The TSA Passenger Factory: It’s All About You
Recently, there has been some aggravation at the Transportation Security Administration (#TSA), from both the public and the airlines, over delays at the security check points of major airports across the nation. Some of the busiest locations such as Chicago O’Hare, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Minneapolis St. Paul have encountered long wait times as travel volume exceeds projections. Like many Americans, my air travel has increased over the past few months and I took the opportunity to make some notes about the security screening process. The result of this ad hoc, non-scientific, user-based research was less aggravation toward TSA and more preparedness of the traveler. Here are some of my experiences and observations.
1. Pack for Screening
First, I want to openly admit that I contributed to the screening delay while in a mass of people at Denver International. As a rule, I usually check my luggage at the ticket counter. However, on a recent trip I had a smaller bag and decided to carry on for the return flight home. As I waited or my bag to appear on the other side of the x-ray machine, I noticed a screener initiated pause. Immediately, I began wondering what could be in that bag as I am usually very conscious about my travel inventory. After a few moments, my bag was pulled from the conveyor and sent back through the x-ray for one more look. This is the moment I contributed to the problem. The flow was now interrupted; I had inserted a user initiated delay in the system, and took longer than my allotment of TSA screening time. Once the second x-ray was completed my bag was hand searched and my single blade safety razor was removed from my toiletries.
Yes, I was “that guy” that created an increased wait time for those behind me. But I was not angry with TSA. In fact, I was impressed! The screener knew something was not right in my bag. He was able to find a single razor blade, installed in my razor, among a pile of charging cables and other items. The TSA screener did exactly what he was supposed to do, find bad stuff. In this case TSA was not responsible for the system delay, I was. Taking a moment to be a good traveler will make the process better for everyone and keep the line moving. Know what you can carry and where, how to handle computers and liquid items, and be ready to enter the screening area with efficiency. There is no shortage of information on how to improve the screening process and TSA, the airlines, and many travel blogs offer some great suggestions for an improved screening experience.
2. Follow the Rules and Be on Time
Traveling early one morning from a major west coast airport, I was asked by a TSA supervisor to assist with tracking the screening wait time. I was provided with a card and asked to hand it to TSA staff upon clearing the body scan. As a process guy, I was impressed that they were taking time to understand how long the wait time was and at least seeking data for improvement. While I waited, a passenger decided that she was special and needed to get to her flight as if the rest of us were non-existent. She moved through the TSA Pre-Check line, up to the TSA staff, and attempted to jump into the x-ray line. Now, I had anticipated a body slam or similar action to accompany that unexpected move, but TSA intervened very professionally and she was immediately sent to the back of the pack.
Again, flow disruption created a delay in the screening process. TSA staff were required to disrupt the normal flow of passengers to deal with one individual who failed to understand that you need to build in at least two hours into your scheduled for domestic and three for international flight. Additionally, her failure to follow the rules of passenger etiquette created a bottleneck in the screening. Over time, these small interruptions add up and a cascading delay occurs in the system. As always, a failure to plan on your part does not constitute a jump in the screening line. As for my timing assignment, 30 minutes in line and TSA staff was genuinely concerned about the increasing line movement. At least they were aware things were getting worse.
3. Invest in TSA PreCheck
If you are even a casual air traveler, TSA’s PreCheck is a great investment and can make your travel process much easier. First, you get to go through the “special” lane and have a total VIP experience. PreCheck also lets you stay dressed, keep your stuff together and move much faster through the entire process. On a recent early morning flight from Washington DC’s Reagan National, I made it from the ticket counter through the entire screening process in less than 45 minutes. It makes a difference in your experience and reduces the demand on TSA.
You will notice in all of the above screening process experiences that the issue was on the traveler. Consider the airport security screening process as a factory and the product coming from TSA is a safe passenger ready for the airlines to board. From this perspective, we have to evaluate each element as if it were an element of the manufacturing process. The key to successful, and efficient, manufacturing is that the raw materials arrive from the supplier in a manner that is ready for assembly at the factory. In this example, TSA is receiving raw materials that are inconsistent and required extra time in order to prepare for the manufacturing process. Some are ready for the factory floor and can be sent through the process quickly, PreCheck and prepared passengers, others need some additional labor intensive processes to ensure that they are ready for final assembly. Unfortunately, each additional step or intervention in the process adds time to the overall process and results in delay to the customer.
The bottom line is that as air travelers we can do our part to be ready for screening. Airlines need to continue their efforts to speed the pre-arrival preparedness of their customers to ensure they arrive ready to get through the factory and emerge as a prepared traveler. TSA is dong their best to seek ideas to improve the process of security check and have asked for croudsourced suggestions to help with the current, and future, delays. The cheapest, easiest, and best things we can do are be ready to fly by following the TSA guidelines and minimize the unanticipated delays in the screening factory.
Remember, airport screening is about transportation security. This is the point in the air transportation network that provides the dedicated and vigilant guard against threats to our safety. Keep that in mind next time you think the line it too long.
Transportation Security Timeline https://www.tsa.gov/timeline
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TSA Pre✓® https://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck
