Senators: Drop Bag Fees To Shorten TSA Lines

Sooner787 · Wed May 11, 2016 4:49 pm

Hmmm, last time I was at Love Field, where Southwest " Bags Fly Free" Airlines
operates 18 of 20 gates, the TSA lines were still ridiculous

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2...a=1.60389805.1437472382.1435179254

[Edited 2016-05-11 09:53:18]

[Edited 2016-05-11 10:00:44]

reffado · Wed May 11, 2016 4:53 pm

Senators don't want to acknowledge the problem is in the government's side (the TSA)? How unexpected.

StrandedAtMKG · Wed May 11, 2016 4:57 pm

"Bag fees have grown rapidly since 2008, when American Airlines became the first big carrier to charge for checking even one bag. It was a tool that the then-financially troubled industry used to deal with rising fuel prices.

Since then, fuel prices have fallen and airlines have earned record profits. The bag fees have remained; they brought in $3.8 billion last year, according to government figures."

The relevant grafs you're looking for are these here. The airlines started the baggage fees back in 2008 to increase revenue, and it was a believable line back then when they were bankrupt. Now that they're making money hand-over-fist again it doesn't hold any water, and it makes air travel significantly less pleasant for all involved. While it may not solve long lines at the chronically-understaffed and inefficient TSA, we all know what a pain in the ass it is to board/deplane when Grandma and the five grandkids are loading and unloading everything but the kitchen sink.

modernArt · Wed May 11, 2016 4:58 pm

Require that the TSA open all lanes at check points from 5 a.m. - 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 7 pm. at least in the eastern 2/3 of the country.

PlanesNTrains · Wed May 11, 2016 5:00 pm

Quoting modernart (Reply 3):

Require that the TSA open all lanes at check points from 5 a.m. - 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 7 pm. at least in the eastern 2/3 of the country.

Why do that when it's easier just to force businesses to stop doing something legal because it's inconvenient.

-Dave

N1120A · Wed May 11, 2016 5:15 pm

Quoting modernart (Reply 3):
Require that the TSA open all lanes at check points from 5 a.m. - 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 7 pm. at least in the eastern 2/3 of the country.

The entire country.

Actually, the best thing to do is have the airlines back in charge, as they don't want security delays.

holzmann · Wed May 11, 2016 5:20 pm

Fire every single TSA agent who has less than a GED/high school education and hire only veterans at their military service salaries or better. How would that pan out?

Or get rid of the TSA entirely.

N1120A · Wed May 11, 2016 5:23 pm

Quoting holzmann (Reply 6):
Fire every single TSA agent who has less than a GED/high school education and hire only veterans at their military service salaries or better. How would that pan out?

1) I believe high school/GED is a requirement.

2) I don't want a bunch of people with potential PTSD working at the TSA.

3) Bright and healthy veterans would never go to the TSA. The go back to school or into good jobs.

Quoting holzmann (Reply 6):
Or get rid of the TSA entirely.

Now that is the ticket.

mke717spotter · Wed May 11, 2016 5:24 pm

The easiest solution would be to charge for carry-ons only. This is the premium luggage, not what goes underneath the plane which makes you wait at the baggage claim.

TC957 · Wed May 11, 2016 5:28 pm

Looking at the TSA situation from the other side of the pond, I agree that private security companies should come in, or the airports employ their own security teams.
TSA is my opinion, and from what I hear from my clients, a total shambles and embarrassment to the US.

reffado · Wed May 11, 2016 5:28 pm

Quoting N1120A (Reply 5):
Actually, the best thing to do is have the airlines back in charge, as they don't want security delays.

This is what I believe would work the best.

Junction · Wed May 11, 2016 5:40 pm

The number of bags doesn't have anything to do with it. It's the number of people.

gr8slvrflt · Wed May 11, 2016 5:44 pm

Security personnel should enforce current size, weight and quantity restrictions before people get in line for the checkpoint. Result would be less bags to screen.

[Edited 2016-05-11 10:47:23]

jetwet1 · Wed May 11, 2016 5:46 pm

Quoting modernart (Reply 3):
Require that the TSA open all lanes at check points from 5 a.m. - 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 7 pm. at least in the eastern 2/3 of the country.

