learned this mornnig that part of the TSA fee

[SparklyUnicorn]

Is diverted to pay down the federal deficit.  They are too low on TSA workers because they had to cut back on hiring (especially hiring anyone beyond part time with no benefits) because they didn't have the money.  In part they don't have the money because they aren't getting the entire fee.

 

Unreal.

 

 

[Lanny]

I've watched multiple stories about the TSA problems, since we returned from MCO (Orlando International Airport) on May 1st.  Thankfully, as I recall, we got through the TSA Checkpoint in approximately 30 minutes that Sunday  afternoon.   None of the stores I've watched mentioned anything about part of the TSA fee not going to TSA.  They are trying to get Part-Time Workers to work Full Time. They have authorized overtime. They have a horrible problem with attrition.  Many many problems for TSA to fix.

 

I just read an article about Travel Insurance (which we had purchased, primarily because we have no insurance in the USA) and the article said that if your flight leaves on time and you are not on it, because you were stuck in a TSA line, the Travel Insurance will not pay for you missing your flight.

[Mama Geek]

I have read things that suggest that the long security lines are happening to try to get people to sign up and pay for the precheck at about $100 a person.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I have read things that suggest that the long security lines are happening to try to get people to sign up and pay for the precheck at about $100 a person.

 

They mentioned that too.  They initially hoped to get 2x as many people to sign up for that than they ultimately did.  Aside from the fee, I can't imagine this being interesting to anyone unless they happen to travel fairly regularly.

[JustEm]

Yea the amount going to the deficit has been there since 2014 I believe. It's 60 cents of the 5.60 fee

[SparklyUnicorn]

Yeah I technically don't have a problem with that, but if they are complaining that the TSA isn't better in part due to financial reasons, that's kind of crazy.

 

Really I think the biggest cause for slow screening is that now everyone tries to shove everything into their carry on bags to avoid high fees.

 

[Pegasus]

I have read things that suggest that the long security lines are happening to try to get people to sign up and pay for the precheck at about $100 a person.

 

The TSA precheck program fee is $85 and is good for 5 years, so equates to $17 per year of benefits.  Value definitely depends on how often a person flies.

[Dmmetler]

We have the precheck, and if you fly through big airports, it's worth it.

[regentrude]

The TSA precheck program fee is $85 and is good for 5 years, so equates to $17 per year of benefits.  Value definitely depends on how often a person flies.

 

But the signup is a hassle. Having to drive several hours to an application center for an in-person interview is just not worth it for many.

(The government already has taken my fingerprints multiple times, and has interviewed me thoroughly for GC and citizenship...  )

Edited May 30, 2016 by regentrude

[wapiti]

Has anyone gotten Precheck very recently?  Last I looked, the link to the online application (so that you can make an appt online) was taken out.  I will have to call but I am dreading it.  (We are flying in July and dh is adamant about getting Precheck.  He already has it but I would need to do myself and the three older kids.  I'm not even sure the kids have proper documents yet...)  Dh wants me to show up at the airport at the very earliest hour they open (45 min drive) - ugh.

Edited May 30, 2016 by wapiti

[regentrude]

Has anyone gotten Precheck very recently?  Last I looked, the link to the online application (so that you can make an appt online) was taken out.

 

I saw the link to make an appt online just this morning

[TammyS]

I've been wondering about getting precheck for my son who will be flying back and forth to school starting in Aug.

 

The thing is...if everyone, or rather lots of people, get precheck, won't it be the same long lines?

[wapiti]

Oh nm.  I finally figured it out.

Edited May 30, 2016 by wapiti

[SparklyUnicorn]

It's been a couple of years since we've flown so who knows at this point, but we've had the least amount of issues with international flights.  The domestic flights seem to be far more annoying.

 

Maybe I can pay my 10 year old to have a melt down.  LOL  I know terrible, but when they were babies we often got through first for crying babies.  Although I will be happy to not have to travel with crying babies! 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I keep ending up here https://universalenroll.dhs.gov/workflows?servicecode=11115V&service=pre-enroll

 

1.  

