TSA in Orlando?

[betterbutter]

WRONG-O

Supposedly, they are SUPPOSED to have quit funneling "real people" from the "real people" line into the Pre-check line when things get busy.

"Real people" are still getting Pre-Check "for free" on occasion without signing up for it. Just happened for my wife on both legs of her trip in the last two weeks. On the departure leg two weeks ago and on the return leg a day ago.

She got lucky. The free ride is ending. Period. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/05/b...-through-speedier-precheck-security.html?_r=0 I'm glad that they are ending it. It defeats the purpose of lower screening thresholds due to submitting fingerprints, etc. It also is ridiculous to end up behind flustered people who have no idea what they are doing holding up the whole process that others have paid for to ensure they don't get behind those travelers.

 

[Ranger111]

She got lucky. The free ride is ending. Period. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/05/b...-through-speedier-precheck-security.html?_r=0

You do realize you are quoting a story from 2014 -- two years old -- and obviously it did not happen then....

 

[DebbieB]

I flew PIT-MCO May 8 to 15. For PIT on May 8, I got the free pre-check, got quickly through the line around 6:00am. Regular line looked to be about 20 to 30 minutes. For MCO on May 15, I did not get pre-check, I was in line for 25 minutes around 10:30am.

 

[WiscMomof2]

I had pre-check status on my BP for our 9PM flight home from MCO on 5/9. I ended up waiting just slightly longer in the pre-check line than DD did to go through the regular line. We were both through security in all of about 5 minutes. I've never seen it so quiet. Maybe it's because it was a later flight, or just lucky timing for once.

 

[rlduvall]

I'm really starting to regret not pursuing TSA Precheck a few months ago. Too late now, as we fly out this Friday. I will definitely make sure to be back at MCO 2 hours before flight leaves after returning rental car. I flew out of MCO in early December last year and experienced a long, long line that eventually ended up moving pretty quickly. I'd never had any issues before getting there 1.5 hours before flight left, but I was "literally" sweating it for awhile there. Won't do that again!

 

[PatMcDuck]

PHL is a picnic compared the mess at EWR. Waited on long lines on May 8th, saw long lines on May 15th upon return.

Leaving from MCO on the 15th, there were long lines on the A low #side (I was gate 4). Then, suddenly, they opened up about 8 lanes, and began yelling at everyone to put ALL items inside our carryons, even papers, tissues, etc. And I mean yelling! They said, "everyone is going thru EXPRESS lanes! NO trays, no buckets! This also meant all shoes left on, ALL LAPTOPS left inside their bags. so you just put the bags on belt and walked the the old fashioned metal detectors (no above the head arms pose for a scan). I have never seen that happen before, anywhere. We were all looking at each like, "what is happening??"

Just remembered that when they opened all those lines at once, you had to just jump in one of 7-8 lanes. They yelled at us, "you are not LEMMINGS! Do NOT just follow the person in front of you! Pick another lane!" It was beyond weird.

 

[maxiesmom]

PHL is a picnic compared the mess at EWR. Waited on long lines on May 8th, saw long lines on May 15th upon return.

Leaving from MCO on the 15th, there were long lines on the A low #side (I was gate 4). Then, suddenly, they opened up about 8 lanes, and began yelling at everyone to put ALL items inside our carryons, even papers, tissues, etc. And I mean yelling! They said, "everyone is going thru EXPRESS lanes! NO trays, no buckets! This also meant all shoes left on, ALL LAPTOPS left inside their bags. so you just put the bags on belt and walked the the old fashioned metal detectors (no above the head arms pose for a scan). I have never seen that happen before, anywhere. We were all looking at each like, "what is happening??"

Just remembered that when they opened all those lines at once, you had to just jump in one of 7-8 lanes. They yelled at us, "you are not LEMMINGS! Do NOT just follow the person in front of you! Pick another lane!" It was beyond weird.

They do that at MCO from time to time. It is nice, in that you fly through the line. But I do admit it makes me think about what people might have on them that they are not catching.

 

[DVCjj]

MCO TSA is a joke. But then again, I'm from Chicago and we own the internet the past few days so who am I to talk.

 

[AngiTN]

You do realize you are quoting a story from 2014 -- two years old -- and obviously it did not happen then....

They didn't stop but they did reduce the numbers who get it for free.
Prior to that we got it most every trip.
After that we never got it
So we bought it. Just $85/5 years ($17/year)

 

[Ranger111]

They didn't stop but they did reduce the numbers who get it for free.
Prior to that we got it most every trip.

With the TSA, I don't think any of us can say with any authority that they "reduced it or increased it." Even their own news stories are not accurate.

Logically, with all the drama now about how slow the lines are, it would make sense if they increased the number of "LUCKY Pre-Check Lotto winners." Which, in my perverse thought process means they will probably decrease the numbers.

Wife has flown two times in the past two months. In addition to getting the "free" pre-check on this past trip, she also got it in April. I accompanied her on the April trip, and I also had the "free" pre-check. Wife hardly ever flies, I fly all the time. I hardly ever get the free pre-check -- she is now batting 1000 for the past couple of months.

