If you don’t have TSA PreCheck, standing in the TSA checkpoint lanes can be a nightmare, with waits of 45 or more minutes during busy times of the year, or in some airports, busy times of the day (I’m looking at you, MCO).
A survey conducted by OAG, a travel data and insight company, asked over 2,000 travelers
Their answers were a little surprising.
Standing on security lines was listed as one of the worst lines at the airport. In fact, 59% of the people taking the survey said it was THE worst. And, of course, the more time passengers stand in line at the security checkpoint is less time available to shop and eat at the airport.
When given the opportunity to consider possible solutions for this issue, almost 60% of the respondents said they would be willing to give up some of their privacy and allow airports, airlines, and other travel providers the ability to track their location if it meant the data were used to deploy staff to areas that had become too congested.
However, 40% of respondents also felt that using such a tracker wouldn’t be necessary if airport security simply opened an area for passengers to prepare themselves and their belongings for being scanned (this solution would be a whole lot cheaper, too).
Do I think such a staging area would be a realistic solution? Probably not.
I don’t think it’s really a matter of staging. I mean, the TSA security queue is very stop and go, so if you’re thinking about it, you can take your coat and shoes off while you’re on line. And if your computer, tablet and bag o’liquids are packed properly before you even get to the airport, it should just be a matter of grabbing them because they’re on top of an easily accessible compartment. All it involves is the proper planning (which, I know, is easier said than done).
Plus, holy cow…let’s say you have Person #1, who needs a staging area, and (s)he is in front of Person #2, who can unpack themselves and their stuff quickly. When Person #1 is all ready to go through X-Ray, where will (s)he go on the queue? In front of Person #2? Behind whoever is next in line? Will the staging area people have their own X-ray and then won’t that lane go slower?
It’s an interesting thing to think about.
How do you think the airport security lines can go faster?
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
