LONG Security Lines at MCO (Orlando Airport)

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Wow. I have to say that I have never seen such absurdly long lines at an airport but it took me almost 45 minutes to go thru the TSA line (I timed it) at MCO on Monday. The line for the "B" terminal was packed and backed up all the way across the atrium and into the hallways toward the food court.

There used to be a line for Delta Medallion members that I could breeze thru but the TSA agents told me that this line was removed a few months ago (I used it in Sept and Oct).

Get to the airport EARLY EARLY EARLY for your flights out of Orlando. I ended up barely missing my flight and had to be rebooked for one 4 hours later (good thing Delta has a nice Crown Room at MCO).

 

[valeriekc]

What day of the week were you there and approximately what time???
I know that has made a big difference for us.

 

[SteinsLaFemme]

It took me way longer than 45 minutes. I was there 2 hours prior to my flight. I got to my gate 15 minutes before departure. Part of the wait (about 10 minutes) was at the airline counter.

 

[bicker]

Interesting. There was a thread last week talking about how short the security queues were at MCO these days. :

 

[safetymom]

I travel weekly through MCO and the lines have been very long every time. It doesn't seem to matter what time of day it is.

I signed up for the Fly Clear program and I just breeze through security now. It was worth the money.

For everyone else allow plenty of extra time. I have been posting the last several months about long security lines.

 

[seashoreCM]

Which means -- If you are there for your Magical Express bus on time and the bus doesn't show up or can't take you -- insist that the resort manager do what is needed to get you on your way within twenty minutes. Don't let the manager string you along, ten more minutes, ten more minutes, etc.

There are normally two lines going into security at the Hyatt end (gates 60-99?) and either will let you get to either tram.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[CarolA]

I am the QUEEN of the last minute arrival. MCO has become a DISASTER!!! I have NO idea what they are doing, but the lines are just plain inexcusable. (Let's get real, we can run more flights out of Atlanta with not a TON more screening locations and do it faster???) I have flown out recently at a wide variety of times and days and ALL of them were horrid!

(And there is still an elite line for DL once you get past the ID check. However, half the time you really have to FORCE the issue and the other half the line is closed!)

I actually looked at my personal and business flights over the next year and signed up for Clear last week. $80 vs HOURS of my time seems reasonable.

 

[kjs1976]

Could it also be because this week is a major Spring Break week for many colleges and public schools?????

I know a lot of our state colleges/universities are off this week, or were last week, or will be next week. The U of MN is off this week so that meant about 15,000 fewer people to deal with in traffic in that area of Minneapolis.

Imagine what travel looks like when you have all those people travelling now!!!!

 

[safetymom]

Then Spring Break has been going on for several months at MCO.

 

[CarolA]

Then Spring Break has been going on for several months at MCO.

I think that the TSA, in their infinite wisdom, must have cut back on screeners... Lets see , travel's up so we won't staff as much... (I think the TSA's goal in life is not to make us safe, but to drive us crazy!)

 

[safetymom]

I haven't been able to figure out what is different besides all the extra passengers.

Their tempers have sure gotten shorter.

 

[hercamore]

Great. My elederly in laws are cming to Orlando april 8! What should I tell them about the lines? Get there 3 hrs early?

herc.

 

[bavaria]

No more elite lines for security, haven't seen a family line either for some time. And sometimes even those in wheelchairs seem to be kept waiting a very long time.

The only place I have seen more of a mess at security lately is at Dulles.

Safetymom, I'm off to look at Clear too - I have the international version and it's a gem!

 

[KarenP99]

We traveled in Feb and it was the first time ever we had seen a line. It was packed, took us almost an hour. We have three kids 4, 2 & 1 that were really great throughout it...until we got to the actual queue. The 1yr old melted down...and after waiting almost an hour what do we do?

A TSA woman yelled "who's baby is that", took us out of line & put us in the wheelchair line. She said he was driving her crazy.

 

[safetymom]

I would just be sure to allow at least 2 hours at the airport. I think most people aren't allowing enought time to get through security. I have seen so many people running to their gates lately.

 

[RAD]

I signed up for the Fly Clear program and I just breeze through security now. It was worth the money.

Last time to MCO I got a bit upset with Fly Clear. The lines were horrible and the TSA guard ended up putting us in the line that's use by Fly Clear. A number of times those customers were bumped into our line making it even slower. They tired to do it in front of me and I refused, told them to go behind me.

I don't mind that if you're willing to pay to bypass security lines, that's the American way. I do mind that Fly Clear doesn't pay for their own e-ray line so they don't impact the flying public that hasn't signed up for the service and paid the extra dollars. Don't make a profit by slowing me down anymore then we already are. Must my two cents.

 

[KarenP99]

Another thought I had at the time was that maybe there is a reason (that the traveling public is kept unaware of) that the scans are taking longer. Maybe there is something specific that they have been told to look out for?

If thats the case I clearly don't mind the long wait, if it means we're all a bit safer. Just leave early & be prepared!

 

[ambushangel]

We were at MCO last Saturday (March 18th) and it took us about 15 mins to get through security.

I swear. There were no lines. The agents in the atrium were saying comments like "This line IS open". It was wonderful. We got into another line and we were about 5 people from the machine, they had to wait for my son to finish untying his shoes.....

I guess I should have bought a lottery ticket knowing what it was suppose to be like

 

[jodifla]

We were at MCO last Saturday (March 18th) and it took us about 15 mins to get through security.

I swear. There were no lines. The agents in the atrium were saying comments like "This line IS open". It was wonderful. We got into another line and we were about 5 people from the machine, they had to wait for my son to finish untying his shoes.....

I guess I should have bought a lottery ticket knowing what it was suppose to be like

My husband was there March 1, a Wednesday, and said he breezed right through the line, too.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I was there twice - once on Sunday at 8am to drop a friend off - and the line then was a full queue but not backed up very far into the atrium. My friend got thru in about 20 minutes from the back of the line to the tram.

I flew thru this past Monday morning - had a 9:25am flight - so I got in line at 8:37am according to my watch. By the time I got to my gate the door was shut and they wouldn't let me board.

I fly ALOT out of various airports but have never seen anything as crazy as MCO.

I guess I need to look at FlyClear but I have never noticed them at any other airport besides MCO so I figured it wasn't worth the money for me.