Travel Tip for clearing security at MCO - Experienced Travelers Line

[ccudmore]

On my return trip two weeks ago I noticed the "Experienced Traveler" line at security. I've never seen anything like it before and hadn't noticed it at MCO before. They ask that only people who travel regularly use it as people in the line are expected to know the procedures and can therefore make the line move more quickly, which it certainly did.

I think this is a great idea for an airport that has such as high percentage of tourist travelers, many of whom may not be seasoned air travelers.

Has this been around for long?

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Its been there at least 2 years and maybe longer. Supposedly its for people who should know to take their laptop out of its case, shoes on the belt and not in a bin, jackts & belts off, etc. But I still hear the workers say those things so as a practical matter I don't know that line is any different than the others. But I do use it.

BobK/Orlando

 

[bavaria]

It has been there for years, and the reality is that passengers tend to classify themselves as experienced when quite often they are not. I have often been in that line behind people who don't know to take off shoes and jackets, who have large bottles of water, and who don't take out laptops.

There is a similar scheme in many US airports and quite often it is just a waste of energy as the line doesn't always move more quickly.

 

[safetymom]

I agree. It is amazing to us how many people consider themselves experts at the airport who don't have a clue.

 

[LilyWDW]

I have no flown in 3 years, but I recently had to explain to someone that was flying this Christmas about the rules on liquids and taking their laptop out of their bags. They had NO idea and considering how long I have known them, I doubt they would have found it out on their own before the trip. They never would have thought about it!

 

[bavaria]

The liquid rules are on every airline website, marked in every airport I have been in, appear on email confirmations, and on travel documents. Many airports have people before security reminding passengers.

I don't see how someone can be so oblivious and not actually know about the rules if they are flying. If they didn't read in advance, then it is hard to miss the information in the airport itself.

Then again, I was at a small airport in Florida recently where I seemed to be the only passenger aware of the rules. Passengers were even arguing very loudly with the TSA agents when their full size liquids were confiscated.

I really don't understand.

 

[prncess674]

I agree. It is amazing to us how many people consider themselves experts at the airport who don't have a clue.

+1
Check out the trailer from the upcoming movie "Up in the Air" I laughed out loud with the scene that starts at abou 0:45 seconds in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xIUtRrTlgo

 

[ilovefh]

They have this in the Manchester airport. DH saw the sign and immediately thought "we are experienced travelers" and got into the line before looking at both lines! It was twice as long as the regular line so it actually took us longer to get through security.

 

[GoofItUp]

Just an FYI -- depending on what type of laptop and bag you have, you may not be required to remove it from it's case anymore. We travel with our netbook in a neoprene-type case, and are not required to take it out any more.

 

[ImprovGal]

... and sometimes the different lines don't mean a darn thing. I flew out of MCO one morning and just before I could step into the "expert flyer" line, the people managing the lines decided the "family" line had gotten too long and they brought a bunch of people from the "family" line (including families with infants in strollers) and moved them into the "expert" line. The TSA screeners were extremely surprised to suddenly see so many little ones and strollers coming through their line.

 

[prncess674]

Just an FYI -- depending on what type of laptop and bag you have, you may not be required to remove it from it's case anymore. We travel with our netbook in a neoprene-type case, and are not required to take it out any more.

You can keep it in the sleeve, but you can't have anything else in that case with it or you will be asked to remove it. I was traveling Wednesday and this lady had a neoprene sleeve but had tucked a mountain of cords and accessories inside with it and had to have the computer removed and rerun.

 

[agnes!]

... and sometimes the different lines don't mean a darn thing. I flew out of MCO one morning and just before I could step into the "expert flyer" line, the people managing the lines decided the "family" line had gotten too long and they brought a bunch of people from the "family" line (including families with infants in strollers) and moved them into the "expert" line. The TSA screeners were extremely surprised to suddenly see so many little ones and strollers coming through their line.

YEAH, ain't it the truth! Happens practically every time we come through MCO, that the lines are arbitrarily changed while we are standing in the line. It's a nice idea in theory but in reality the experienced/family/etc labels for the security lines at MOC are fairly useless.

agnes!