Question About TSA Pre Check

I couldn't remember if this one had been discussed.

Yesterday was the first time we had flown in three months.

As part of the TSA Pre Check Program I didn't have to take off my shoes but unlike the other times they did ask that I take my computer out of my bag and put it into a separate basket.

Is this change something new or do you think it is just either airport specific or just something that they change from time to time.

Nothing big but just curious.

The airport was DFW.

Keith

Yes, Keith. At many airports they now want us to take laptop/tablets out of the bag and put it into a separate basket for X-ray screening.

And some other airports wants us to turn off and turn on again our mobile phones.

Some other airports want gents to remove their belt so please remember to wear a fit pant!

Yes, Keith. At many airports they now want us to take laptop/tablets out of the bag and put it into a separate basket for X-ray screening.

And some other airports wants us to turn off and turn on again our mobile phones.

Some other airports want gents to remove their belt so please remember to wear a fit pant!

these were all things pitched by the TSA to get people enrolled in the program, having to avoid doing the above items...Yes, it only takes a few minutes to do these things, but I'd be pretty upset if I payed for the service to make things quicker and they had me doing it anyway.

IME, it all depends on whether or not PreCheck is fully functioning at a given airport at a given time. If it's not, they may have what they call "expedited" security or something similar that has some advantages of PreCheck but not everything. For example, at my home airport they only have a PreCheck line open during super busy times of day. At other times, they just have one line, and people who are PreCheck approved are allowed to keep shoes and light jackets on, but still have to take out laptops and 3-1-1 bags.

It must have been a Sunday...that is laptop day. Tuesdays are liquids days and Thursdays are shoe days. ;)

It is TSA, there really doesn't seem to be any consistency. Last time I flew to NY (Newark) I had to take my shoes off in IAH but when I flew home I didn't have to take them off at EWR. (yes I have Pre-check). I am flying to NJ again on Wed so I will see what games they play this week. :eek:

Keith, which airport?

I have never had to take out my computer in any Precheck TSA line at any airport. Also I have never had to turn my phone or computer on and off at any TSA check point.

Although I am TSA Precheck I do not always get it so I have concluded that they might randomly make you do the regular TSA security check.

My last flight was in September and my next one is in January.

The bottom line is that TSA can require you to do whatever they wish and I gladly do it.

With more of the general flying population getting access to the Pre-Check line without going through the actual process of getting a Trusted Traveler number, you get the same people who can't follow the rules in the regular line. So, the clerks start to bark at them the same way in the Pre-Check line. Some of the clerks can't distinguish which line they are working, so they will impose the same non-Trusted Traveler rules on the Pre-Check line. It's a roll of the dice which kind of treatment you'll get in the Pre-Check line at any given time. Having any of the Trusted Traveler documents of being an elite with an airline does not guarantee you Pre-Check every time - it just increases the odds.

Yes, I'm a tad miffed that I paid to get my Global Entry pass and now mom & pappy Kettle with their 12 kids will get the free pass into the Pre-Check line because the line dragon has decided to put some into my line to ease congestion at the "non-trusted" line...

The TSA checks do nothing for security - it's all a dog & pony show to ease the minds of the "anything for security" crowd. Millions spent on machines that didn't work or were harmful (see "puffers", backscatter), idiotic 3-1-1 bags, TSA disposal of dreaded "oversize and potentially dangerous" liquids in the generic trash can without hazmat procedures… and now we're easing back to pre-9/11 for Trusted Travelers with the goal of going back for all. It's been a waste of time and money.

Allowing randoms in the PreCheck line is stupid. It just makes everything slower, you find people who get it that don't know what it is have no idea of what to do because they don't read the signs so go through the normal non-PreCheck routine.

Argh!:mad:

Keith, which airport?

 

I have never had to take out my computer in any Precheck TSA line at any airport. Also I have never had to turn my phone or computer on and off at any TSA check point.