I'm guessing that the word "here" should have been a link.  I am missing something?  This has been driving me crazy because I feel like I keep circling back to this same page but I can't get to the application and I can't make an appt.

 

Maybe try a different browser.  Some stuff doesn't work right with certain browsers.

[Butter]

They mentioned that too.  They initially hoped to get 2x as many people to sign up for that than they ultimately did.  Aside from the fee, I can't imagine this being interesting to anyone unless they happen to travel fairly regularly.

 

TSA Precheck is not available on all airlines or in all airports.  It only allows you not to have to remove shoes, laptops, 3-1-1 liquids, belts, and light jackets.  You still have to go through security.  The line you go through may be shorter.  In some cases it could potentially happen that the "regular" line is longer than the precheck line.

 

Every time they open up appointment times for interviews, they are filled pretty much immediately.  It isn't so much that they've had fewer people apply, but that they don't have the manpower to handle as many interviews as they need to do.  The appointment times are the same for people getting other things like Global Entry.  I know Austin is adding more appointment times (adding more people to do the interviews/fingerprinting).  I am sure other airports are as well.

 

I have read things that suggest that the long security lines are happening to try to get people to sign up and pay for the precheck at about $100 a person.

 

 

The TSA precheck program fee is $85 and is good for 5 years, so equates to $17 per year of benefits.  Value definitely depends on how often a person flies.

 

Global Entry is $100.  That's the one that lets you skip the customs lines and just use a kiosk.  Precheck is $85.  Both last 5 years.  Obviously the extra $15 for Global Entry wouldn't be useful if you never fly outside of the US.  Global Entry includes Precheck.

 

Yea the amount going to the deficit has been there since 2014 I believe. It's 60 cents of the 5.60 fee

 

I couldn't find how much of the fee was for the deficit, but the hike was totally aimed at lowering the deficit.  The money wasn't ever supposed to go to the TSA.  It was always intended pay down the deficit.  It used to be $2.50 per leg capped at $5 per round trip.  Then in 2014, they changed it to $5.60 per one-way trip with weird rules on what a one-way trip consists of based on length of layovers and no cap on the amount of fee they can now collect.  People think those fees are going to TSA to improve security, but they never did and never were supposed to.

Edited May 30, 2016 by Butter

[Cinder]

Really I think the biggest cause for slow screening is that now everyone tries to shove everything into their carry on bags to avoid high fees.

 

Not only the carry-ons. Dh travels a lot and says he sees a lot of people trying to gate check their regular suitcases. So those have to be screened when they go through the line as well as the carry-ons. And with the TSA being called out for not catching stuff they should, they're taking a little longer on each item trying to screen more carefully. I'm not looking forward to that part of our July vacation.

[Jan in SC]

The last four or five flights someone in my family has taken had prechecked on the ticket. We have no idea why. We also go through the family line, which took a lot less time. (I can't remember if it said prechecked or prescreened.) All of the flights were from a large airport to a large airport.

[Dmmetler]

I've found the precheck lines to be much shorter and faster if the airport is large enough and if it's not Orlando. If it's a small airport, it really doesn't matter. They won't have a precheck line. And in Orlando, precheck and those traveling with really small children seem to get lumped together, which slows things down. For Houston, San Francisco, and Chicago, it was a definite help. I haven't flown through DC recently, but I expect it would help there as well.

 

 

 

Edited May 30, 2016 by dmmetler

[Annie G]

The last four or five flights someone in my family has taken had prechecked on the ticket. We have no idea why. We also go through the family line, which took a lot less time. (I can't remember if it said prechecked or prescreened.) All of the flights were from a large airport to a large airport.

 

Dh and I have had this happen for the past year. The weird thing is that it's always been only one leg of a flight. So the flight FROM Florida had it but not the flight to Florida. And then the flight to Atlanta had it but not the flight home from Atlanta. No idea how we get chosen for it but I like it. 

