Frustrating MCO Security Experience

[Renwoman]

My DH and I just had a frustrating security experience at MCO (Orlando International Airport). We lined up for airport security in one of about 8 single file lines. The lines were pretty tight as people were anxious to get through. The far left two lines for people in wheelchairs and people with biomedical items were taken through security straight ahead of the 8 lines through about three separate x-ray lanes.

The other six lines had to squeeze together to turn to the right between two poles that only allowed three people across. The lines were moving at an absolute crawl. It was absolutely the worst line we experienced all week and we had just come from very busy Disney parks! I'm not particularly claustrophobic but I had to fight back a bit of a panic since people were so close and the line was moving so slowly.

Once we got through the congested area there were only two of four potential lines running. This was part of the reason for the mass of people moving so slow.

We got all our items on the area in front of the conveyor belt and got through the x-ray to only be called back by a rude security guard that refused to move the bins forward on the belt even though he didn't appear to be doing anything else. (It wasn't only us but the lady in front of us that didn't stay to move the full bins foward.) I can't remember this ever happening to us before since most security guards have facilitated the movement of bins of items to speed up the line.

All in all it took 30 minutes to get through security and the vast majority of that time was squished in with impatient, frustrated people.

I have absolutely no idea what security was thinking!

1) The security area was poorly designed with people having to move sharply to the right to get to their security lines instead of right in front of them.

2) Because only three people could get through that tight area they should have only had three lines of people not six!

3) They should have had more than two x-ray lines open to handle the busy holiday crowds.

 

[hsmamato2]

sorry you had a bad experience. we had just the opposite last week, no crowding,no long lines,it was so nice.......

 

[Maliki2]

My DH and I just had a frustrating security experience at MCO (Orlando International Airport). We lined up for airport security in one of about 8 single file lines. The lines were pretty tight as people were anxious to get through. The far left two lines for people in wheelchairs and people with biomedical items were taken through security straight ahead of the 8 lines through about three separate x-ray lanes.

The other six lines had to squeeze together to turn to the right between two poles that only allowed three people across. The lines were moving at an absolute crawl. It was absolutely the worst line we experienced all week and we had just come from very busy Disney parks! I'm not particularly claustrophobic but I had to fight back a bit of a panic since people were so close and the line was moving so slowly.

Once we got through the congested area there were only two of four potential lines running. This was part of the reason for the mass of people moving so slow.

We got all our items on the area in front of the conveyor belt and got through the x-ray to only be called back by a rude security guard that refused to move the bins forward on the belt even though he didn't appear to be doing anything else. (It wasn't only us but the lady in front of us that didn't stay to move the full bins foward.) I can't remember this ever happening to us before since most security guards have facilitated the movement of bins of items to speed up the line.

All in all it took 30 minutes to get through security and the vast majority of that time was squished in with impatient, frustrated people.

I have absolutely no idea what security was thinking!

1) The security area was poorly designed with people having to move sharply to the right to get to their security lines instead of right in front of them.

2) Because only three people could get through that tight area they should have only had three lines of people not six!

3) They should have had more than two x-ray lines open to handle the busy holiday crowds.

Not sure, but 30 minutes to me isn't that big a deal these days. *shrug*

 

[Jestocost]

Thirty minutes is not unusual at MCO and the set up you describe is pretty standard. In addition, I would never leave my items before they went into the x-ray machine even if a TSA screener was facilitating their passage. Most don't do that since they stand to be blamed if anything is reported as missing on the other side of the line.

 

[AllyBri]

It's not TSAs job to move the bags forward, it's yours.

 

[Inkmahm]

sorry you had a bad experience. we had just the opposite last week, no crowding,no long lines,it was so nice.......

Same for us on this past Saturday afternoon. We were surprised that we got through security as quickly as we did. There was almost no line at all!

 

[GAGirlInVA]

sorry you had a bad experience. we had just the opposite last week, no crowding,no long lines,it was so nice.......

Same for us on this past Saturday afternoon. We were surprised that we got through security as quickly as we did. There was almost no line at all!

Our experience was much more in line with the above posters. Our family of 6 made it through security within about 5 minutes from the lady at the podium checking our names to gathering 6 jackets, 5 pairs of shoes, 2 strollers and 2 bags off of the conveyor belt. It took longer to redress us all and get kids seated back in the strollers than to go through security.

We went through Saturday evening.

 

[pearlieq]

The other six lines had to squeeze together to turn to the right between two poles that only allowed three people across. The lines were moving at an absolute crawl. It was absolutely the worst line we experienced all week and we had just come from very busy Disney parks! I'm not particularly claustrophobic but I had to fight back a bit of a panic since people were so close and the line was moving so slowly.

I've had that experience at MCO and I hate it! Even if it's only 15-20 minutes it's so unpleasant it feels like forever.

