Crew always gets a shortcut if they want it. They don’t, however, always take it. They might not be in a hurry, they might be deadheading home, or maybe the line is short, so why bother. But they are not going to stand in a long security line just to be polite to other passengers, they have a job to do. Known crew member is usually the fastest line, but not always available. Probably the thing I miss most after retiring. Once I went to the front of a line because I was very late for a flight, in uniform, and politely said “excuse me” to the lady I put my bags in front of. She was enraged, complaining and whining to the TSA agent, who said, “She’s a crewmember, she gets priority”. I guess I should have been brusque, instead of polite.
In my experience this setup only applies at certain airports where they don’t have pre-check at all, so the procedure is already in place. It’s not really much better than nothing.
Otherwise if the pre-check line is closed, you get to experience the regular line like everybody else unfortunately.
Houston is kinda weird where they only have pre-check on one side then you might have to walk all the way back around post-security depending on where your gate is.
SeaTac has plenty of pre-check lines… my husband who had pre-check would frequently join me in the priority line when it was the shortest one. He almost always would get a card that would let him keep the shoes on and skip the body microwave. But he still had to take liquids and laptop out.
On my most recent flight at a very small airport. I was given a laminated card that said I had precheck when they scanned my license. Went through the regular (only) line but didn’t have to take out my stuff or shoes.
I find that precheck is only as good as the TSA employees and sometimes you get new or less trained employees.
I’ve waited in line with my non precheck husband plenty of times. Never was asked to go in another line.
The dreaded tour group! I cringe because it’s usually a lot of inexperienced kids!
The next trip will be our first as global entry participants!
Those are crew members from an incoming flight, right? Not headed to a flight? They wouldn’t be in a rush then, and therefore wouldn’t require a shortcut.
Global entry upon return on Monday.
Came through Dulles. No passport or global entry card needed, no lines, just look at the camera (sans mask), when green good to go.
It was a delight after only getting to use 3/4 of my window seat for the 7 hour flight due to encroachment by an oversized middle seat passenger.
Yes, it was a dumb move on the TSA agent but I followed her directions and went back to the pre-check line - they were right next to each other btw.
I know, isn’t that great? I had my card out in Dublin (where you can be processed instead of waiting to get back to the US), but I didn’t even need it.
Had this happen at many airports. In O’Hare I was waved through with a “hello Fallgirl”. At MSP I was greeted with “Welcome home”. No showing of card,passport, etc.
Don’t forget the TSA agents are hired from the local community and in many ways reflect that community. And, I do agree that the TSA in Houston are downright rude - the absolute worst I’ve come across in all the airports I’ve traveled through.
Have you flown out of PHL or EWR? They are much worse than IAH.
On a different topic, what are some of the least bad airport restaurants?
I fly American and most of their hubs have terrible food options.
My favorite is DFW and Pappadeaux/Pappisitos. It is pricey but the food isnt bad.
Newark’s new Terminal A is fairly good. And C isn’t too bad either, although those restaurants get crowded quickly.
I’ve generally found SFO (T3) friendly and efficient. (But they are contractors, and if they are not friendly/efficient they lose their jobs.)
btw: had a domestic flight on Tuesday which for some inapparent reason was scheduled out of the SFO International Terminal. They had a PreCheck entrance, but that just merged with the front of the regular TSA security line. The TSA agent handed me a TSA card so I didn’t have to disrobe, but I still had to wait behind everyone who did. And since it was the International Term, folks were loaded down with carryon stuff, not to mention, coats, belts, boots, etc.
In Portland, Maine I had a TSA agent treat me very rudely when I accompanied my teenaged son through security (I had gotten a pass at the front desk because he was struggling at the time and I wanted to make sure he got through OK). I reported her when I got home.
My parents traveled all over the world, and my mom frequently commented that PWM was worse than any other airport she’d been in.
I will say they’ve seemed friendlier lately, thank goodness.
TSA agents in general aren’t probably the most friendly. At best, you have some who just go through the motions. At worst, they are impatient or rude when you dont follow their exact “orders”.
There are a few who are friendly, but I assume those people are new to the job.
I wonder who has the best/worst TSA jobs:
Best:
- The ones who stand there and do nothing (usually in groups of 2 or 3)
- The one who waives you through the metal detector
Worst:
- The one in the chair looking for dangerous items
- The one yelling at people to not have liquids/gels and things in your pocket
- The pat down person
- The one stacking the bins
Neither good nor bad:
- The ID checker (sometimes friendly)
- The one who stands there and re-arranges your items when you put things in the bins
This is a good list.
I used to fly out of Chicago Midway and thought they had a decent selection of local restaurants but it’s not making any lists. Haven’t been back in eight years though.
At MSP (#3 on the list) there is also Red Cow (great burgers), Holy Land (middle eastern food), Crisp and Green (salads and bowls), and Sebastian Joes (ice cream). These are local places in the Twin Cities.
Salty’s (seafood) and Bambooza (Asian) at SeaTac are local restaurants that have very decent food, but our favorite is Beechers Handmade Cheese (we like their grilled cheese sandwiches).