 

Last month I flew out of and into a smaller airport and security check took forever. Hardly anyone seemed to be regular travelers and a LOT of time was spent telling people they couldn't take their full size bottle of sunscreen or full Pepsi on board. People didn't know to put their liquids in a bag so they spent forever digging stuff out of their carry on. And their carry on was too big. And they didn't know to take off shoes, belts, etc. It. Took. Forever. 

I don't see that at O'Hare or ATL very often. Of course at the big airports the TSA agents are yelling out commands so people hear it in time to take care of it in line. 

[wapiti]

Ok.  I have the soonest-available appointment, on July 11.  What are the chances I'll have Precheck before our flight on the 19th?  (I'll probably try to do walk-in some time this week, at a center that's not at the airport, but I'm not holding my breath.  Plus I'm freaking out that my name will be an issue, where my first name has a space in it on some documents but not on my birth certificate.  I don't have a current passport; ugh.)

 

This is way worse than the DMV even though I woke up this morning worrying about non-driver IDs and trying to figure out how to prove address for my boys who don't have passports and don't get mail.  I need two forms for address and my parent driver license only counts for one.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Not only the carry-ons. Dh travels a lot and says he sees a lot of people trying to gate check their regular suitcases. So those have to be screened when they go through the line as well as the carry-ons. And with the TSA being called out for not catching stuff they should, they're taking a little longer on each item trying to screen more carefully. I'm not looking forward to that part of our July vacation.

 

Which is crazy.

 

We forked over for carry on for our upcoming trip.  It's just not really doable to put everything we want/need to bring as carry on.  And I really like to have the carry on for such a long trip to be entertainment stuff.  Putting clothes with that stuff, everything gets all crazy wrinkled up and all over the place.  Nah...that trip is going to be hellish enough.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Ok.  I have the soonest-available appointment, on July 11.  What are the chances I'll have Precheck before our flight on the 19th?  (I'll probably try to do walk-in some time this week, at a center that's not at the airport, but I'm not holding my breath.  Plus I'm freaking out that my name will be an issue, where my first name has a space in it on some documents but not on my birth certificate.  I don't have a current passport; ugh.)

 

This is way worse than the DMV even though I woke up this morning worrying about non-driver IDs and trying to figure out how to prove address for my boys who don't have passports and don't get mail.  I need two forms for address and my parent driver license only counts for one.

 

You could try to get them a non driver ID at DMV.  I got that for my older kid.  It was good enough for me to basically just prove his age and me to prove where I live. 

 

Only thing is here it isn't particularly quick.  I waited about 2 weeks to get it in the mail.

[Dmmetler]

Here, you get a temporary non-driver's license that day, and the official one comes in the mail in a couple of weeks. The same applies for a new driver's license. DH was able to use his temporary driver's license to buy Sudafed over the counter, even though it didn't have the magnetic stripe, so I guess it's considered official in some way. (DD had a temporary as well for her non-driver ID, but she didn't need to use it until after the official one came. She's only actually needed it to get into the SAT).

 

 

[Dmmetler]

IIRC, you get the precheck approval pretty quickly.  We got ours pretty soon after they opened it up, though. The hard part is that if you've already bought plane tickets, you'll probably have to call the airline directly to get it added. As it stands, we have had to get it added at the counter when we've checked in luggage once because it didn't actually get on the boarding passes. It's not a separate ID or anything that you can control using-it has to be added at the airline's end. 

 

 

[wapiti]

You could try to get them a non driver ID at DMV.  I got that for my older kid.  It was good enough for me to basically just prove his age and me to prove where I live. 

 

Only thing is here it isn't particularly quick.  I waited about 2 weeks to get it in the mail.

 

That's my plan if I can figure out how to prove address to DMV.  I need to go back to the DMV website and look...  It's confusing.  The good thing is that our local DMV office that does not process original driver's licenses is awesome - super fast.  I had to renew my license the other day and I walked in and was helped immediately and they were actually nice.  I saw a dad getting a nondriver ID for his daughter so I must be able to get those there too.

