Flying soon? -- Allow more time, I would guess

[Ranger111]

In the event you shun the news, you may not have heard about the new procedures (well, old procedures, but more of it?)....and possibly additional procedures to come....

They actually started this a few weeks ago. Of course, I was running late for a flight and, of course got pulled out for a complete run through (and I mean complete -- my first time ever). Made my flight though, I don't know how....

http://khon2.com/2015/01/13/tsa-increases-security/

anyway, I had gotten lazy about being early for takeoff, but it looks like it is back to the two hour (or more) window of earliness for me.

this may delay things for awhile, or not, but better not to miss your "broom" to the Magical Land of Dis.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

That is why I paid for TSA precheck - and have a KTN now.
Breeze through - almost like the pre 9/11 days. Back to getting to the airport 45 minutes early.

I fly weekly and it has saved so much time!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

We just signed up today for our pre-check and got an appt right away. 5yrs of breezing through security is in sight.

 

[SeanTomorrow]

I'm a big fan of precheck, but I don't think it protects you from the "random" additional screening. The extra screening only adds a minute or two to your experience, but that can add up, especially for the normal line.

 

[disney world dreamer]

i always like to get there 2 hours prior to my flight cuz i get anxious thinking about being held up at security and missing my flight.
i've always been fine with plenty of time to spare but who knows now.

i'm curious for opinions about a couple things now.

-i was given a portable phone charger for xmas and will be taking it with me next time i fly. i'm wondering what the TSA will think of it? am i gonna get a full search cuz its an "odd" looking electronic cuz it lights up when you touch it but it does not "turn on"?

-also i'm visually impaired and will be flying alone for the first time. i will be using a cane so people can easily identify my disability and i will have an airline employee escorting me through security and to my gate. is this gonna help me get through security with less hassle or more?

 

[Ranger111]

i always like to get there 2 hours prior to my flight cuz i get anxious thinking about being held up at security and missing my flight.
i've always been fine with plenty of time to spare but who knows now.

i'm curious for opinions about a couple things now.

-i was given a portable phone charger for xmas and will be taking it with me next time i fly. i'm wondering what the TSA will think of it? am i gonna get a full search cuz its an "odd" looking electronic cuz it lights up when you touch it but it does not "turn on"?

-also i'm visually impaired and will be flying alone for the first time. i will be using a cane so people can easily identify my disability and i will have an airline employee escorting me through security and to my gate. is this gonna help me get through security with less hassle or more?

First, TSA has become much better than they were in the "bad old days" right after 9-11 -- at least in one aspect -- they do not seem to jump so much at things in your bags....ie....you will more than likely (99 percent) be fine with the cord.

My daughter just flew back to the midwest with a carryon full of electronics from Christmas.

Let's see a "tv converter box" with about two feet of coaxial cable wrapped around it, as well as the power cord. Another couple of feet of coiled coaxial. A Mohu antenna <. More coaxial for the Mohu. Rechargers for her laptop. Rechargers for her Iphone, etc.

No issue. Compare that to me after 9-11 who kept getting pulled out for my Norelco razor and its cord, as well as for my mini-cassette tape recorder and those very dangerous looking AAA batteries.

I think they have improved their detection systems a lot since then. Having said that, there is no guarantee, and from the things I am reading in my business magazines, there may be more "random selections" from the Pre-Check elite also.

Which brings me to my point, the Pre-Check system is inherently flawed IMHO. It is discriminatory, and caters mostly to the "rich white guys." It pulls resources from the "cattle lines" while for the most part the Pre-check lines are mostly empty. Off my soapbox, I could go on awhile about that....

Oh, as for the disablity....Dear mom flew a fair amount right after 9-11. In a wheelchair. Being pushed by airport personnel. More often than not, she was selected for additional screening.

Don't know if that is usual procedure, she was just unlucky, or if things have changed since then (she died in 2006). I had my own suspicion that TSA needs to pull a certain percentage of people for additional random. I suspect that human nature sometimes causes the agents to pull people who they suspect are not that savvy and who won't complain that much about being pulled aside.

Just my observation. It could be all wet, but have read opinions of the same sort on the frequent flyer boards.

We need to be safe and flying is not a right, so either put up with it or walk But, again, in my opinion, soapbox again, the PreCheck program goes against all those things that Jefferson and Lincoln spoke about oh so long ago.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We just signed up today for our pre-check and got an appt right away. 5yrs of breezing through security is in sight.

Maybe, unless you get stuck behind a herd of randomly assigned Pre Check noobs who hold up the line while taking off shoes and jackets, removing electronics and arguing with TSA when they are informed none of this is necessary.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

.......

-i was given a portable phone charger for xmas and will be taking it with me next time i fly. i'm wondering what the TSA will think of it? am i gonna get a full search cuz its an "odd" looking electronic cuz it lights up when you touch it but it does not "turn on"?

......

They shouldn't give it a second glance. They see hundreds of these every day.

 

[pigletto]

I always allow extra time. Mostly because I am an anxious flyer and rushing at the last minute puts me in anxiety mode. And I suspect I am on some list somewhere anyway because I am "randomly" assigned extra screening all the time. Twice TSA has come to the gate after screening and checked my carry on AGAIN before boarding "randomly".. except it was just me both times. Pulled over to go through the car with no explanation? Several times. Body scanners? Several times. Sent to the second room at YYZ so they can pick through my luggage. Yep. It's not all the time, but a good 75% of the time.
I have nothing to hide and understand the reasoning, so it's not a big deal. But I kind of chuckled reading about the extra security because I and members of my extended family get it all the time anyway.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I always allow extra time. Mostly because I am an anxious flyer and rushing at the last minute puts me in anxiety mode. And I suspect I am on some list somewhere anyway because I am "randomly" assigned extra screening all the time. Twice TSA has come to the gate after screening and checked my carry on AGAIN before boarding "randomly".. except it was just me both times. Pulled over to go through the car with no explanation? Several times. Body scanners? Several times. Sent to the second room at YYZ so they can pick through my luggage. Yep. It's not all the time, but a good 75% of the time.
I have nothing to hide and understand the reasoning, so it's not a big deal. But I kind of chuckled reading about the extra security because I and members of my extended family get it all the time anyway.

You too? My checked baggage gets picked through (or shall I say, "inspected") Every Single Time we fly. I had always thought that perhaps I yielded an extra look because of my Canadian flag luggage tags when flying from a US airport, but that doesn't explain why my guys get left alone (they have the same tags on their bags).

Perhaps I have also found my way onto that same list that exists in places we don't know about. Thankfully, we've only been pulled aside for all-over pat down one time (and just me & the boy, not DH) but that was enough.

I now just expect that I will find "the note" in my luggage when I open it up upon arrival at our destination. Frankly, I might feel a bit left out if its not there some time .

 

[pigletto]

You too? My checked baggage gets picked through (or shall I say, "inspected") Every Single Time we fly. I had always thought that perhaps I yielded an extra look because of my Canadian flag luggage tags when flying from a US airport, but that doesn't explain why my guys get left alone (they have the same tags on their bags).

Perhaps I have also found my way onto that same list that exists in places we don't know about. Thankfully, we've only been pulled aside for all-over pat down one time (and just me & the boy, not DH) but that was enough.

I now just expect that I will find "the note" in my luggage when I open it up upon arrival at our destination. Frankly, I might feel a bit left out if its not there some time .

Yep. In December dh got the body scan and his hands wiped for explosives. It's always one of us. Always.

 

[a1tinkfans]

My son usually gets pulled out too. And invariably our bag gets a note in it from tsa as well. He flies on one way, tix. is a lone male and says he is likely thought to be from another region of the world. But who cares, safe is safe in our books. Whatever they need to do.