This is genius--separate airport security lines for families.
I don't quite know how they can self-segregate "expert" from "regular" travelers, but when we travel with Kelly and have to unstrap her from her car seat, turn it upside down, take out her formula to show the TSA, etc, etc, etc, I would LOVE to be doing it in a line of fellow parents, not in a line of harried business travelers.
And when I'm traveling without my own baby, I'd also appreciate not paying the stroller tax and getting stuck behind someone else's little Brady Bunch. Works all around!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I predict it will be like the "10 items or less" lines, where people like me, who sincerely have fewer than ten items (or, are extra-adept travelers) will wind up in a line made to take twice as long by someone who thinks that the particular rule is more of a "guideline", counting out his 15 items and making jokes with the cashier about how "Well, they're all fruit! That's one item! hahaha!" (or, "Oh, but my shoes never hurt anyone! Do I really have to take them off?"). Grumble.
Maybe the families line will offer interesting impulse items, though. Magazines and gum.
I saw this in the Pittsburgh airport a month ago. (Didn't notice the signs until I was already in the "regular" travel line, alas.) If I recall correctly, the signs suggested that the expert line was for people who had only one carry-on, traveled at least a month, and had laptops, etc. ready to scan. The casual line was for people who had multiple bags and did not fly monthly, and the family line was for families or anyone who's not familiar with TSA procedures and might need help through the screening process.
All the lines seemed to be zipping along pretty well, but they usually do in Pittsburgh.
Oooh! This is an issue near and dear to my heart. I am an expert traveler, fly several times per month, and am looking forward to using the expert lanes, if only to avoid the security people screaming in my face to remove my laptop and shoes, just as I am taking off my shoes and taking out my laptop. But last weekend I travelled with my toddler alone for the first time and was shocked at how rudely we were treated by the other passengers in line. My daughter behaved perfectly, but the other people in line could not have been more annoyed at me for taking extra time to collapse the stroller, take off our jackets, and generally go slow so that I didn't leave anything behind or rattle my kid, who was already doing a spectacular job. I certainly didn't expect anyone to help me, and didn't need any help, but I didn't anticipate the sour looks and lack of understanding from those beeyotches in line behind me. If I fly with the kid again (and there will be a next time, you bitches!) I look forward to using the family line, where everyone isn't in such a damn hurry.
I've generally found that we've been directed to the priority security lane when travelling with our daughter, which is very nice. Sometimes we even get pulled out of line so we don't have to wait as long (this has also happened in check-in and customs/immigration lanes). Sometimes I feel guilty about jumping ahead, but I'm sure no one wants a cranky and bored toddler next to them in a half-hour line, either.
It does seem like a good idea generally, but part of me thinks it's not a bad thing for people to practice being considerate and respectful of others who have different needs. I'm pretty sure that's the idealistic hippy part of me, though.
Post a Comment