Because there are no busy airports in the western third ? I will have to remember that next time i'm at LAS or LAX.

Quoting Junction (Reply 11):
The number of bags doesn't have anything to do with it. It's the number of people.

Exactly, from what I have seen lately the hold up isn't the carry on bags, it's just the number of people trying to go through a limited number of check points.

OB1504 · Wed May 11, 2016 5:51 pm

Quoting gr8slvrflt (Reply 12):
Security personnel should enforce current size, weight and quantity restrictions before people get in line for the checkpoint. The airlines won't do it. Result would be less bags to screen.

Enforcing an airline's carry-on baggage policy is not the TSA's job, nor should screeners be expected to be familiar with the policies of every airline whose passengers may use their checkpoint.

A more effective method would be for the FAA to step up oversight of airlines' carry-on baggage policies and issue fines for each violation. The airlines would immediately start making sure that each bag is compliant.

AirCalSNA · Wed May 11, 2016 5:51 pm

TSA is a good example of the old joke: What are the nine most terrifying words in the English language: "I'm with the government and I'm here to help." It's become a bloated and inefficient agency that is more focused on perpetuating and protecting itself that fulfilling it's original purpose. The number of TSA agents I see just hanging around doing absolutely nothing at security-check lines is appalling.

SPREE34 · Wed May 11, 2016 5:53 pm

Quoting reffado (Reply 1):
Senators don't want to acknowledge the problem is in the government's side (the TSA)? How unexpected.

Quoting modernart (Reply 3):
Require that the TSA open all lanes at check points from 5 a.m. - 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 7 pm. at least in the eastern 2/3 of the country.

Quoting holzmann (Reply 6):
Or get rid of the TSA entirely.

Quoting jetwet1 (Reply 13):
Exactly, from what I have seen lately the hold up isn't the carry on bags, it's just the number of people trying to go through a limited number of check points.

All of the above and more. Get rid of it. It's mostly theatrics for the weak minded and those needing "Safe Place".

Yflyer · Wed May 11, 2016 6:00 pm

I also wonder if people are overestimating the effect of bag fees on people bring carry ons. Even before there were bag fees plenty of people, myself included, traveled with only a carry on, either because they didn't want to have to wait a baggage claim or out of fear that their bags would be lost or damaged by the airline. I remember plenty of self proclaimed "travel experts" advising people not to check their bags for those reasons. I'm not completely dismissing the idea that bag fees may have caused an increase in carry ons, but I'm wondering if any airlines have actually collected data on this, and just how much of an impact bag fees have actually had.

airbazar · Wed May 11, 2016 6:00 pm

With TSA or not there is no real alternative that doesn't involve rebuilting terminals and hiring uge numbers of personnel. The security checkpoint is by design a bottleneck and no airport terminal has been built in this country with enough security checkpoints to account for peak time volumes. For that reason alone I chose to travel off peak whenever possible.
IMO the best solution is to do what we're doing with highway tolls: Make TSA PreCheck cheap enough so that most people will sign up for it, and allocate most checkpoints to passengers with TSA PreCheck. Make life miserable for those who don't want to signup for TSA PreCheck.

TWA772LR · Wed May 11, 2016 6:48 pm

Quoting airbazar (Reply 18):

I like how they have it at AMS. After you go through exit control, you enter the duty free area. And then you can go to your gate and they have a check point at every gate, and the security personnel rover around whenever it is time for them to do so. It may be expensive in the amount of machines you need to buy, but times would be significantly shorter. I know this would make it terrible for dome stick cinnections, but at least it would be on a flight-by-flight basis and not everyone is screwed at the same time.

modernArt · Wed May 11, 2016 6:54 pm

Quoting N1120A (Reply 5):

Quoting modernart (Reply 3):
Require that the TSA open all lanes at check points from 5 a.m. - 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 7 pm. at least in the eastern 2/3 of the country.

The entire country.

Quoting jetwet1 (Reply 13):
Because there are no busy airports in the western third ? I will have to remember that next time i'm at LAS or LAX.

Sorry, I mis typed what I wanted to say initially. Yes all airports nationwide. But maybe additional or later requirements for the red-eyes leaving from the west coast. Brain fart.