 

But, we will have to wait 4 weeks to get it in the mail.  That's sooner than the Precheck appointment though  :tongue_smilie:

 

I am concerned about how long it takes to actually get the Precheck status after the appt.  Does anyone know?  Has anyone been through the process very recently?

Edited May 30, 2016 by wapiti

[JoJosMom]

Not only the carry-ons. Dh travels a lot and says he sees a lot of people trying to gate check their regular suitcases. So those have to be screened when they go through the line as well as the carry-ons. And with the TSA being called out for not catching stuff they should, they're taking a little longer on each item trying to screen more carefully. I'm not looking forward to that part of our July vacation.

 

 

Which is crazy.

 

We forked over for carry on for our upcoming trip.  It's just not really doable to put everything we want/need to bring as carry on.  And I really like to have the carry on for such a long trip to be entertainment stuff.  Putting clothes with that stuff, everything gets all crazy wrinkled up and all over the place.  Nah...that trip is going to be hellish enough.

 

Considering that baggage fees may be as much as $100 dollars, that could be the difference between traveling and not traveling for some people.

 

Also, given the airlines' not-so-stellar performances in baggage handling, some people don't want to take the risk that their bags will disappear.

 

I wouldn't call the choice to pack light and carry one's own bag crazy.

[JoJosMom]

As for pre-check, on our return trip from DC, DH and I were pre-checked, but DD was not.  I have no idea how/why that happened, as I had not applied for anything.

 

Oh, and when the TSA agent realized that we had been directed to the wrong line by a different agent (because DD was not pre-checked), he dropped a lovely F-bomb.  Nice. :glare:

[livetoread]

My folks tried to get the Global Entry. The next available appointment was six months. She growls every time she hears them complaining about more people not signing up.

[Jane in NC]

I fly six or seven times a year (round trip) and am assigned "pre-check" status more than half of the time.  Just lucky, I guess! 

 

In my opinion, it is the airline luggage fee that has really slowed down TSA. They have to scan a lot of stuff! People also seem to feel that on-board restrictions do not apply to them.  Every single time I go through TSA, I see at least one person with liquids over the allowed amount.  There is signage, often an agent asking people to toss their beverages and yet people still try to walk through the line with water bottles and 12 ounce shampoos.  What gives?

[Georgiana Daniels]

Sigh. I'm one of those people who holds up the line. It's not that I don't know the rules...it's that I don't think about the fact that what I'm carrying is a sharp object. Last month coming home from Alaska, I had a gift box containing an ulu knife, before that I had a small pair of knitting scissors, and once I had a butter knife. I really don't know how the butter knife got into my purse....

[Rachel]

Has anyone gotten Precheck very recently? Last I looked, the link to the online application (so that you can make an appt online) was taken out. I will have to call but I am dreading it. (We are flying in July and dh is adamant about getting Precheck. He already has it but I would need to do myself and the three older kids. I'm not even sure the kids have proper documents yet...) Dh wants me to show up at the airport at the very earliest hour they open (45 min drive) - ugh.

My husband did a pre check last week. It took about 5 minutes. They had him review the info he submitted online and then scanned his fingers for prints.

 

If they don't do the appointments at your local airport, can't you just do the appointment at whatever airport you are flying to? It does take a week or two to receive your ID(approval number)so it isn't like you can use it immediately anyway.

 

I flew through Cincinnatti and Houston a couple weeks ago with 3 kids, the longest I waited in line was 15 minutes. It has been a couple years since I had last flown and I was impressed by how quick the security process is now compared to a couple years ago. Houston used to be awful! Which airports still have long security lines?

Edited May 30, 2016 by Rach

[regentrude]

People also seem to feel that on-board restrictions do not apply to them.  Every single time I go through TSA, I see at least one person with liquids over the allowed amount.  There is signage, often an agent asking people to toss their beverages and yet people still try to walk through the line with water bottles and 12 ounce shampoos.  What gives?

 

yes, this. There are also signs instructing passengers exactly what to do, far before the actual scanner.

