I am an expert flyer but I have metal hips. To which one should I go?

Posted By Jeanne Stevenson on May 1, 2008, 12:53 PM

Great in theory, but not in practicality. No one wants to admit they are not an expert! Maybe there could be a checkpoint where passengers are assigned a lane~those with laptops OUT of the case, plastic baggies with liquids in hand, belts and jackets off, shoes off....they get directed to the expert lane while the slobs who seem surprised that they have to take off shoes, belts, etc can be sent to the remedial lane. I like the idea of a special lane for special needs, like families with small children.

Posted By kimberly on May 1, 2008, 12:56 PM

Have not been to those airports. As platinum flier, I frequently zip up to the ID check, but then get behind non-fliers at the machines. I think it is a great idea: but I am not a skier, so the icons would have meant little to me.

Posted By Erik T on May 1, 2008, 12:58 PM

I used this in Orlando, but it was not helpful because the expert line had the longest distance to travel to screening once past the ID checkpoints. Also, several in the line were not expert. I found a casual traveler in line next to me initially got through at least 25 persons ahead of me by the time we reached the screening machines.

Posted By Dave on May 1, 2008, 12:58 PM

Sounds like a great idea, but won't people go to the shortest line regardless of their "skill level"? Assumedly the black line would be shortest because it should move the fastest...but if blues see this happening, why wouldn't they just hop over to that lane and wing being a black? Great idea in theory but execution is another story.

Posted By Lindsay on May 1, 2008, 1:02 PM

Flying through Denver all the time, the idea might be good but it fails in the execution. People choose the shortest line regardless of how many times they have flown.

Posted By susan on May 1, 2008, 1:19 PM

I completely agree with Kimberly. Having the flier choose the lane defeats the benefits. What's to stop families from taking the shortest line? As others have posted, there have been fliers that are not expert taking the expert lane, causing what should be the shortest, fastest lane to be longer than the medium line. Fliers should be directed.

Posted By Cathy on May 1, 2008, 1:21 PM

The human factor, i.e. TSA employees, will still play a part. Arriving at Honolulu airport, we found our flight inexplicably cancelled. By the time arrangements had been made to leave on another airline, time was short and the agent put our tickets in orange packets and directed us to the shortest security line. We were passed through immediately, only to be stopped by a large guard who seemed to take delight in announcing, "You girls (we're 60+) are getting special treatment today." By the time the strip search was finished, everyone in the other lines had gone through and we had to run to our gate. The terrorists are winning.

Posted By Felicity on May 1, 2008, 1:21 PM

This sounds good to me. My husband has Parkinson's and a metal hip. I handle the laptop and the CPAP as well has his carryon. We can take extra time without feeling guilty.

Posted By Susan on May 1, 2008, 1:30 PM

Perhaps it could work if there was some small degree of enforcement... for example, people with kids are required to go to the green circle line. And, to get into the black diamond (expert) line, you have to show a high level frequent flyer card (silver, gold, platinum - depending on the airline). Not foolproof, but it would help to serve the purpose of the lines, no?

Posted By Geoff on May 1, 2008, 2:02 PM

This seems like a stupid idea. I rarely observe a traveler that doesn't know they have to take out their laptop and take off their shoes anymore. Since the wait line feeds into multiple x-ray lines that are usually only a few peole long, this just creates the likelihood that some x-ray lines will be under-used and others unnecessarily long.

...and shouldn't these TSA resources generally be applied to shortening everyone's line?

Posted By Roger on May 1, 2008, 2:55 PM

Why do we still have to take our shoes off to pass through security? Richard Reid tried that shoe bomb thing more than six years ago, and he FAILED. This doesn't make us any safer. It's all just for show. We see it on the news several times a year - some investigator manages to sneak past the TSA and access a highly sensitive area, and nothing is done about it. But the TSA will make sure every little old lady has to take her shoes off, though. I feel so much safer.