Thanks Modern

CitrusCritter · Wed May 11, 2016 7:01 pm

Quoting holzmann (Reply 6):
Fire every single TSA agent who has less than a GED/high school education and hire only veterans at their military service salaries or better. How would that pan out?

Or get rid of the TSA entirely.

I'd actually prefer to have a uniformed service in charge of it. The Coast Guard is a damned fine armed service, no reason we couldn't have a border patrol including airport security organized in the same manner. Several of the European countries have something like that.

QB737 · Wed May 11, 2016 7:10 pm

Quoting airbazar (Reply 18):
Make TSA PreCheck cheap enough so that most people will sign up for it, and allocate most checkpoints to passengers with TSA PreCheck. Make life miserable for those who don't want to signup for TSA PreCheck.

I had the same idea. $85 is not cheap.

dabpit · Wed May 11, 2016 7:18 pm

Quoting Junction (Reply 11):
The number of bags doesn't have anything to do with it. It's the number of people.

Quoting jetwet1 (Reply 13):
Exactly, from what I have seen lately the hold up isn't the carry on bags, it's just the number of people trying to go through a limited number of check points.

Quoting airbazar (Reply 18):
With TSA or not there is no real alternative that doesn't involve rebuilting terminals and hiring uge numbers of personnel. The security checkpoint is by design a bottleneck and no airport terminal has been built in this country with enough security checkpoints to account for peak time volumes. For that reason alone I chose to travel off peak whenever possible.

TSA checkpoints are like Walmart checkouts, there are plenty of lanes to use but only a few are ever open. The issue is not the bags but rather lack of TSA agents actually doing a job, lack of training, a bloated government agency, and the heavy reliance on full-body scanners that slow down the process.

I was recently in MIA and had to wait 5 mins one time and 10 mins another time in line at the full-body scanner, this isn't including the long line to get up to screening.

TSA needs replaced with a less bloated organization that can get the job done. Truthfully out of the airports that I have traveled to, in other countries, I liked Canada's version of TSA (CATSA). They are efficient in keeping the lines moving, seem well staffed, and seem to be trained properly.

jcwr56 · Wed May 11, 2016 7:19 pm

Quoting reffado (Reply 1):
Senators don't want to acknowledge the problem is in the government's side (the TSA)? How unexpected.

Yet, nothings been said about the small Congressional delegation travelling the Country seeing first hand just how bad the problem really is.

This isn't about over scheduling, this isn't about carry on bags...this is about how inept the TSA really is. I've sat in plenty of meetings and they refuse to accept any...I mean any responsibility for this mess that's going on.

A4A has it right...Use social media and start educating the travelling public it's not them or the airports that's causing the mess, it's the TSA.

ER757 · Wed May 11, 2016 7:20 pm

Quoting AirCalSNA (Reply 15):
The number of TSA agents I see just hanging around doing absolutely nothing at security-check lines is appalling.

TSA = Thousands Standing Around

flflyer · Wed May 11, 2016 7:21 pm

$85 bucks for 5 years is cheap.

micstatic · Wed May 11, 2016 7:30 pm

85 is cheap. Only 17 per year. I think the majority of the checkpoints should be configured to tsa pre. Those that don't want to pay should accept longer delays. I mean off the average passenger travels 4 round trips per year this is only 4.25 each trip.

Cubsrule · Wed May 11, 2016 7:30 pm

Quoting dabpit (Reply 23):
The issue is not the bags but rather lack of TSA agents actually doing a job, lack of training, a bloated government agency, and the heavy reliance on full-body scanners that slow down the process.

In the last 2 or 3 months, I have noticed a significant slowdown in the speed of bag screening, to the point that bag screening seems to be the bottleneck in both Precheck and non-Precheck lanes. I'm not sure what is going on here--if it is leading to better bag screening, it might not be appropriate to complain.

wjcandee · Wed May 11, 2016 7:33 pm

How about stop underfunding and poorly-managing TSA so they can process the expected volume of passengers. TSA's claim that it is slow because it is "concerned about terrorism" is total BS. They follow the same procedure in each lane. More lanes open equals more passengers processed per hour means fewer delays with the exact same amount of safety.