Of course, none of it is "free, if you check your tickets, all of us pay security fees.

I will say, that the few times she did fly from 2012 through 2014, she ALWAYS was singled out for special attention. Pat-down, tear apart the carry-on, etc. Yep, she fit the profile -- a 50-year-old blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman in "mom jeans" and a turtleneck. I always figured they pulled her out because they HAVE to pull a certain percentage out each hour and she looked as if she would give them the least hassle about it. I really do believe that.

Now, with the "free" passes she is getting, maybe they are making up for the couple of years she received "special attention."

 

[bumbershoot]

They didn't stop but they did reduce the numbers who get it for free.
Prior to that we got it most every trip.
After that we never got it
So we bought it. Just $85/5 years ($17/year)

Whereas I have had it MORE often than I did before 2014.

 

[magchavez]

My husband and I both have Clear. it's only available at certain airports (MCO being one of them). Clear has a designated lane at the security checkpoint. "A CLEAR team member will greet you. Just scan your boarding pass, tap your finger and they'll escort you straight to physical screening."

I just got an email from them today that you can get a 3 month free trial. You have to register online and then go to a Clear location/airport to have your background verified. Takes about 5 minutes. If you live in a city that has Clear, and you have a trip planned in the next 3 months, it might be worth looking into. Here is the info I copied from the email.

Tell your friends to search no more. Forward this email to your favorite people and share a free 3 month trial of CLEAR.
________________

Budget minutes, not hours, for security this summer with CLEAR. We're offering a free 3 month trial to new members. Stop spending your time in security, enroll and get through in five minutes. Click here or use code SUMMER2016at clearme.com.

 

[Ranger111]

I am sorry. I fly a lot. But, I also have somewhat of a thing about what I think the government should do and not do.

If, some of the "animals" are more special than others (Pre-check, clear, etc.) that makes me think of Nazi Germany. Either we all have the opportunity to be "cleared" at no additional "tax" or none of us do.

Would it make my life easier to get "cleared?" Yes. Would I hate myself? Yes.

 

[phorsenuf]

I flew out of MCO this morning. Shortest time going through security ever. 15 minutes tops. It was great!

 

[betterbutter]

People who actually fly a lot were given FREE Pre-Check through their frequent flyer program when it was piloted back in 2012. There are many who think they fly a lot, but the reality is that they don't.

 

[Ranger111]

People who actually fly a lot were given FREE Pre-Check through their frequent flyer program when it was piloted back in 2012. There are many who think they fly a lot, but the reality is that they don't.

You might be a bit off in your memory. Frequent flyers were given the opportunity to opt into the program back when it first started, as I recall.

If you did not opt in -- and had no KTN -- you often received the benefit anyway, but it was not a guarantee and it was -- at that time -- a clunky "benefit" anyway -- seemed like lots of those through Pre-Check ended up being swabbed and swabbed and hassled anyway. I never saw the point of joining.

A year or more ago, as I understand it, TSA began charging everyone for it. Frequent or not

Again, being a bit of a rebel, while I am very often traveling (two to four round trips a month and yes, that may only be a very infrequent flyer compared to many -- and glad of it, as I now hate the whole experience), I am not a member of any FF programs other than SWA. And, I seldom fly SWA, go figure.

 

[betterbutter]

You might be a bit off in your memory. Frequent flyers were given the opportunity to opt into the program back when it first started, as I recall.

If you did not opt in -- and had no KTN -- you often received the benefit anyway, but it was not a guarantee and it was -- at that time -- a clunky "benefit" anyway -- seemed like lots of those through Pre-Check ended up being swabbed and swabbed and hassled anyway. I never saw the point of joining.

A year or more ago, as I understand it, TSA began charging everyone for it. Frequent or not

Again, being a bit of a rebel, while I am very often traveling (two to four round trips a month and yes, that may only be a very infrequent flyer compared to many -- and glad of it, as I now hate the whole experience), I am not a member of any FF programs other than SWA. And, I seldom fly SWA, go figure.

Opting-in was as simple as clicking "yes." There was no background check, no charge. This is before you could buy it. I also need to change the date, I was invited in 2011. I joined GE in 2013, and still had Pre-Check available to me through my FF enrollment at that time, but added in my GE#, so I have no idea if I would still be part of Pre-Check otherwise.

 

[AngiTN]

Opting-in was as simple as clicking "yes." There was no background check, no charge. This is before you could buy it. I also need to change the date, I was invited in 2011. I joined GE in 2013, and still had Pre-Check available to me through my FF enrollment at that time, but added in my GE#, so I have no idea if I would still be part of Pre-Check otherwise.

I too got an opportunity to join PreCheck through my FF program (southwest). They sent the offer about the same time I'd applied to get it anyway so it didn't matter in the end. But they do still offer it to some.

 

[Ranger111]

In the Navy, I was given lots of opportunities to "opt-in" for lots of things -- and all it took was a simple "Aye." That's when I learned never to volunteer for any government program.

 

[AngiTN]

PreCheck is totally voluntary. Nothing wrong if you don't want to do it.