What holds up the line is people taking forever to get ready. It takes one minute to slip off shoes, take out the laptop and the baggie of liquids and put everything in the tray and shed your coat as well - IF you thought about it beforehand and are prepared. It's not rocket science.

[regentrude]

I wouldn't call the choice to pack light and carry one's own bag crazy.

 

Ditto. Especially with multiple connections, I feel much better just having carry-on - I cannot count the number of times we did not receive our luggage. It is worst when returning to the US when you have to wait for the luggage to carry through customs; by the time you realize that they lost the luggage and filled out the forms, you have missed your connecting flight. (Traveling out of the US with luggage checked through to the final destination does not pose this particular problem.)

 

If we travel for only two weeks and don't have to carry camping or rock climbing gear, we fly with carry-on only. It is possible to pack light, not have stuff wrinkle, and use a regular size carry-on that fits comfortably into the overhead bin.

[Truscifi]

Considering that baggage fees may be as much as $100 dollars, that could be the difference between traveling and not traveling for some people.

 

Also, given the airlines' not-so-stellar performances in baggage handling, some people don't want to take the risk that their bags will disappear.

 

I wouldn't call the choice to pack light and carry one's own bag crazy.

 

Packing light and using a carry on is not so crazy. It's packing the same amount but try to cram it all in a carry on, or worse just try to carry on a regular suitcase, that is crazy.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Considering that baggage fees may be as much as $100 dollars, that could be the difference between traveling and not traveling for some people.

 

Also, given the airlines' not-so-stellar performances in baggage handling, some people don't want to take the risk that their bags will disappear.

 

I wouldn't call the choice to pack light and carry one's own bag crazy.

 

Crazy in my book, but yeah maybe crazy isn't quite the right word. 

 

Some people may like to pack light and that's not a problem, but this isn't everyone. 

 

There are some things I need to bring that I just either wouldn't' have the room for with carry on or I flat out can't take it in the carry on.

 

We didn't pay $100 for each bag, but we basically went with a bargain basement airline that charges for every little thing.  So overall we paid what others charge minus the extra fees for checking bags. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Packing light and using a carry on is not so crazy. It's packing the same amount but try to cram it all in a carry on, or worse just try to carry on a regular suitcase, that is crazy.

 

Well yeah.  They aren't always packing light exactly. They are shoving everything they can into the carry on.  Last time we flew it was difficult to get space to put a carry on in the overhead. 

[AK_Mom4]

I fly quite a bit - business and vacations.  You pretty much have to fly to get much of anywhere from here.

 

I have Precheck - totally worth the $85 for me.  Not for our airport here necessarily as lines are not crazy except for the midnight fights, but for the big airports on the other end. San Francisco lines are insane always, as is Chicago.  Precheck is a lifesaver when I have to go from those airports.  Even Dallas got crazy when a bunch of east coast flights got cancelled.  I can pass through the precheck security in just a couple of minutes because I make sure my carry on bag is packed correctly before I leave home.  I wish everyone did that.

 

I always check my bag because I fly out of here on the carrier that gives me two free checked bags for free.   My boss hates checking luggage and invested in a great bag like the flight crew uses that keeps his work clothes looking unwrinkled that fits in the overhead with room to spare.

[SparklyUnicorn]

One way some airlines have gotten even sneakier is to not only limit the size of the carry on, but the weight.

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Ditto. Especially with multiple connections, I feel much better just having carry-on - I cannot count the number of times we did not receive our luggage. It is worst when returning to the US when you have to wait for the luggage to carry through customs; by the time you realize that they lost the luggage and filled out the forms, you have missed your connecting flight. (Traveling out of the US with luggage checked through to the final destination does not pose this particular problem.)

 

If we travel for only two weeks and don't have to carry camping or rock climbing gear, we fly with carry-on only. It is possible to pack light, not have stuff wrinkle, and use a regular size carry-on that fits comfortably into the overhead bin.