 

Although I am TSA Precheck I do not always get it so I have concluded that they might randomly make you do the regular TSA security check.

 

My last flight was in September and my next one is in January.

 

The bottom line is that TSA can require you to do whatever they wish and I gladly do it.

We were at DFW airport so I was surprised since it's a large airport and didn't have to take it out the last time we were there.

I didn't know whether or not they had changed the process at all airports or if it was just isolated.

Keith

I recently had flights from Newark and NOLA where I had a kind of blended pre-check experience. They had closed the screening part of the line. I was able to use the lane up until the agent checked my boarding pass; then I went into the regular screening line.

In Newark, the agent gave me a card to show the screeners that exempted me from taking off my shoes and coat. But I had to take out my 3-1-1 bag. In NOLA I just waved my boarding pass at the agent and he let me go through the regular scan, not the full X-ray thingy, with my shoes on.

Keep in mind an important ingredient to any security scheme is randomness. I'm no fan of "security theater" and IMHO 90 percent of security needs to go. If it has to exist it's good to hear about inconsistent experiences and procedures.

Put on your "bad person" hat for a moment. What if PreCheck pax never got routed through the regular lanes and never had their laptops inspected? Good "hole" to exploit.

So what I am hearing is that in general that TSA Pre Check still does not require you to take your computers out. Is that correct?

I know there are exceptions but am trying to figure out if we were the exception this past Sunday or if they have modified the program since we last flew in September.

Keith

Put on your "bad person" hat for a moment. What if PreCheck pax never got routed through the regular lanes and never had their laptops inspected? Good "hole" to exploit.

I completely understand the need for randomness, and accept that Pre pax will occasionally be routed through the regular line for that reason. I think what some are questioning is have a Pre line that isn't really Pre.... where everyone in the Pre line has to take out their laptop or whatever. It just slows the line tremendously. "You don't have to take that out." "What? She just said laptops out." "But this is Pre, you shouldn't have to do that." "I know, but that's what she said." "Excuse me, miss?"

So what I am hearing is that in general that TSA Pre Check still does not require you to take your computers out. Is that correct?

 

I know there are exceptions h

Correct. If you are actually getting the PreCheck experience, laptops do not have to come out. If you're in the "expedited" line, or any other line that turns out to be "pseudo-PreCheck" but isn't really PreCheck, or you get routed to the regular line for the sake of randomness, or you have Atila the Hun who is power hungry supervising your line, and he/she and decides to tell you to take yours out simply because he/she has the power to do so and wants to exercise that power, then you may have to take them out. But official PreCheck says laptops still stay in the bag. :)

I completely understand the need for randomness, and accept that Pre pax will occasionally be routed through the regular line for that reason. I think what some are questioning is have a Pre line that isn't really Pre.... where everyone in the Pre line has to take out their laptop or whatever. It just slows the line tremendously. "You don't have to take that out." "What? She just said laptops out." "But this is Pre, you shouldn't have to do that." "I know, but that's what she said." "Excuse me, miss?"

 

 

 

Correct. If you are actually getting the PreCheck experience, laptops do not have to come out. If you're in the "expedited" line, or any other line that turns out to be "pseudo-PreCheck" but isn't really PreCheck, or you get routed to the regular line for the sake of randomness, or you have Atila the Hun who is power hungry supervising your line, and he/she and decides to tell you to take yours out simply because he/she has the power to do so and wants to exercise that power, then you may have to take them out. But official PreCheck says laptops still stay in the bag. :)

Good explanation! Having any Trusted Traveler credential does NOT guarantee that you will always get access to the PreCheck line (even if it is open). I'm OK with that. I even base my airport check-in time on the fact that I'll have to go through general security and have it be a long line. I just don't like it when I'm in the "genuine" PreCheck line and they start moving others into it. I've had several experiences with Atila… If I get the true PreCheck line, I leave my shoes on, laptop (if I travel with it) and Kippie bag (aka 3-1-1) in my bag, and just walk through the magnetometer. If I get the cattle line, I dutifully pull out what I need BEFORE I GET TO THE TABLE, take off the shoes and jacket and then, if not a magnetometer, quietly and politely tell the clerk that I opt-out of the MMW machine and dutifully wait for my grope. I always ask the clerk to take a new pair of gloves OUT OF THE BOX (not out of their pocket) and put them on in front of me. Who knows how many people they've groped with those gloves...