N62NA · Wed May 11, 2016 7:37 pm

Quoting micstatic (Reply 27):
85 is cheap. Only 17 per year. I think the majority of the checkpoints should be configured to tsa pre. Those that don't want to pay should accept longer delays

It's infuriating though that the past two times I've been flying AA Terminal 4 out of LAX, the TSA precheck line has been closed. Same has happened the last two times I flew AA out of JFK.

IAHWorldflyer · Wed May 11, 2016 8:27 pm

Quoting N62NA (Reply 30):
It's infuriating though that the past two times I've been flying AA Terminal 4 out of LAX, the TSA precheck line has been closed. Same has happened the last two times I flew AA out of JFK.

Then you need to speak up and demand that they open the lane for you. I've done it. It's as simple as finding one of the standing around guys and getting him or her to turn on the spectrometer. Tell them you didn't pay for precheck in order for it to be closed. I'm not a d***, put I put it politely and I've not been turned down ( yet).

grbauc · Wed May 11, 2016 8:29 pm

Quoting modernart (Reply 3):

[quote=modernart,reply=3]"Bag fees have grown rapidly since 2008, when American Airlines became the first big carrier to charge for checking even one bag. It was a tool that the then-financially troubled industry used to deal with rising fuel prices.

Since then, fuel prices have fallen and airlines have earned record profits. The bag fees have remained; they brought in $3.8 billion last year, according to government figures."

Well airfare is has cheap has 15yrs ago if not cheaper. I like that If i don't have a bag to check I don't have to pay for it. So for me in my case i like it a lot better.

N1120A · Wed May 11, 2016 8:37 pm

Quoting mke717spotter (Reply 8):
The easiest solution would be to charge for carry-ons only.

No it wouldn't. Plus, checked bags are heavier and cost airlines real money and open up more potential for needing to compensate.

Quoting TC957 (Reply 9):

Looking at the TSA situation from the other side of the pond, I agree that private security companies should come in, or the airports employ their own security teams.
TSA is my opinion, and from what I hear from my clients, a total shambles and embarrassment to the US.

Someone from the UK can NEVER talk about how awful the TSA is. Airport security in the UK is the absolute worst on earth.

Quoting jetwet1 (Reply 13):
Exactly, from what I have seen lately the hold up isn't the carry on bags, it's just the number of people trying to go through a limited number of check points.

You must not remember the old days, when a whole family could go through the checkpoint to see their relative off or av geeks could just spend the day in the terminal. There were at least as many people going through then, and less delays.

Quoting CitrusCritter (Reply 21):
I'd actually prefer to have a uniformed service in charge of it. The Coast Guard is a damned fine armed service, no reason we couldn't have a border patrol including airport security organized in the same manner. Several of the European countries have something like that.

No F'ing way. It is bad enough to have any government agency doing the warrantless searches.

Quoting flflyer (Reply 26):
$85 bucks for 5 years is cheap.

$50 for 5 years is even cheaper.

Quoting wjcandee (Reply 29):
How about stop underfunding and poorly-managing TSA

The TSA is OVER, not underfunded.

oosnowrat · Wed May 11, 2016 8:45 pm

Our local airport has only three departures. Until recently the times were 0600, 1445 and 1830. Airline staff are all part-time working split shifts. The TSA staff, on the other hand, are all full-time and were on the clock for the 8 hours in between the first two flights. They have a grand time cooking big breakfasts, etc.

Underfunded? Hardly.

B777LRF · Wed May 11, 2016 9:08 pm

Quoting gr8slvrflt (Reply 12):
Security personnel should enforce current size, weight and quantity restrictions before people get in line for the checkpoint. Result would be less bags to screen.

And which 'restrictions' do you propose they apply? The airlines can't even agree amongst themselves what constitutes the maximum dimensions or weight of piece of hand luggage, let alone the various governing authorities. Security could of course go with lowest common denominator, only to be faced with a lawsuit 5 minutes later from someone quoting the terms of his airline ticket.

Here's another kicker: A 737 with sky interior can hold just short of 90 'standard' roller bags in the overhead compartments, and absolutely none under the up to 189 seats they can be fitted with. So once you've inconvenienced a lot of people by enforcing size and weight restrictions at the security check-point, next they'll find themselves relieved of the very same 'legal' bag at the gate, because their flight is full and they were in the wrong boarding group. I'm sure that'll cause someone enough emotional distress to warrant a lawsuit of some sorts; the bag was, after all, 'legal' and guaranteed to fit.

