has anyone missed their flight home because of security lines?

[Alexander]

OMG would you people stop with the petty arguments!

Anyways---the family lane at MCO at least on the A side back in April was all the way to the left. The TSA man tried to make me go there and I told him he had a better chance of _____________________ (fill in whatever you want) because that line moves too slowly. He said that it was for people traveling with kids (I had 3 with me) and because they had so much stuff with them.

I looked at him and showed him I had one small carry on and the kids had none. He then said, well you might have things that people bring with their children that need special screening.....like baby formula or something. I looked at him and said, these kids are 12, 13 and 5 and we travel several times a year, they already have their shoes off, and know exactly how to go through security and we are not going over there. He finally just walked away. I am so tired of the TSA at MCO thinking people traveling with kids are stupid and slow.

 

[goofy4tink]

OMG would you people stop with the petty arguments!

Anyways---the family lane at MCO at least on the A side back in April was all the way to the left. The TSA man tried to make me go there and I told him he had a better chance of _____________________ (fill in whatever you want) because that line moves too slowly. He said that it was for people traveling with kids (I had 3 with me) and because they had so much stuff with them.

I looked at him and showed him I had one small carry on and the kids had none. He then said, well you might have things that people bring with their children that need special screening.....like baby formula or something. I looked at him and said, these kids are 12, 13 and 5 and we travel several times a year, they already have their shoes off, and know exactly how to go through security and we are not going over there. He finally just walked away. I am so tired of the TSA at MCO thinking people traveling with kids are stupid and slow.

Yup...and the 'special' family line for Side B is all the way over to the right! I have also been looked at, with my dd, and directed to that line. Nope, I politely responded. We are heading to the black diamond 'experienced' fliers line. The TSA person tried to tell me that since we were a 'family' we needed to go in that line. I explained that my dd has more air miles under her belt than a lot of the 'adults only' in the black diamond line. He watched us as we proceeded through the line. I think that even he was taken aback at my dd's ability to not hold up those behind us. Wish I could have said the same about those in front of us.


Here's the thing people. This is a public discussion board. The OP may ask a specific question, and then while getting answers, things go in different directions. That's fine. We are not the thread nazi's here. So, either start playing nicely boys and girls or this one gets shut down.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I have waited in lines of an hour at MCO. I have pictures from my room at the Hyatt of the lines ALL the way across the atrium area.

MCO was the FIRST airport to get Clear back... perhaps because it is well known among frequent flyers, who are willing to pay for Clear, that MCO has the worst run security lines in the US!

That said one of coworkers missed a flight last week out of LAX due to the 2nd worse run security lines.

If you arrive at MCO less then 2 hours in advance and find yourself in one of those lines (which in my experience are more the "norm" then folks on here want to believe) expect no sympathy from here, the airline or your fellow travelers (In other words, no they won't let you in front of them.... failure to plan on your part should not be allowed to create a crisis for someone else)

 

[Alexander]

I have waited in lines of an hour at MCO. I have pictures from my room at the Hyatt of the lines ALL the way across the atrium area.

MCO was the FIRST airport to get Clear back... perhaps because it is well known among frequent flyers, who are willing to pay for Clear, that MCO has the worst run security lines in the US!

That said one of coworkers missed a flight last week out of LAX due to the 2nd worse run security lines.

If you arrive at MCO less then 2 hours in advance and find yourself in one of those lines (which in my experience are more the "norm" then folks on here want to believe) expect no sympathy from here, the airline or your fellow travelers (In other words, no they won't let you in front of them.... failure to plan on your part should not be allowed to create a crisis for someone else)

I have very seriously considered getting Clear for me. The kids can go with me as long as they are minors.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

On May 26 our Southwest flight waited for 20 people who never showed for the flight but had checked in. So it looks like people do miss their flights. Yet it only took us 10 minutes to get through security.

 

[CPT Tripss]

All airports are different. At PIT, I tried to avoid the line with the body scanner and got called over to the line with it by the TSA guard.

It pays to be hard of hearing or just oblivious

OMG would you people stop with the petty arguments!

Anyways---the family lane at MCO at least on the A side back in April was all the way to the left. The TSA man tried to make me go there and I told him he had a better chance of _____________________ (fill in whatever you want) because that line moves too slowly. He said that it was for people traveling with kids (I had 3 with me) and because they had so much stuff with them.

