if it means flying into a different airport and doing a one-way car rental.

 

[Sandi]

My experience is the smaller the airport the more harassment you get. Big airports don't have time for the games

That has not been my experience, but the small airports have been in Michigan (3) and one small airport in each of NY, Wisconsin, Colorado, California, Maine, Florida and Indiana. TSA agents have been efficient and nonconfrontational. At big airports (DTW, Dulles, Washington National, MCO, etc.), it takes a lot longer to get through TSA and the agents often seem to want to exert their power. MSP is an exception -- many good experiences through that large airport. I have never had a bad experience in a small airport. It may be that my test sample is too small, however.

 

[Sur]

So true.

O'hare at Christmas - hour and a half to get through security, barely made the flight. Return from Wilkes-Barre, PA - completely empty line with six TSA agents watching me as I approached. I was just waiting for one of them to say "mine" like the seagulls in Nemo. But kidding aside, the agents I've encountered at small airports are very friendly and the lines are a breeze.

One word of caution about small airports though - you have limited options if something goes wrong, especially if it's a once-a-day flight. If I'm in a risky position (like taking the last flight of the day in the winter), I do try to have a general idea of what other routes could work, even if it means flying into a different airport and doing a one-way car rental.

Can you imagine if they all started saying "MINE" like those seagulls!! I am NOT going to be able to get that off my mind whenever I see that movie again!!
You'd need a large sail/mast to keep 'em away!!

 

[bdcp]

Yes, all commercial airports have TSA and the procedures are the same.

My understanding is all airports have security screenings, but not all have TSA. They're regulated by TSA, but are not TSA manned.

See this link: http://blog.tsa.gov/2010/11/airports-who-opt-out-of-tsa-screening.html

 

[stitchlovestink]

OP,
can you share what airline you are flying? those are great rates and that isn't a very far drive for us for that kind of savings...

 

[bleubell]

I actually found security to be less stressful at JFK than it was in my home state of Maine.

 

[goofy4tink]

My experience is the smaller the airport the more harassment you get. Big airports don't have time for the games

Not my experience. I have flown out of Worcester Ma many times...don't get much smaller than there!! The security has always been very friendly!!! In fact, a few years ago, I was flying down to Sanford, via DirectAir, and then heading to port for a cruise. I had my carryon bag full of fish extender gifts...didn't want to chance losing them along the way. The TSA guy was hysterical. He was at the end of the belt and stopped me and said...'what the heck is in there? It smells wonderful?' Told him it was bags full of candies and little gifts for a cruise I was taking. His response? 'Well, did you bring enough for me?' He was a ton of fun!!! They all were. No power plays or tactics going on.

So, while I can imagine that bad experiences can happen anywhere, that hasn't been my experience at a very small airport.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Not my experience. I have flown out of Worcester Ma many times...don't get much smaller than there!! The security has always been very friendly!!! In fact, a few years ago, I was flying down to Sanford, via DirectAir, and then heading to port for a cruise. I had my carryon bag full of fish extender gifts...didn't want to chance losing them along the way. The TSA guy was hysterical. He was at the end of the belt and stopped me and said...'what the heck is in there? It smells wonderful?' Told him it was bags full of candies and little gifts for a cruise I was taking. His response? 'Well, did you bring enough for me?' He was a ton of fun!!! They all were. No power plays or tactics going on.

So, while I can imagine that bad experiences can happen anywhere, that hasn't been my experience at a very small airport.

I don't want them to have fun. I want them to keep moving.

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't want them to have fun. I want them to keep moving.

We were moving...there was no one behind me. We arrived early. Only one flight a day out of that airport. So, we were holding no one up. They were professional yet pleasant. But then again, I've had the same experience at Boston's Logan Intl....the lines were kept moving and the agents were all happy, smiling and pleasant. The only holdups were idiot passengers that didn't think their water bottles should be an issue, or they didn't want to take their shoes off. Do those things keep us safe? Probably not. But, as of this moment, you can't take full water bottles through security and just about everyone has to remove their shoes....so figure it out, and do what is expected. Otherwise, the line stops.