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Airport experiment offers separate security lines for business travelers, families
The much-maligned Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is experimenting with a new plan at Salt Lake City International Airport designed to take some of the stress out of going through security lines. The program, known as Black Diamond, offers travelers the choice of waiting in security lines labeled "Green," "Blue," and "Black Diamond," borrowing the skiing terminology of the nearby slopes.
The "Green" lane is for passengers who may need extra time going through security, like those with special needs and families. The "Blue" lane is for more frequent travelers with a carry-on bag, and the express "Black Diamond" lane is reserved for business travelers and those who travel regularly. The TSA is careful to note that the levels of security in each line will be the same. (Take that, would-be terrorists!)
This program seems like a good idea for just about everyone involved. Families no longer have to endure the impatient glares of hurried business travelers behind them, and frequent travelers who are all-too-familiar with the oftentimes arduous security process get to zip through the line in a fraction of the usual time.
Of course, it's impossible to enforce who goes into which line, since travelers evaluate their own level of travel expertise. It's not hard to imagine families standing in the frequent traveler line ("We take a vacation every year!"), but overall I think the program makes a good deal of sense.
More here.
And read about another of the TSA's efforts to improve its dismal reputation here.
Filed under: United States, Transportation, Airports, Budget Travel, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
debbie Feb 16th 2008 10:25PM
Seattle, our local airport, had had a special line for families for several months. It's pretty miserable, and we don't use it... While they pitch it as a convenience for families (and it looks shorter) its real impact is to speed up the regular line and it moves at a much slower pace than the regular line.
The one thing I've seen TSA doing recently that did help? In San Francisco the agents had TSA Badge stickers and told my toddler that he would get one once he had his shoes off, his blanket on the conveyer belt and was ready to walk through security! He travels enough that he knows what to do and takes pride in doing it well, but the stickers were a great reward anyway & I imagine they would help a lot with a toddler struggling with the details of getting through security.
Debbie
http://www.deliciousbaby.com