MCO has a very dumb security setup. There has got to be a way to come up with something better. Gee...they have some queuing experts right in their backyard...maybe they could make a phone call or two!

 

[Renwoman]

Not sure, but 30 minutes to me isn't that big a deal these days. *shrug*

It wasn't that it took 30 minutes. I've had to wait longer in airport security and had a more pleasant experience. The main problem was that it was 30 minutes of being trapped in a sea of tightly packed people that barely moves.

The worst part was their set up created the problem. Security has control over how the lines are set up and how many people are let into the congested area. We didn't experience such horrible crowd control the whole week at busy Disney parks.

The setup might work okay when the airport isn't as busy, but they obviously were not prepared for the Holiday crowds.


My husband did say something pretty funny though while we were in line, "We should have gotten Fast Passes for this."

 

[maxiesmom]

Sounds pretty much like what I experienced over Spring Break. 30 minutes is not a big deal. I think you should expect lines like that when you travel during a busy time of year.

However I have found out that the security lines can go from crazy to not in the matter of a few minutes. Going thru security at MCO I was astonished as to how quick the lines were. Chatting with a fellow traveler at the gate, they were telling me how horrible the lines were. Sometimes, it is just bad luck to be stuck in the mob.

 

[ccudmore]

Maybe they should implement fast passes and interactive queues to help make things go by more quickly.

 

[goofy4tink]

That's pretty much the way it was on Monday, the 13th around 8:30ish in the morning. It was the longest wait I've had yet at MCO. Both sides of security were crawling. It took about 30 mins to get totally done. It would have been nice if they had more belts open, but for some reason only a few were being used. Made little to no sense.

 

[n2mm]

OP, I've had the same experience too! (many times). But I've also had the walk right through too! (last couple of trips). When it's packed I agree that it's so unorganized. They take 10 lines and have them merge into 3 lines. Folks try to keep their families togehter, but it just doesn't work. Often I find myself in one line and my DH is in another line. No biggie, I'll see him on the plane for the next couple of hours.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Never walk through the scanner without making certain your bins are rolling through the x-ray first.

 

[nordkin]

We always use the expert traveler security line and have had a wait of 10 minutes only once in about 10 trips. We usually sail right through. If you know what you are supposed to do at a security check point, this is the way to go at MCO.

 

[Bobo912]

We were at MCO on Dec 23 and I expected the lines at check in and security to be terrible with holiday travelers, but it was a pleasant surprise. There were only 2 people in the line at the SWA ticket counter (I've never seen a line that short at an SWA counter at MCO, or any other airport). There were a lot of people at security but we were able to get through in less than 10 minutes. It was the quickest that we've ever made it to the gate. We were lucky this time.

 

[doggydoc]

This is why I think that airlines charging for checked bags has become a hinderance for airline security. With the new more stringent checks people trying to cram as much stuff on the plane as possible has made getting through security ridiculous.
Last time I flew out of MCO I had a family of 5 in front of me. Mom, Dad and three small children oldest probably 6 yo. Each small child had a carry-on bag that they could not manage alone. With taking off of shoes and stowing of blankets etc. the parents were totally incapable of managing the children's bags. After finally getting my bags on the belt things were backed up on the other side of the scanner as the parents again were trying to manage way too many bags. Security just blithely stood there and kept running more bags through until the bin with my laptop was pushed off the belt sending it crashing to the floor. Fortunatetly my computer landed on the ergonomic floor pad and was scuffed but undamaged. I still had to fill out a report and wait for a manager to sign off on it. I realize the airlines are fighting for every dollar to remain economically viable and security is there for our safety but something is going to have to give. As the OP stated in a follow up post, it's not the time spent it's being herded and shoved around like cattle that rankles.

I don't know the answer but I feel like a solution should at least be sought. DHS says the tighter security is here to stay, airlines seem to like the extra revenue from bag charges. I realize the real money is from business travel so I fear the answer will be the expansion of priorty security line access for frequent flyers and the average joe on vacation will continue to suffer through ridiculous lines crowded with people carrying the entire contents of their homes as carry-on.

 

[DebbieB]

It's not only the luggage through security but also the carryon luggage mess on the plane. But I doubt it will change, one of the major airlines recently reported that their quarterly profit came totally from bag fees. What they really need to do is standardize & enforce the carryon bag size rules.

 

[maxiesmom]

It's not only the luggage through security but also the carryon luggage mess on the plane. But I doubt it will change, one of the major airlines recently reported that their quarterly profit came totally from bag fees. What they really need to do is standardize & enforce the carryon bag size rules.

You got It!!!!!!

 

[Dax]

Never walk through the scanner without making certain your bins are rolling through the x-ray first.

It's not TSAs job to move the bags forward, it's yours.

As an airport worker going through security daily...THIS!!!