I looked at him and showed him I had one small carry on and the kids had none. He then said, well you might have things that people bring with their children that need special screening.....like baby formula or something. I looked at him and said, these kids are 12, 13 and 5 and we travel several times a year, they already have their shoes off, and know exactly how to go through security and we are not going over there. He finally just walked away. I am so tired of the TSA at MCO thinking people traveling with kids are stupid and slow.

That belief system is not limited to Airport Security Screeners at MOC, neither is it limited to people traveling with kids.

 

[maxiesmom]

That belief system is not limited to Airport Security Screeners at MOC, neither is it limited to people traveling with kids.

However, especially going thru MCO, I can see how they get that idea.

 

[aubriee]

Yup...and the 'special' family line for Side B is all the way over to the right! I have also been looked at, with my dd, and directed to that line. Nope, I politely responded. We are heading to the black diamond 'experienced' fliers line. The TSA person tried to tell me that since we were a 'family' we needed to go in that line. I explained that my dd has more air miles under her belt than a lot of the 'adults only' in the black diamond line. He watched us as we proceeded through the line. I think that even he was taken aback at my dd's ability to not hold up those behind us. Wish I could have said the same about those in front of us.

True, I've seen some families with kids move alot quicker through the experienced flyers' line than some adults, but I've also seen the opposite too. Last Oct I got stuck behind a totally clueless family in that line. The TSA agent saw them and directed them over to the family line. They refused, saying they had flown before and were experienced flyers. None of them knew what they were doing. They were talking and fussing about how the TSA agent had insulted them by thinking they didn't know what to do. They were so busy complaining about the TSA agent asking them to switch lines, that they were not paying attention to what everyone else was doing. They had to be told to take their shoes off. The mom said, "We didn't the last time we flew and they're just flip flops anyway". She then set the alarm off with all her jewelery and hair doo dads. Dad set the alarm off with his belt buckle and then set it off again with all the change in his pocket. Their carry ons set it off with a small snow globe in a kid's carry on, a laptop in the dad's that they hadn't taken out, and some lotion in the mom's. Yeah, they were really experienced travelers. They were so busy talking about how experienced they were, that they couldn't bother to even listen to the TSA agents yelling out basic instructions to everyone.

Returning to the original question (play nicely people) I'm sure that some people have missed their flight home because of security lines. But that was more likely the result of poor planning on their part.

It's not always poor planning on someone's part. I was getting on a DME bus once (when I was supposed to--about 3 hours prior to my flight), when some family came running up demanding to be put on our bus. They had missed their DME bus and insisted on being accommodated on ours. The bus driver explained that after his next stop, the the bus would be full, so they wouldn't fit. The dad kept insisting. Both the driver and the CM that stands there with a clip board kept telling him there wasn't room and they should not have missed their bus. The dad finally admitted they thought it was ridiculous for the DME bus pickups to be three hours prior to your flight and had intentionally missed their bus, planning to get on the next one. However, they got tied up longer then they'd planned at DTD, then the bus service from DTD back to the resort was slow, so they were later than they planned and were now in danger of missing their flight. They demanded that since their flight was leaving soon and we had more time, that some of us be kicked off, to accommodate them. The driver and CM both said that wasn't happening. The dad then jumped on the bus and told his family to come on and they'd just stand then. When told that wasn't allowed, he refused to get off, demanding that Disney get him to the airport immediately. A manager was called who finally talked him off the bus, but by that time we were running late and still had another stop to make. Then to make matters worse on the way to the airport we got caught in a traffic jam, due to a big wreck. Then when we finally got to the airport we were the second stop. By the time I got through security, caught the tram and rushed to my gate they were starting to board. I caught the flight, but was late, due to no fault of my own.

 

[highlander]

The sniping and petty responses are a big reason why I have begun weaning myself from DIS Discussion. I used to come here for information when I first started going to Disney. Now, it's become a complaint board or filled with the negative comments like what I see in this string. What has happened to being courteous and polite to others?

I travel through MCO often on business and have noticed that security is becoming much slower. Some of that has to do with the many travelers that don't fly often so they're not aware of the many changes from TSA. It's not their fault - they just don't know. The baggage fees have encouraged fliers to carry on everything they can which contributes to the slow down. I actually like seeing families and all the Disney shopping bags because it tells me that they've had a great time, but the luggage, etc. that people try to bring on is the problem. The fees are something that people should budget for, if they can.

I've been fortunate to not miss a flight, but that may be due to arriving at the airport around 90 minutes in advance, or being fortunate that weather delays have pushed my flight back when I can't make it to MCO early.

 

[ForAandA]

Came pretty close to missing my flight home to JFK back in March. I was in Disney on business. TSA decided that I was the random terrorist that needed my laptop investigated, bag thoroughly searched, etc.

