Secondary Screening Has Returned!

I have never commented about airport security in this blog.

Believe me, I have seen it all. I was in Las Vegas on Sept 11, 2001. I was on one of the first flights that departed 4 days later. There were 4 people on board the DL 72S.

I flew just two days later out to Denver, on a Delta 762 with just 4 pax on board. I was in first class. Alone. The flight attendents huddled in the front the entire flight. And they made sure that every light that could burn in the cabin was on.

I've seen it all. I remember the National Guard in Albuquerque. They were everywhere. With automatic weapons at their side. I remember how we were all told on September 15 that we were all safer!

But one thing that really upset me was the concept known as secondary screening. This term means that TSA is going through passengers and their luggage at the gate. At the same time the flight is boarding.

To the casual traveler, this may sound like nothing; to high mileage people, this is simply anathema. It tells me that TSA does not trust their own security procedures at the initial screening point, so they will do it all over again.

The result is that they will grab the first two or three people in line...and these are always elite flyers who have been traveling usually for 15 plus years. These people are the most trustworthy passengers on the flight. But yet they are delayed (and frankly, humiliated) as they are pulled off to the side; their bags checked and they are placed through a pat down.

The end result is that the best customers of the airlines are selected for this, and they do get selected. Joe Six Pack who travels once every 5 years is never subjected. Of course, when the elite folks are finally allowed to board, precious overhead bin space is already under pressure!

This post will make no sense to a casual traveler. To people who fly to work 300 days a year, they know what I am talking about.

Friday night in Las Vegas, secondary screening took place at the gate on my flight to Midway. Last night at Midway, it took place again on my flight to Baltimore. I was not selected...yet.

Secondary screening does not contribute to security, but does add to the chaos at the gate.

I certainly hope it has not returned. The TSA web site is totally silent on this.