No, no, no. The only solution is a return to sanity, whereby people check their bags in and bring with them in the cabin only their essentials in a smaller bag, one that can fit under the chair in front of you if needs be. Think laptop bags, small duffels or rucksacks only, essentially. The rest you check, but perhaps not for free - one could wish for the revenue to be directed towards improving staffing and infrastructure on the ground, ensuring swift and correct handling at all times. I know, wishful thinking.

ikramerica · Wed May 11, 2016 9:15 pm

Quoting oosnowrat (Reply 34):

TSA must at minimum have a skeleton crew the entire time the airport is open. Airlines do not. Customers with a ticket can go through at any time. Airline staff only arrive at the gate when it's near flight time. Airlines experience delays. TSA must be there waiting. TSA is not scheduled around the delays nor are they on call at the whim of an airline.

I don't defend TSA much but unless the airport physically closes from 7am to noon, they are required to be there.

cessna2 · Wed May 11, 2016 9:24 pm

Quoting TWA772LR (Reply 19):
I like how they have it at AMS. After you go through exit control, you enter the duty free area. And then you can go to your gate and they have a check point at every gate, and the security personnel rover around whenever it is time for them to do so. It may be expensive in the amount of machines you need to buy, but times would be significantly shorter. I know this would make it terrible for dome stick cinnections, but at least it would be on a flight-by-flight basis and not everyone is screwed at the same time.

This is no longer the case. They have a central area for Security and it takes anywhere from 2-3 hours to get through. They only allowed 4 of us to approach the security line at a time and 9/10 bags were sent to secondary screening. Very very inefficient. I almost wonder if the TSA consulted with them on their new security area.

N62NA · Wed May 11, 2016 9:24 pm

Quoting IAHWorldFlyer (Reply 31):
Then you need to speak up and demand that they open the lane for you. I've done it. It's as simple as finding one of the standing around guys and getting him or her to turn on the spectrometer. Tell them you didn't pay for precheck in order for it to be closed. I'm not a d***, put I put it politely and I've not been turned down ( yet).

It's not a lane, it's an entire separate section. At AA's T4 LAX facility, it's all the way down the other end of the terminal, you get your boarding pass checked before going up an escalator, and then you find your way to a room just for precheck.

At JFK, it's also a completely different area of the security zone, where you go all the way over to the wall, get your boarding pass checked, and then on to the precheck area.

For both, it would be a minimum of 3 people (boarding pass checking person, person at the metal detector, person watching the x-ray bags monitor.

DLFREEBIRD · Wed May 11, 2016 10:07 pm

Quoting OB1504 (Reply 14):
A more effective method would be for the FAA to step up oversight of airlines' carry-on baggage policies and issue fines for each violation. The airlines would immediately start making sure that each bag is compliant.

how in the world are airlines suppose to do this? the days of checking in at the counter are over with for the majority of business travelers, the first point of contact is when they show up at the gate.

Again, that's not going to solve TSA line problems.

the only ones checking in at the counter are usually people who do't travel very much. Even if we look at their carry on to fit the dimensions, there are shops in the airport for them to buy more stuff. The dimension might be different
by the time they get on the plane. So you want to fine the airlines for that? I suppose the government solution would be to close down those shops as well. Fining the airlines, IS NOT THE ANSWER, for TSA LINES. Airlines get fined regularly, even good airlines because there are so many rules to follow. Besides we need the government to label things properly so that everybody will be safe. i FEEL safe with the way the government screens airplanes cargo.

i much rather have the government screening than individual airlines anyway, and fyi, some airlines do have their own screening services on top of the government in certain countries. for obvious reasons.

