Port out, starboard home, don’t you know, old bean!
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Eventually, the lines will stretch from your departure point to your destination. You’ll be able to avoid the airplane altogether!
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Did she give you the number for the government? I’d like to put it in my little black book.
Honestly, doesn’t Homeland Security have like a huge budget? Why is TSA cutting budgets? Oh, wait, congress.
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Because the alternative is, what, the train? Bwahaah! (sad, regretful laugh)
I’m not sure how Americans can complain any louder about the TSA, but we don’t have a lot of options.
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Slightly off-topic, but there’s something I don’t get about the PreCheck thing. The last two or three times I’ve flown, I’ve booked all of our tickets at the same time, and I use the app on my phone for the boarding pass. Invariably, MY pass will say “PreCheck” on it, and no one else’s will. So I can go through by myself … but none of the rest of my family can.
Is it because I’m booking tickets on my Alaska account, so I’m the only one with an account number? I’ve never applied for pre-check, and I fly less often than other members of my family.
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You’re paying to subsidize the continual shitty treatment of people who haven’t paid… So they will continue to have demand for more prechecked folks.
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I’m not sure why but sometimes the frequent flier programs toss that your way – probably to help promote how great it is. I get that once every 10-15 flights or so. Really what they should advertise it as “Travel like it’s 1999!”
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The Precheck lines in Newark can take more than an hour to clear.An hour is a small price to pay to get out of Newark.
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I recently traveled with a friend in her 60s, and despite having not been on a plane in 20 years (!), she automatically got PreCheck. Nobody else in my group did.
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When PreCheck first came out the airlines beta-tested it on their frequent flier ranks first so chances are when you book tickets for your family, the reservation is associated with your Alaska FF account (I assume you have or had airline status at some point). Your profile probably still includes the “free” PreCheck program but the rest of your family do not inherit your status.
Now that PreCheck has been expanded to the masses you will need to buy access for every family member 12 years or older (younger kids can go with you thru the line). It’s possible they might receive PreCheck on a case-by-case basis as TSA is rolling it out to some folks apparently at random it seems.
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There are noise restrictions and there are noise sensors near airports. However, the FAA has stipulated that they will only recognize an aggregate dB level. Meaning planes can fly by your home registering 95dB and the FAA is ok with that. This of course is major BS.
Major quarrels are happening as a result. And some serious economic damage as well.
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Negative, unless you are a meat popsicle.
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Oh, I remember all right. One of his more egregious violations of civil rights and due process, in pursuit of security theater in The War On Terror™. He should be publicly tarred & feathered just for authorizing the TSA/Homeland Security, much less all his other woeful fiascoes.
Can you imagine how amazing it would be if Obama had chosen to kill the incompetent government hydra that is the TSA? Instead he decided to put the same flavor of incompetent bureaucratic farce as a legally mandated part of healthcare, too.
Double down on the stupid.
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No, I am not confusing anything. What I said matches with Customs and Border Patrol’s website, and confirmed by experience – I have the Global Entry card, I do not carry the card when flying internationally, I use my passport at the GE kiosk.
CBP website says "We accept Global Entry cards for lawful U.S. entry at land and sea ports of entry. Global Entry cards have radio frequency identification chips, which enable their use at Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) and NEXUS travel lanes when entering the United States at the land borders. You must follow all program rules for SENTRI when using this card at the Southern land border ports of entry. You may use this card for expedited entry into the United States via the SENTRI and NEXUS lanes. The card is not valid for entry into Canada via the NEXUS lanes. Only your passport or lawful permanent resident card are accepted at Global Entry kiosks. The Global Entry card cannot be used at Global Entry kiosks. "
The global entry program is great for expedited re-entry at airports, but the card itself has limited utility except as an alternate form of Real-ID compliant government-issued identification.
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I’ve had PreCheck several times, always on the return trip. And, always when my boarding pass is on the app on my phone. I’ve never flown Alaska, it’s been Delta (no account), American (no account) and United (frequent flyer account, not really that frequent) for me.
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I’ve never had status with the airline - if any one of us would, it’d be my 15-year-old stepson who flies out to us every summer. Except that I’m not making an Alaska account for a teenager (if you even can?) It’s weird that I’m always the one that gets it, though.
And the last time this happened was last year, so I don’t think it was a beta test thing. They just randomly like frustrating me by giving me an option I can’t use, probably.
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Weird. There are signs in Newark praising the pre-check. It really is BS. I’ll take pictures when I am there at 6pm for a 9pm flight – can’t take chances. Fuck you TSA.
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In the same boat (plane?) here. I always out out of the scanner when traveling for personal reasons, but I swallow my pride and go through the damn things if it’s for work. so much stuff goes wrong with business travel – *cough*Delta*cough* – that I need every minute I can scrounge.
Since all my international travel is for business, I decided to pony up for Global Entry, and the domestic Pre-Check function was just gravy. Even so, the pre-check lines now are worse than anything I faced before the TSA took over security.
I don’t so much feel guilty for being well-of enough to waste money on it as I feel angry at being shaken down just to preserve basic human dignity.
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I’m starting the think … maybe it’s the AIRPORT ITSELF that wants long lines. Or at least wants people to THINK there MIGHT be long lines. People who get to their gate at the appropriate time because the security wait time was accurately projected don’t have gobs of time on their hands to spend on food and drinks. If people think the line COULD be two hours long and get to the airport at 3pm for a 6pm flight, that only helps the vendors. Maybe I’m giving them too much credit.
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