 

Knock on wood, but this has never happened (where we didn't get our luggage).

 

I think we actually do pack fairly light, but I can't figure out shoving everything into a carry on AND having the carry on be reasonably accessible.  From the time of leaving our house to traveling to the airport we need to get to it'll be a matter of at least 6 hours.  Then waiting at the airport.  Then flying, then waiting at another airport, then flying, then driving nearly 3 hours.  I want my kids to have plenty of stuff to entertain them.  Especially the younger kid.  Oh man is he not fun when he is bored. 

[Jane in NC]

Sigh. I'm one of those people who holds up the line. It's not that I don't know the rules...it's that I don't think about the fact that what I'm carrying is a sharp object. Last month coming home from Alaska, I had a gift box containing an ulu knife, before that I had a small pair of knitting scissors, and once I had a butter knife. I really don't know how the gbutter knife got into my purse....

Knitting scissors are fine. I travel with them all the time although the British version of TSA did not like a small crochet hook that I once had in my bag.

 

But a butter knife? Do you also travel with your finger bowl?

[regentrude]

Knock on wood, but this has never happened (where we didn't get our luggage).

 

I think we actually do pack fairly light, but I can't figure out shoving everything into a carry on AND having the carry on be reasonably accessible.  From the time of leaving our house to traveling to the airport we need to get to it'll be a matter of at least 6 hours.  Then waiting at the airport.  Then flying, then waiting at another airport, then flying, then driving nearly 3 hours.  I want my kids to have plenty of stuff to entertain them.  Especially the younger kid.  Oh man is he not fun when he is bored. 

 

 

I hear you. I have flown with my kids overseas (3 legs) since they were infants. Compared to  traveling with toddlers, traveling with kids who can read is a piece of cake, LOL - but our trip is 23 hours door-to-door, sigh, and I hate it already.

 

At most airlines, you can have a carry-on and a personal item. We also usually had a canvas shopping bag with extra food/snacks/drink for the drive to the airport and the wait there; the remainder of the contents was then discarded before actual boarding, and the bag folded and packed.

[Georgiana Daniels]

Knitting scissors are fine. I travel with them all the time although the British version of TSA did not like a small crochet hook that I once had in my bag.

 

But a butter knife? Do you also travel with your finger bowl?

 

LOL! I know, right? I honestly can't explain the butter knife.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I hear you. I have flown with my kids overseas (3 legs) since they were infants. Compared to  traveling with toddlers, traveling with kids who can read is a piece of cake, LOL - but our trip is 23 hours door-to-door, sigh, and I hate it already.

 

At most airlines, you can have a carry-on and a personal item. We also usually had a canvas shopping bag with extra food/snacks/drink for the drive to the airport and the wait there; the remainder of the contents was then discarded before actual boarding, and the bag folded and packed.

 

I didn't add it up, but it's longgg. I hate that part so much.

 

This will be the first time traveling when they aren't little little so it should be easier.

[Pam in CT]

re hassle factor and payoff of pre-check and Global Entry:

 

Has anyone gotten Precheck very recently?  Last I looked, the link to the online application (so that you can make an appt online) was taken out.  I will have to call but I am dreading it.  (We are flying in July and dh is adamant about getting Precheck.  He already has it but I would need to do myself and the three older kids.  I'm not even sure the kids have proper documents yet...)  Dh wants me to show up at the airport at the very earliest hour they open (45 min drive) - ugh.

 

We all did Global Entry (which includes PreCheck and is also good for 5 years) within the last 6 months.  We made the appointments on line and got an interview slot (at JFK) for 4 of us back-to-back within two weeks.  My eldest did hers separately and got an appointment (also at JFK) within the week she went on line.

 

Whether or not it's worth it definitely depends on how often you fly and from where.  We usually go through JFK, where people routinely miss flights due to long lines.  I couldn't care less about taking off my shoes, but the shorter line definitely makes a difference.