Have done precheck about 40 times this year. Always went through and never had to take my laptop out.

One time I refused to use it (in Orland) where I took the Clear shortcut and did a normal check because the Pre Check line was long (letting non-approved people thru because other lines were long).

As others have stated there are TSA PreCheck procedures but any Bozo TSA power hungry supervisor (I refuse to call them officers) can decide to go on a power trip and make up whatever rules they want. Every airport seems different and the fact that they now randomly select Maw & Paw Kettle to head to the PreCheck line then it no longer moves as quickly as it should.

I travel in and out of SMF regularly and there are 3 lines. Regular, PreCheck and Elite. The regular and PreCheck lines are basically now about the same length in the morning. Some TSA bozo always sees my PreCheck and tries to steer me into PreCheck (with 30 people waiting) and away from the elite line which has ZERO people waiting. They can't force you to use PreCheck so you should check the length of all the lines you may qualify for.

Thanks to those of you who answered my question.

We did arrive at around 6:00 AM and maybe that is the reason that we experienced what we did.

Keith

I always ask the clerk to take a new pair of gloves OUT OF THE BOX (not out of their pocket) and put them on in front of me. Who knows how many people they've groped with those gloves...

I agree, I'm 6'8" and going thru Millimeter my head is out of range of the sensor and on the body image "Agent" sees a yellow square on my head.

I've been asked a few times if they could touch my head. Let me say Ihave short not so thick hair above me ears with a bald spot on top.

I'm not offered any privacy and I always ask for the Agent to re-glove.

This post would be a page long with the different response I get.

I do agree, they have to get pair out of a box or their supervisor. The machine always alerts on my head so I'm prepared each time I go thru.

I should relate how the 4 foot agent seriously asked me to touch my head. I asked if she had a ladder... Couldn't wait for them to make me kneel.. The Supervisor in that case waved me thru.

FWIW

Most ridiculous are the smurfs (think of them in those blue shirts ;) ) who, when you question the need to take out your laptop or something else that is codified on the TSA website as OK to do, they'll bark back at you that either 1)that doesn't apply to their airport or 2) the official TSA website is out of date or 3) the GE ID isn't valid, you gotta show the Drivers License as ID or 4) say "you do what I tell you to do or you don't fly today"…

I just go into it with the expectation that I'll be dealing with non-high school grads who were hired off the top of a pizza box (it's a true story) and that way I either won't be disappointed or I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Rule of thumb - always be prepared to take everything out of your bag, take off your shoes, belt, jacket. When it does happen, you won't be pissed off. When it doesn't happen, you'll not need that cooling off period at the bar ;)

Most ridiculous are the smurfs (think of them in those blue shirts ;) ) who, when you question the need to take out your laptop or something else that is codified on the TSA website as OK to do, they'll bark back at you that either 1)that doesn't apply to their airport or 2) the official TSA website is out of date or 3) the GE ID isn't valid, you gotta show the Drivers License as ID or 4) say "you do what I tell you to do or you don't fly today"…

I just go into it with the expectation that I'll be dealing with non-high school grads who were hired off the top of a pizza box (it's a true story) and that way I either won't be disappointed or I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

Rule of thumb - always be prepared to take everything out of your bag, take off your shoes, belt, jacket. When it does happen, you won't be pissed off. When it doesn't happen, you'll not need that cooling off period at the bar ;)

I only use my GE id and have never had a problem. As a matter of fact it was suggested to me by a TSA person in Boston that I use it instead of my DL.

