How passengers can avoid making airport wait times even longer
“Who’s to blame for lines?,” May 22 news story; and “The true culprits for security lines,” May 27 editorial.
Yes, the Transportation Security Administration is to blame for almost all the delays in airport security, but some responsibility lies with passengers who are totally unprepared for security, do not know the rules, don’t read the rules, and insist on carrying too much luggage through security.
Bite the bullet, pack everything but your reading material for the flight and your medicines, and check your bags. Wear slip-ons, have your ID and boarding pass in hand before you get to the TSA desk. Read the signs, listen to the TSA personnel and don’t just stand there. Keep moving.
And mostly, if you fly more than once a year, get TSA PreCheck or stop complaining.
Finally, if you do get a PreCheck pass compliments of your airline, even just once, do not slow up the line by taking your computer out of the bag, taking off your shoes, or taking your toiletries out. Those of us who do know what we are doing will run you over and not look back. If you want to do all that stuff, skip TSA Pre-Check.
BBB In the various suggestions for shortening long security lines at airports, I have yet to see mention of lowering the age for expedited screening from its current threshold of 75. Many competitive sports offer senior divisions — most of us simply don’t move as fast as we once did. If a person qualifies for Medicare, he or she ought to qualify for expedited screening.