They held me up for 2 hours. I of course arrived early.

I just don't understand. MCO. I travel out of freaking JFK in New York. I never, and I mean seriously never have had a problem.

Personally I think that JFK would be more of a target for issues than MCO. Then again, bad guys aren't picky.

 

[Mama Who]

If you arrive at MCO less then 2 hours in advance and find yourself in one of those lines (which in my experience are more the "norm" then folks on here want to believe) expect no sympathy from here, the airline or your fellow travelers (In other words, no they won't let you in front of them.... failure to plan on your part should not be allowed to create a crisis for someone else)

We flew out of LAX some years back and were a little irritated when an employee came down the line to pull out all the people whose flights were leaving within the hour. On one hand I'm sure it's lovely that they didn't miss their flights but on the other hand, there were people who had *just* gotten in line. It's like they knew they'd be allowed to skip the queue so why bother showing up on time? I'm glad it sounds like that has been put to rest.

 

[goofy4tink]

The sniping and petty responses are a big reason why I have begun weaning myself from DIS Discussion. I used to come here for information when I first started going to Disney. Now, it's become a complaint board or filled with the negative comments like what I see in this string. What has happened to being courteous and polite to others?

I travel through MCO often on business and have noticed that security is becoming much slower. Some of that has to do with the many travelers that don't fly often so they're not aware of the many changes from TSA. It's not their fault - they just don't know. The baggage fees have encouraged fliers to carry on everything they can which contributes to the slow down. I actually like seeing families and all the Disney shopping bags because it tells me that they've had a great time, but the luggage, etc. that people try to bring on is the problem. The fees are something that people should budget for, if they can.

I've been fortunate to not miss a flight, but that may be due to arriving at the airport around 90 minutes in advance, or being fortunate that weather delays have pushed my flight back when I can't make it to MCO early.

I'm sorry to hear that you don't think the DIS is what it 'used to be'. We try to keep the sniping and pettiness to a minimum here on the Transportation board...it serves no purpose.
Do most of us here get annoyed with traveling families??? No, not really. If it's obvious that they are confused and don't understand then fine. But it is the people that will not get out of the 'experienced traveler' line at security and then bog it all down due to their total ignorance of what to expect. I have been behind people that said there was no way they could remove their shoes...those floors are sooo germy. Or the people that had no idea whatsoever that they needed to remove their laptops. Or the people that insisted that the water bottle they had was fine...they had bought it at the airport so it was okay...they refused to believe the TSA person who told them that no bottled water was allowed, but they could buy some after they got through security and then bring that onto the plane...that group just stood there and argued.
If you don't have a clue as to what you're doing, move over to a different line for those who are less frequent fliers and don't 'know the drill'. If people head to the appropriate lines, the security area won't be so bogged down. But no....everyone thinks they 'get it'..so they hop into any old line. And then hold up those behind them, while they empty their pockets, remove their jackets and belts and shoes, and dig for their laptops. Meanwhile those behind them are already in their stocking feet, with their 3/1/1 baggies out, and laptops ready for their own bin. And that's why we get annoyed.

 

[NotUrsula]

June 1st was a bit hairy at MCO; we had a 5:10 flight out of gate 121, and we were in that line, too.

TSA insisted that we had to go to the "family" line because we had a stroller with us, though we would have preferred to use one of the others because that one had been doubled-up -- they were feeding two of the ID lines into it, and the way that it was configured, it bottlenecked and wound kind of around a corner -- lots of people were getting their bags hung up on the stanchions of the line guide ropes.

It wasn't going too badly until the lady two parties in front of us hit the checkpoint: she was travelling alone with two small children and her English wasn't up to speed. She had her stroller basket and handles loaded with stuff and one of the kids was sleeping, so she got into an argument about putting it through the scanner. I had to hold DD back; she already had her shoes off and in the bin, and had her bag up on the belt, and she was ready to just truck on through. The TSA agent wouldn't let her go ahead of the stroller-load lady, and that didn't set well with DD -- she's a very opinionated 3yo who KNOWS her airport rules and doesn't have any problem letting grownups know when they are violating them. Luckily the TSO was trying to hide a smile, so I know she wasn't too cheesed off about it.

 

[Dax]

As a person who goes through the MCO TSA Side A line 5x a week...Let me tell you...Its NOT fun. We do have a dedicated employee line, though the TSA decides when they will just add regular passengers to that line, thus holding up employees on their way to work. I have witnessed in my year working here..

