Did something change with the TSA recently?

[buzzrelly]

I am hearing about all of these flight delays and long TSA security lines. We just flew in April and the lines were long, but not unbearable. We flew from Bradley to MCO.

What am I missing? Did they just change something and now the lines are much worse? Makes me nervous to book flights again for next April.

 

[rwdavis2]

Several things. Test runs of the check points over the last year or so showed they were missing about 95% of the banned items sent through as tests, so they are taking more time.

More travelers this year is causing a problem. And finally, they are down ~4000 screeners due to attrition and budget cuts (so they claim). But news reports indicated they have enough screeners to work political rallies this year which makes no sense. They should be in airports.

I would recommend signing up for TSA Pre-Check. We just did it and it worked great. Save us probably 1-2 hours in lines during our trip last month.

 

[quagmire0]

We'll be signing up for Pre-Check. No way we're going to wait in an hour+ line with 4 kids. But yeah, apparently it's a mix of low staffing due to turnover/cuts and the natural spike in traveling this time of year. What's funny is you're now hearing stories of the TSA just essentially giving up at times at MCO and telling people to just make their way through without all the shoe/coat/etc. nonsense.

 

[goofy4tink]

We'll be signing up for Pre-Check. No way we're going to wait in an hour+ line with 4 kids. But yeah, apparently it's a mix of low staffing due to turnover/cuts and the natural spike in traveling this time of year. What's funny is you're now hearing stories of the TSA just essentially giving up at times at MCO and telling people to just make their way through without all the shoe/coat/etc. nonsense.

That was our experience. But...they had a dog working the security line. So no need to remove stuff. It wasn't 'willy-nilly', so to speak.

 

[loves to dive]

We have TSA pre-check but our stuff still has to go through the scanner. My honey does underwater video and, of course, he carries on his video camera and lights since he has has the lights broken once when he tried to pack them. Every single time, he gets pulled aside, everything in the case gets swabbed, he gets swabbed and patted down, after walking through the scanner and nothing being detected. I carry on regulators, masks and computers and they just let me through. I think it's the batteries in his lights that flags things but those suckers cost a lot of money and there is no way he's risking checking them.

 

[mster425]

In our case it was because we were in an area where two lines were merging, and they would only pull people from the other line. For well over 30 minutes, making our total wait more than 45. The other lines weren't as bad, just luck. It was the only time in my 5 + years of parenting where I really felt the side eye from strangers around me- we'd folded up the strollers to scan them, the two year old was acting like a total fool and screaming whenever we pulled him back in line, and the 5 year old was freaking out crying because she had to pee and didn't want to wet her pants. I thought pre-check was only for frequent fliers and didn't look into it. I will trade a kidney to avoid this experience next time.

 

[rwdavis2]

In our case it was because we were in an area where two lines were merging, and they would only pull people from the other line. For well over 30 minutes, making our total wait more than 45. The other lines weren't as bad, just luck. It was the only time in my 5 + years of parenting where I really felt the side eye from strangers around me- we'd folded up the strollers to scan them, the two year old was acting like a total fool and screaming whenever we pulled him back in line, and the 5 year old was freaking out crying because she had to pee and didn't want to wet her pants. I thought pre-check was only for frequent fliers and didn't look into it. I will trade a kidney to avoid this experience next time.

Just pay the $85 per person (including the kids, I believe) and save yourself a kidney.

 

[Ranger111]

Slightly interesting take on the New TSA

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/arti...18/the-unspoken-reason-the-tsa-is-so-terrible

 

[happymom2one]

what is a TSA pre-check? Does it cost extra money?

 

[Simba001]

what is a TSA pre-check? Does it cost extra money?

It allows you to get through the security lines (typically) quicker by not having to remove as many things and take as many things from your bags. $85 for a 5 year period.
https://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck

 

[lelder]

Just pay the $85 per person (including the kids, I believe) and save yourself a kidney.

We're in the process of applying. Kids under 12 do not need to pay. Here's the official word from the TSA website.
Do my children need to enroll for the TSA Pre✓® program?

Children ages 12 and under do not need a separate enrollment when travelling with a parent or guardian enrolled in the TSA Pre✓® program. Individuals in this category may still choose to enroll in order to receive the full benefits of TSA Pre✓® expedited screening when traveling alone.

 

[book_junkie]

When I flew last (MCO to ORD which is Orlando to Chicago- think about that for a minute LOL) the hold up was all the people who didn't follow the rules. I had precheck (paid for, screened, fingerprinted), and flew out on a noon flight on a Wednesday. Got stuck behind people who where digging for their IDs at the first stand then waived through by the TSA agent who saw I had mine already out. Then got stuck behind people who couldn't figure out what to do by the scanners on the precheck side, got waved through again because I followed directions. All the ones I got waived by were ones that got the precheck through the airlines, not people who paid for it through the program.

The holdups I saw on the non-precheck side, aside from the huge number of people going through were those who didn't take off belts, didn't take off shoes, didn't take stuff out of their bags, or tried to take their water through. While on the weekends I would have said that they were TRYING to get everyone to go through precheck, the mess I saw on that Wednesday were people who just had no clue at all.

 

[Ranger111]

All the ones I got waived by were ones that got the precheck through the airlines, not people who paid for it through the program

And you know this how?

 

[schoen]

I wonder if they are intentionally understaffing/taking longer to encourage folks to sign up for TSA Pre Check, which hasn't caught on in the way they were anticipating? That is my cynical theory!

 

[jo-jo]

I wonder if they are intentionally understaffing/taking longer to encourage folks to sign up for TSA Pre Check, which hasn't caught on in the way they were anticipating? That is my cynical theory!

That's my thinking too. We are thinking of buying. Our luck, 10 million people will sign and then the precheck line won't be any shorter.

 

[jnfr2424]

The news did report that last week the application for pre check did spike up from 8,000 to 10,000. Tonight there was a 45 minute for the regular security meanwhile no wait on pre check line. My money was well spent on pre check

 

[buzzrelly]

Thanks, everyone! I think I'll start looking into the Pre-check since it looks like things may get worse, not better.

 

[sluggozmom]

Im all ready to sign myself and my 13 year old daughter up for this.. $170 should be well worth it for 5 years..
Well I need a state picture ID for her. Only problem is Massachusetts RMV doesn't issue them under 14 years old.
Besides the additional expense of a passport, anybody got any suggestions?

 

[Jenna319]

Do you need to bring a copy of your birth certificate to apply for Precheck? My husband and I both have no idea where those are.... and we travel in 3 weeks, not enough time??

 

[crazywig]

Im all ready to sign myself and my 13 year old daughter up for this.. $170 should be well worth it for 5 years..
Well I need a state picture ID for her. Only problem is Massachusetts RMV doesn't issue them under 14 years old.
Besides the additional expense of a passport, anybody got any suggestions?

I just spent 20 mins on hold to find out (also in MA with kids) and yeah, we're SOL unless we get a passport. My youngest will be 12 when we fly but next year she's stuck in the gap there unless I get her a passport which is $80 I really don't want to spend but probably will. I guess I'm off to the registry this summer to get the 14yr old an ID ($25).