 

 

I heard that NPR story this morning as well.  One would think if they really wanted to encourage more people to do PreCheck and Global Entry, they'd figure out a way to do a walk-in kiosk after security... so if travelers found themselves in the airport with extra time, they could just DO it there and then, at the airport, when they had their passport or other travel documents with them.  KWIM?

 

I also concur with pp that the biggest driver of the TSA time/traveler is the trend for so many people to do all-carryon trips to avoid luggage fees.  That too could be easily addressed.

[vonfirmath]

Sigh. I'm one of those people who holds up the line. It's not that I don't know the rules...it's that I don't think about the fact that what I'm carrying is a sharp object. Last month coming home from Alaska, I had a gift box containing an ulu knife, before that I had a small pair of knitting scissors, and once I had a butter knife. I really don't know how the butter knife got into my purse....

 

I messed up coming home from Arizona. I thought my water bottle was empty -- was going to fill it past security. But it turned out it had not been emptied the last time I used it. I lost my favorite water bottle this way :(  (Not enough time to empty it and go back through security. We were running late for the airplane for once because we went to the airport with in-laws and spent time with them until we HAD to go through security. And I didn't even think about calling and handing the water bottle to them. Not sure if ti would have been allowed or not.)

 

[Lanny]

We don't travel to the USA very often, so we just go in the normal TSA line. I saw on TV where sometimes they close the TSA Pre (is that the name?) line, so that the people who would work the TSA Pre line can work in the normal TSA line. That's not good for people who paid $85 (?) for TSA Pre.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

I messed up coming home from Arizona. I thought my water bottle was empty -- was going to fill it past security. But it turned out it had not been emptied the last time I used it. I lost my favorite water bottle this way :(  (Not enough time to empty it and go back through security. We were running late for the airplane for once because we went to the airport with in-laws and spent time with them until we HAD to go through security. And I didn't even think about calling and handing the water bottle to them. Not sure if ti would have been allowed or not.)

 

That stinks.  I forgot and had a water bottle.  They didn't make me get rid of it.  Must of lucked out there.

[Georgiana Daniels]

I messed up coming home from Arizona. I thought my water bottle was empty -- was going to fill it past security. But it turned out it had not been emptied the last time I used it. I lost my favorite water bottle this way :(  (Not enough time to empty it and go back through security. We were running late for the airplane for once because we went to the airport with in-laws and spent time with them until we HAD to go through security. And I didn't even think about calling and handing the water bottle to them. Not sure if ti would have been allowed or not.)

 

It totally stinks to lose something this way!!!

 

On our Alaska trip, we had some extra time and the TSA dude walked me back out and directed me to a mailbox where I could mail the ulu knife to myself. Then I went back through the line---sans sharp object.

[wapiti]

My update:  we have our appt times in July and that might be ok (barely) as I was told it usually takes less than 5 days after the appt to be able to get the number online.  Dd will be flying 6 days after the appt.

 

I went to a TSA location not at the airport to see what walk-in wait times were like.  Ugh.  It was 9:15 am, just after opening, and the lady told me it would likely take all day until 6 pm, as there were 15 walk-ins to squeeze in among the regular appts.  It was a super-small office.  She was told that the main airport location has stopped accepting walk-ins.  Both locations are a 45-min drive, though I may try again in a week or two.  I keep hoping this demand will die down at some point.

 

Dd15 will be flying alone for the first time though we haven't booked the ticket yet.  I was about to buy the ticket on Southwest (as United charges an unaccompanied minor fee), but unfortunately, the KTN cannot added to an existing Southwest reservation, at least according to the Southwest website.  The rest of us will be flying two days later on United but we can add the KTN to existing reservations.  Now I'm looking at Delta, the only other airline with a nonstop flight that fits the general timeframe and whether the KTN can be added is vague.  My head hurts.

 

ETA, on the one hand, dh flew yesterday afternoon and while he went thru pecheck, he thought the regular security line looked about 15-20 min wait.  On the other hand, I read a news article today on this TSA that predicted July would be the busiest month ever out of our home airport.  Awesome.

Edited June 2, 2016 by wapiti