- A pilot get held up so long on TSA lines, his flight ended up taking off late
- A Flight Attendant missing her flight
- NUMEROUS flight attendants ALMOST missing flights
- I have been late to work half a dozen times due to being held up
- Frantic passengers with no clue how to get through security..thus running late...

It has become part of my job dealing with TSA and all the BS that goes with it...and CLEAR...what a waste...the CLEAR line dumps into the employee line most of the time...and those people STILL end up waiting 20min sometimes..

 

[LWQuestie]

They need to get some Disney line-planners into MCO to deal with that cluster *&^$. Sometimes the lines from the right side cross all the way over to the line on the left. Multiple ID lanes merging into one detector line, plus it's so bloody HOT and stuffy in there. UGHH.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

We flew out of LAX some years back and were a little irritated when an employee came down the line to pull out all the people whose flights were leaving within the hour. On one hand I'm sure it's lovely that they didn't miss their flights but on the other hand, there were people who had *just* gotten in line. It's like they knew they'd be allowed to skip the queue so why bother showing up on time? I'm glad it sounds like that has been put to rest.

This does not happen at MCO. Sadly, it does happen at LAX! I have considered just arriving late so that I don't have to stand in line! (That said, I just realized it has not happened on my last few flights out of there!)

LAX is pretty pathetic. The reason they are NOT as bad as MCO is that they do have more security points since it's by "airline)

All I can say is that for me Clear has been worth it at MCO. My lines have been non exisitent! (And don't even get me started on the "employees" Somehow cutting in front of those of us who pay your salary just grates on me! !)

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

A two-hour secondary screening? Even the most inept TSA screeners I've seen are done with bag search and residue detection in about 15 minutes... max.

Came pretty close to missing my flight home to JFK back in March. I was in Disney on business. TSA decided that I was the random terrorist that needed my laptop investigated, bag thoroughly searched, etc.

They held me up for 2 hours. I of course arrived early.

I just don't understand. MCO. I travel out of freaking JFK in New York. I never, and I mean seriously never have had a problem.

Personally I think that JFK would be more of a target for issues than MCO. Then again, bad guys aren't picky.

 

[judykay53]

OK, so you guys are making me nervous now. Last flew in 2008 and didn't realize there were different lines for different people. Are these lines marked?I am traveling with a family who has never flown before but we re checking our bags except for maybe one carry on. All they will have to do is take off their shoes and I will collect their cellphones, ipod, etc ahead of time and put them in my bag. Will TSA direct me to the appropriate line?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Came pretty close to missing my flight home to JFK back in March. I was in Disney on business. TSA decided that I was the random terrorist that needed my laptop investigated, bag thoroughly searched, etc.

They held me up for 2 hours. I of course arrived early.

Are you saying that after you were pulled from security to have your bag searched, you were held up for 2 hours? I think you are mistaken. This only takes a few minutes. Maybe you mean it took 2 hours from the time you arrived at the airport to get to your gate?

Personally I think that JFK would be more of a target for issues than MCO. Then again, bad guys aren't picky.

Stop and think about this. Are you aware that 2 of the 9/11 hijackers of American Airlines Flight 11 which crashed into the WTC first boarded a flight from Portland, Maine before arriving in Boston and transferring to the AA flight? A terrorist can board a flight at any airport.

 

[clanmcculloch]

At MCO, if you look around you'll see signs indicating where to go if you're with a family or have medication to declare. The signs are on posts on the ground, not hanging above. They stand maybe 3-4 feet above ground so if the lines extend really far back you may not see them. The signs are typically to the far right or far left depending on which side you're going through so just look to the sides to see if you can find the signs if you don't see them right away. The TSA agents are farther up the lines so they won't be directing you. At least this has been our experience at MCO. At the airportwe fly out of there aren't separate lines for families or for expert travellers as it's a much smaller airport. We all get in the same lines there.

Even though I've been told we're very efficient with our stuff and getting through security, I always go to the family line just because we have medication and I assume that the TSA agents see us as a family group rather than a group of individuals who happen to be one after the other, plus with an autistic child I figure I never know just what she might do and I hope that if we ever do have problems with her being uncooperative that the TSA agent will be more prepared for kids and oddities (she's only twice had issues; once refusing to talk or look up when spoken to and once snapped at the TSA agent; both times the agent has been wonderfully understanding). I've never noticed that we move any slower than any other line. On our most recent trip we ended up moving much quicker because of being in the family line because they ended up putting us through the employee line since it was empty. Boy did that line move fast.