[Edited 2016-05-11 15:20:58]

[Edited 2016-05-11 15:22:07]

eastern747 · Wed May 11, 2016 10:38 pm

Number 1. Airline A has X number of flights per hour, by the hour. Number 2. Those aircraft have X number of seats total. Number 3, Flights are booked for X number of people. Personnel manned at TSA for so many people per hour. What the hell is the problem, as bookings are known well in advance. TSA folks are for the most part lazy. impersonal. not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree etc. AND I say, FOR THE MOST PART. Many are great in a thankless job.....and Yes it is thankless. The airlines should standup and scream. It's their customers for crying out loud. Put security at each gate. Hire college kids during the summer and give them a decent salary and maybe college credits IF they do well. Don't we pay for this in our tickets? Look at the fees on Canadian tickets....Comments

N867DA · Wed May 11, 2016 10:51 pm

Airport security being a bad experience has been a common trope for decades...along with bad airline food and cramped seats. Airlines have made the food disappear and the seats smaller. Shouldn't airport security also get worse?

airbazar · Wed May 11, 2016 11:16 pm

Quoting TWA772LR (Reply 19):

I like how they have it at AMS. After you go through exit control, you enter the duty free area. And then you can go to your gate and they have a check point at every gate, and the security personnel rover around whenever it is time for them to do so

That can't be done here without major rebuilding of terminals. I don't remember any airport that has boarding rooms at every gate.

Quoting dabpit (Reply 23):
TSA checkpoints are like Walmart checkouts, there are plenty of lanes to use but only a few are ever open.

Off peak yes, but that's understandable. I've never seen a un-staffed checkpoint during peak times, ever.

Quoting jcwr56 (Reply 24):
This isn't about over scheduling, this isn't about carry on bags...this is about how inept the TSA really is. I've sat in plenty of meetings and they refuse to accept any...I mean any responsibility for this mess that's going on.

Inept how? I really don't see how ineptitude has anything to do with this. This is about basic math. Only 1 person at a time can pass thru a machine. The number of machines is limited so the more people you have the longer the lines are going to be. It's really that simple and there is nothing the TSA can do to make the lines move faster.

That is, unless more people start to get pre-screened = TSA PreCheck for All

Quoting flflyer (Reply 26):
$85 bucks for 5 years is cheap.

The fact that they are closing pre-check lines, which I have seen done, should tell you that there aren't enough people to warrant keeping them open. And that means it's too expensive if not enough people are signing up. The vast majority of the public only travels once or twice a year. In a time when ticket purchasing decisions are made based on pennies, $85 for a first time investment is a huge sticker shock. If you have a family of 4 that's even worse.

There should be a greater incentive for people to sign up for it. That's the only way lines at the security checkpoint are going to start moving faster. Until then it's just going to get slower regardless of who is doing the job. It's basic math (or physics if you want to talk in terms of flow rate)

Now that I think about it, it should be free. We already pay a Security tax on our tickets. Everyone who chooses should be entitled to join the TSA PreCheck program free of charge.

tharanga · Wed May 11, 2016 11:51 pm

The two senators are probably onto something. Bag fees have had some unintended consequences. Most obviously, gate lice and boarding delays. It at least seems plausible that extra carry-ons slow things down at TSA, both due to simple volume as well as additional clueless infrequent travelers trying to carry huge bottles of liquids in their carry-ons.

I'm not saying this is a reason for senators to browbeat airlines into dropping bag fees, but there could be something to their premise.

Quoting N1120A (Reply 5):
Actually, the best thing to do is have the airlines back in charge, as they don't want security delays.

I don't think the airlines want that, at all. They don't want to get sued for lax security, in the event of another terrorist or criminal attack. For the airlines, it's better to have TSA do it, so long as the checkpoints are adequately staffed so there aren't delays.

Also - whether TSA does it, or the private sector, they'll both be complying with the same rules.

threeifbyair · Thu May 12, 2016 12:06 am

Bag fees are also not taxed by the federal government. That is the biggest incentive of all for airlines to keep increasing them.

AAIL86 · Thu May 12, 2016 12:13 am

Quoting N1120A (Reply 5):
Actually, the best thing to do is have the airlines back in charge, as they don't want security delays.

Quoting holzmann (Reply 6):
Or get rid of the TSA entirely.

Quoting N1120A (Reply 7):
Now that is the ticket.

Quoting reffado (Reply 10):
This is what I believe would work the best.

Quoting SPREE34 (Reply 16):
All of the above and more. Get rid of it. It's mostly theatrics for the weak minded and those needing "Safe Place".

Ahh, humans - we always forget our history. The airlines all ran security before 9/11. The competence level of the contracted staff they employed was astonishingly poor. I know because I was there, started in the industry(@AA at the airport) in the summer of '2000. One of my first jobs as a 19 year old was daily testing of the checkpoints. One month I got 70 percent of replica weapons past, another month 50 percent.