Posted By Brent on May 1, 2008, 3:05 PM

This is a good theory, however as a very experience traveller and exteremely organzied mother of twins (who are also very experienced fliers at the age of 15 monthes) The last time I flow with them I had TSA agents in amazment. I think families do need a some speical help not a line with those people who are unexperience fliers as this does tie us up as well. We usually need just and extra set of hands. To hold a baby or help fold a stroller since once you pick the baby up you can't hand them off to anyone which is alittle unrealistic. So I have often thought just having a person who can fold and put the stroller on the belt works wonders. I personally hate and do mean hate being stuck behind the unorganized person so I am alittle irrated that I will get stuck in the same line as them just because I happen to be fortunate enough to be able to travel with my kids.

Posted By Melissa on May 1, 2008, 3:48 PM

I agree with the comments that most fliers who are not "expert" will go through the "black diamond" line even if they are not up to the speed factor, and hold everyone up anyway. We only go to the head of the line if we are in uniform, so as a commuting flight attendant, (live in one city, and fly out of another), I have waited in plenty of lines while in my plain clothes. In theory, it is a good idea, but a line for families with children, carriages, diaper bags and those with more items than the rest of the travelers on line would probably be more effective. And lastly, in response to a comment posted earlier, I still support taking off shoes, even if it is inconveinent. The only reason Richard Reid wasn't successful, was because it was raining in Paris the morning he boarded, and the device in his shoe was wet, thus the smell of matches he was attempting to use to light it, alerted flight attendants and passengers alike on that flight. I'm in the air constantly, and do not want us to become complacent. I want to come home to my children at the end of my trips. Terrorists are waiting for us to become more laid back. (If possible, I would prefer you use my initials...WBT, but if this is not possible, that is OK).

Posted By Wendi Tremblay on May 1, 2008, 4:50 PM

The shoe thing is primarily an American affectation. I just today returned from a trip that took me through several security inspections in Germany, Russia, and India. Not once did I have to remove my shoes (until I returned to the U.S., that is).

Posted By Doug on May 1, 2008, 9:05 PM

When new rules are set up, remember 75% of the people think they are above average. Some people cannot be objective when assessing their own situation. : )

Posted By Mary on May 1, 2008, 9:34 PM

I agree with the mother with twins. I flew with my 6 month old daughter and my husband out of Orlando. We were forced to sit in the beginner line just because we had a baby. We didn't even have a stroller, and we had just one carry on plus a diaper bag. I thought it was ridiculus for us to have to wait behind people who didn't know what they were doing, when we could have zoomed right through the expert line and been on our way. The only redeeming thing was that once you were through the ID checkpoint, the line was much shorter for the beginners than expert (as noted above), so essentially we had the shorter wait overall. Orlando needs to work on that deceptive technique before too many "experts" catch on and start going in the family/beginner line.

Posted By Kelly on May 1, 2008, 9:42 PM

Jeanne, I also have a metal hip and fly twice per week. I used the Black Diamond in Oakland the last two weeks without any problem. The purpose is to not slow down the travelers behind you with people who don't know what to do to get in the line. When I beep, they immediately move me out of the way when I tell them I have a hip replacement so I don't hold up the people behind me. (But I joined Clear so I won't even be in the Black Diamond line the next time I fly out of Oakland.

Posted By Patty K on May 1, 2008, 10:57 PM

Yet another STUPID idea from the Nazi's at the TSA! High School drop-outs who are charged with keeping us "secure" from the "ter-er-isss" threat. Give me a break, these people make up rules as they see fit and couldn't fine a real threat if it fell on their heads. (As is evident nearly EVERY time they are tested!) This lunacy needs to stop. As a frequent international traveler, I'm sick and tired of being treated like a criminal by people who, for the most part, I wouldn't trust in my home. It's bad enough we have to put up with piss-poor customer service from the airlines but to have to take this crap from people who are paid from our tax dollars, PLEASE! How about, more Air Marshals on board the planes, and we abolish the TSA?

Posted By Palmer Woodrow on May 2, 2008, 10:47 AM

Living in "child-heavy" Salt Lake City, I can't wait to fly next time! To be in a line with no kids! Now if I can avoid the women who don't put their lip gloss & lotion in the baggie before they get to the conveyor belt...