I only use my GE id and have never had a problem. As a matter of fact it was suggested to me by a TSA person in Boston that I use it instead of my DL.

I only use my GE - it has no PII on it for felonious clerks to peruse… i've had several experiences where I've been told by the uneducated that it isn't a valid ID and I must show my Drivers License. I'll ask that they go get their little book of valid IDs and look at the top 10 entries and see what they find ;) If that fails, I will politely ask for their supervisor (a little on-the-job training session follows).

There is no rhyme or reason for when you take out your laptop, etc. It IS supposed to be normal SOP for a Pre-check line. But, never count on it. Pack your carryon in a manner that the laptop and Kippie bag are still easily accessed to remove to assuage the clerk.

Just got back from a visit to the in-laws. Went MCI to LAS and back. Three of us have KTNs, DD doesn't. DH and I paid for it, DS has CAC access. He used his CAC -card as his ID going through the line, and it went very smooth.

MCI was easy and fast, for the most part. There were a number of people who had never gotten Pre-check before that got it from the fairy. Needless to say, they didn't know how to handle it and the agents had to give their instructions a few times. I did like that they were not diverting extras through that line, though. Only issue was that there were not sufficient small bins available for the electronics, keys and coins from DH'S pockets. Next time, I'll stick an extra baggy in my purse and have DH empty out his pockets in advance, then tuck the contents in my purse.

On the way home was another matter. We headed to the B Concourse about 11am. There were two agents checking IDs. One had the Pre-check line plus another one. We entered the Pre-check line, and he immediately diverted to our line as we got up there. Then the trouble began.

There were only two scanning lanes open. One for Pre-check, one regular. The agent handling the Pre-check line kept opening his little gate to send extras through the Pre-check scanner. The problem in my mind was who he kept sending through! Every time it was a family with a couple of little kids - they got to go through his little gate. This meant there were lots of extra people who had no idea how to clear Pre-check and who were packing lots of extra stuff. Granted, the families were certainly low risk - and as a parent I would have appreciated not having to deal with shoes and jackets of a couple of kids, but goodness! Instead of a nice quick walk through the line, we had to push our way to the belt for our stuff, because all these families were milling around struggling to understand the instructions they were being given. It didn't take that much longer, but still! I guess I'm glad the TSA screener weren't standing idle, but....

DD doesn't fly enough to bother, so we will always have to wait for her on those rare occasions she is with us.

Only issue was that there were not sufficient small bins available for the electronics, keys and coins from DH'S pockets. Next time, I'll stick an extra baggy in my purse and have DH empty out his pockets in advance, then tuck the contents in my purse.

You aren't that frequent of a flyer if this was a surprise to you. Any good FF knows to have removed all bits from their bodies well in advance of the scanner. Waiting till the very end had several FF behind you rolling their eyes wondering how you got in the frequent traveler line.

The surprise was that there were NO round bins. None at all. I don't think about it, since I rarely have pockets. DH rarely flies, but had his stuff in his hand, looked for a round bin, and none were to be had. That was the surprise. It just took a second, no eye rolls were necessary.

It was Tuesday, Dec 23, so there were lots and lots of people traveling, and a lot of them had obviously gotten Pre-check from the fairy.

The surprise was that there were NO round bins. None at all. I don't think about it, since I rarely have pockets. DH rarely flies, but had his stuff in his hand, looked for a round bin, and none were to be had. That was the surprise. It just took a second, no eye rolls were necessary.

 

It was Tuesday, Dec 23, so there were lots and lots of people traveling, and a lot of them had obviously gotten Pre-check from the fairy.

He didn't need that round bin; he could have just put them in another big one. A nuisance for him, but it keeps the line moving ;)

I always have a little baggie in my carryon outside compartment. On the shuttle bus from the parking lot, I'll take off my offensive jewelry and chapstick from my pocket and put them in the bag. Once I go through the rat maze, I'll hit the lounge and put my stuff back on. Easy peasy ;)