Look, I get that some TSA staff are annoying and disinterested. I fly at least once a month minimum and deal with them. These guys are still light years ahead of what the airlines dredged up back in the 90s and 2000. And maybe private security nowadays would be different, you can make that argument. But better? Thats a hard argument to make for me, as someone with 8 years experience with airport operations.

[Edited 2016-05-11 17:13:54]

LAX772LR · Thu May 12, 2016 12:19 am

Quoting mke717spotter (Reply 8):
The easiest solution would be to charge for carry-ons only. This is the premium luggage, not what goes underneath the plane which makes you wait at the baggage claim.

Aircraft cargo holds were made to carry everything + kitchen sink.
Overhead bins were not.

Of course they should exempt things like medicine, babyfood, purses, booksacks, etc.
But rollaboards? Charge for that, and let a checked bag go free.

rwsea · Thu May 12, 2016 12:41 am

While I agree that TSA is a massive farce and should be done away with (remember that all of the 9/11 hijackers went through security and were under compliance with the standards of the time, as box-cutters were not prohibited items), current issue seems to be staffing. Part of the problem is the onerous hiring / background check process including a national training center in Georgia. Apparently that training center can't increase capacity short term, so that becomes a bottleneck. Time to start outsourcing some of the less important tasks such as checking IDs, etc. and use the limited officers in only the key positions.

Quoting TWA772LR (Reply 19):
I like how they have it at AMS. After you go through exit control, you enter the duty free area. And then you can go to your gate and they have a check point at every gate, and the security personnel rover around whenever it is time for them to do so. It may be expensive in the amount of machines you need to buy, but times would be significantly shorter.

AMS got rid of that setup. It was nice from an O&D perspective but was bad for connecting pax that all had to clear security twice (even those coming from neighboring EU countries).

liftsifter · Thu May 12, 2016 12:50 am

I'm the first person to trash the TSA, really I am. But some of the responses in here are not only scary, but make me curious as to how aware everyone is to the threat which terrorism poses to American aviation. Just ask the businesses at Sharm al-Sheikh how they're enjoying this drought of passengers...

Quoting N1120A (Reply 5):
Actually, the best thing to do is have the airlines back in charge, as they don't want security delays.

Great, let's give someone with a profit motive an incentive to cut corners and "speed-up" security procedures.

Quoting holzmann (Reply 6):
Fire every single TSA agent who has less than a GED/high school education and hire only veterans at their military service salaries or better. How would that pan out?

Somehow this seems motivated by some deep-seated hatred. First and foremost, you cannot fire qualified people for no reason other than, "we want that guy instead of you." Second, active military salaries are significant incomes, much larger than those of the current TSA agents- so let's just increase the TSA's budget problem... How would it pan out? Pretty terribly.

Quoting TC957 (Reply 9):

Looking at the TSA situation from the other side of the pond, I agree that private security companies should come in, or the airports employ their own security teams.
TSA is my opinion, and from what I hear from my clients, a total shambles and embarrassment to the US.

Let's look at everything this industry has outsourced- passenger service, ground handling, catering... etc. All have lead to a lower standard of service and quality for the passengers, yet increased profits for the corporations and lower wages for employees. I don't want to imagine private security companies in airports, just ask airport general managers how much they enjoy working with ground handling agencies...

Quoting Cubsrule (Reply 28):
In the last 2 or 3 months, I have noticed a significant slowdown in the speed of bag screening, to the point that bag screening seems to be the bottleneck in both Precheck and non-Precheck lanes. I'm not sure what is going on here--if it is leading to better bag screening, it might not be appropriate to complain.

I've also noticed. Frankly, I don't mind, because I've gotten large quantities of liquids through TSA unknowingly and eventually realized later on. It's a sore-spot, I would say.

32andBelow · Thu May 12, 2016 1:03 am

Quoting OB1504 (Reply 14):
Enforcing an airline's carry-on baggage policy is not the TSA's job, nor should screeners be expected to be familiar with the policies of every airline whose passengers may use their checkpoint.

At a large airport a airline could wind up on a gate for a charter or something else and would gladly accept whatever the pax have at the gate.

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