Posted By Lisa on May 2, 2008, 11:34 AM

I used the "expert traveler" lane at Orlando International, and what a delight not to have to stand behind families returning from the theme parks! I had only my purse, wore slip-on shoes, and breezed through the line in five minutes or less. Yaaaa! for expert traveler lanes!

Posted By Colleen on May 2, 2008, 3:15 PM

I have found the system to not work. People just go to what looks like the shortest line... In Boston - everyone switches lines as they see one looking to go faster. Not only do the travelers shift - but the TSA ask people to ignore the signs and just move over when a line looks like it is moving faster.

I've used this several times - it hasn't worked so far. Clogged and confused. It looks like its a coin toss - whether it works at that moment or not.

Posted By jeff on May 2, 2008, 6:19 PM

I've used it twice in Boston, once for business with the requisite laptop and electronic gear and once for leisure travel. It worked beautifully both times and I zipped through. One curious point is that airline personnel were stationed at the entry and soliciting first class passengers to the expert line and questioning other passengers attempting to enter it. In my book this is not the intent of the line self-selection program and should be stopped. I held my ground when questioned, said "expert traveler" and entered the shorter black diamond line both times. This airline practice is contrary to the intent, actually adds another "checkpoint", and needs to stop.

Posted By Randi on May 4, 2008, 5:36 PM

We were allowed into the special needs line at Atlanta's airport because I was with my elderly aunt. Although the line was much shorter than the blue line, it took us five times as long because all of the flight crews were allowed to go ahead of us, many people were in wheelchairs, parents had children and strollers, no one from TSA was the least bit helpful. It was extremely disorganized--worst airport experience ever.

What would speed things up most would be to separate U.S. citizens who know what to do from the non-English speaking foreigners who have no idea that they need to take off shoes, use a tub, etc.

Posted By Cathy on May 5, 2008, 12:49 PM

I like the concept, but totally agree with enforcement! There should be one person monitoring the black line...Asking questions, are you carrying liquids? Or do you have a laptop? And watching for children. As a Platinium AA member, I travel every week. It takes me two seconds to get through..I have my lipgloss in a ziploc, shoes off, no belts ever, and laptop always out and ready BEFORE I step into security line! I also love the airports that have airline member lines...Those are usually super fast, because we fly all the time! And we pay attention to the policy's when they change! So these work well too!

Posted By Theresa on May 7, 2008, 2:22 PM

Sounds like me at the grocery store, I always jump lanes to get to the shortest. I am kindly rewarded
with a price checker in front of me.I am though
disturbed by some of the TSA employees as they like
to show who's in charge. I often think their reward
should be them getting strip searched!

Posted By William Bennett on May 8, 2008, 2:11 PM

I have just returned home from San Diego and the 'short' expert line took longer than the others. They pulled us out of the line to send us through expert when there weren't any people though, and that was good. They first need to know what they are doing - one of my items was fine go to San Diego but had to be thrown out when leaving San Diego - even though I brought print outs from the TSA website that didn't ban that item!

Posted By Pamm McFadden on May 11, 2008, 12:21 AM

There should be a point system, on a form, which you fill on-line at the time of purchasing your ticket. Once filled out, this should be analyzed by a software and give you the status, balck, blue or green. Then, it would work, instead of letting people decide for themselves.

Posted By sylveef on September 21, 2008, 9:32 PM

I have flown thru ATL 4 times since this has been implemented and I can say that it is an improvement. I saw the TSA ask several people to move to another lane when it was apparent that they were not experts or they had special needs and children with them. Getting behind someone with kids is a nightmare!
Is it perfect? Never, but it is an improvement and anything is better than getting some family of 5 with 2 strollers and car-seats in front of you.
When I returned home last week from ATL, it did take a little longer than usual, about 7 minutes. Why? Because they were processing people so fast that they ran out of bins. That I can forgive.

Posted By CJN Flyer on December 6, 2008, 12:51 AM