I solved the TSA funding and TSA lines…….your welcome

[dougp26364]

The reality yesterday in Columbus, OH was that we didn’t need Clear+ as the TSA li es were all short. However I tend to have a small degree of anxiety at the airport when flying so paying a little over $300 to erase even a little of that makes the trip easier.

My dad hated airports and we’d always show up at the last minute. This was way back when flying was a regulated industry. He’d always say “The pilot will hold the plane for us.” We were always running through the airport to catch the plane. There was another time when I was flying with my mom that she decided to use the bathroom just when they began boarding the flight. When she came out she thought she had lost our tickets. They were about to close the doors when she found them stuff down in her purse.

Need less to say between my dads hatred of airports and always showing up at the last second and my moms inability to keep track of the tickets we now show up early and enjoy and airport cocktail and a snack before flights.

I did speak with a TSA agent while getting a coffee this last trip and ask if they had received their back pay. She said they received a partial payment. When I was younger a career in the government was considered a good, steady well paid job. Now it seems to be one of the less secure jobs one can hold.

 

[zentraveler]

Nothing like abusing the system. The tip to the wheelchair pusher should outweigh the savings. Lots of miracle flights to India where everyone needs a wheelchair to board but when the plane arrives they can all walk.

And Southwest - well known for this at least when it was open seating.

 

[moonstone]

Wheelchairs regularily go through a special line at checkpoints so the pusher can be done faster and move on to another flier than needs a wheelchair. If they didn't, they would need to employ double or more the number of pushers. Not everyone tips.

I think that is why YYZ has so many pushers. There are some that are in front of a checkpoint and push you through it then leave you there for the next person and they go back to get somebody else. In the long stetches of hallway those that are able often get told to get onto a golf cart type thing and are quickly taken to the next point where there are more wheelchairs and sometimes pushers waiting. Others just operate an elevator and dont actually push anybody anywhere but on & off the elevator. The pushers wear a special uniform and are possibly contracted out, I am not sure, but very few can speak English!

The best airport we ever went through was in Amsterdam. My 90yr old dad needed a wheelchair and we had a very nice young lady (univ. student) met us at the door of the plane, took all 4 of us all the way through customs, stopped to let us use the restrooms, asked if we needed to get anything to eat/drink, and then to the car rental desk. We told her we would be ok from that point as there was along line. She said no I am yours until you are on your way. She stayed with us until we got in the rental car. She refused all offers of tips (dad even tried to put Euros in her jacket pocket while she was talking to DH) saying she was paid well and enjoyed meeting and talking with us. When we arrived back at the airport for our flight home there was a wc pusher on the sidewalk who helped dad get into the chair and gave DH directions to return the car and where to meet us at the KLM desk. He stayed with us until dad was on the plane and also refused a tip.


~Diane

 

[am1]

I do not abuse the system and never will! I can not walk more than about 200 feet without being in extreme pain in my knee that needs replacing. I have no cartilage left and 3mm of bone on my tibia has worn away. I had the same issue with my other knee before it was replaced, it is good now.

I first asked for a wc at the Toronto airport a couple of years ago because when arriving, especially on flights from the USA, there is about a mile long walk then possibly a long wait at Immigration. A couple of winters ago we had a 2.5hr layover/connection at Chicago on our way home from Belize. If I had needed to walk from our arrivals gate through US Customs and to our departure gate we never would have made the flight. As it was with a wc pusher almost sprinting and going through the short wc area lines, we arrived at our gate as the plane was boarding. And of course we always tip generously.

Often at the Toronto airport DH ends up pushing me because the wc pushers there only push a short distance then you need to wait for a different one to take you on the next leg, then you wait for another pusher, and so on possibly having 4 or 5 different pushers. We dont often see people tipping them there.


~Diane

I guess "DH said even after I get my other knee replaced, I should still request a wheelchair just so we can get through the airport and to our gate fast." seems to make it otherwise. Even jokingly.

International arrivals are even farther than use. Also up and down an elevator. Nothing like arriving to an empty airport at 1am and deplaning from seems like the farthest gate.

Wheelchair services should be a paid for service for those that choose/require it. At the moment me paying for a family of 5 subsidizes those who need and do not need it but still request it.

Similarly a 30 pound child should not be charged the same price as a 400 pounder when the airline charges for a few pounds over the baggage limit. Also a 3 year old should be guaranteed to be seated next to a parent no matter who paid for what seats. Airlines should make it work even if that means comping others something so they move.

 

[amycurl]

Mobile passport is free, easy, and has shorter waits than GE. Works the way all government programs should. Why does anyone pay for GE?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[moonstone]

I guess "DH said even after I get my other knee replaced, I should still request a wheelchair just so we can get through the airport and to our gate fast." seems to make it otherwise. Even jokingly.

International arrivals are even farther than use. Also up and down an elevator. Nothing like arriving to an empty airport at 1am and deplaning from seems like the farthest gate.

Wheelchair services should be a paid for service for those that choose/require it. At the moment me paying for a family of 5 subsidizes those who need and do not need it but still request it.

Similarly a 30 pound child should not be charged the same price as a 400 pounder when the airline charges for a few pounds over the baggage limit. Also a 3 year old should be guaranteed to be seated next to a parent no matter who paid for what seats. Airlines should make it work even if that means comping others something so they move.

DH was joking, of course, I wouldnt request a wc if I didnt need one, especially after needing to use one and seeing the wait times for a pusher. If I can walk well after my next surgery (and until my hip gives out) we would go with the flow of all the other passengers. I would have no problem paying an extra charge for a wheelchair but then are the blind people who need a guide in an airport going to be charged extra as well? What about the unaccompanied minors who have an employee with them from the airline check in desk until they are on the plane? Last time our family had one there was no extra charge. Those are all courtesy services for those that need them, and yes there are lots of people abusing the wc services, I have seen people running in from the parking garage then limping to the check-in desk and waiting for a wc, or needing a wc to get on the plane first (I wait until last) then walking off the plane with no problems. We will probably be applying for Nexis cards this summer as we are flying more often in retirement than we used to, so that will really cut down on TSA and Immigration wait times.

As far as airlines charging the same price for a 30lb child as a 300lb adult -it is the seat you are paying for -not how much you weigh. Luggage is in a different category and they need to charge extra for overweight bags. The extra charge deters many people from packing heavy bags not only over loading the plane causing safety issues, but endangering the backs/shoulders of the baggage handlers that have to move them. Our oldest DS travels in first class for his work flights and with that ticket can have 2 (sometimes 3) checked bags and each can weigh up to 70 pounds. He never even has a 50 pound bag, let alone 70, but I am sure there are folks who pack right to their limit.


~Diane

 

[ljmiii]

Mobile passport is free, easy, and has shorter waits than GE. Works the way all government programs should. Why does anyone pay for GE?

There are airports that have GE lines and not Mobile passport. I believe there are also border crossings for which this is also true but have no personal experience.

 

[dioxide45]

There are airports that have GE lines and not Mobile passport.

GE also comes with TSA pre. Generally better overall for frequent international travelers. There is no one size fits all.

 

[easyrider]

Nothing like abusing the system.

That was kind of rude to call out that someone is abusing the system without knowing the entire story, imo.

Bill

 

[easyrider]

When I was younger a career in the government was considered a good, steady well paid job. Now it seems to be one of the less secure jobs one can hold.

A childhood friend of ours retired from the Air Force at 45 years old as an air traffic controller. He ended up hired as a regular air traffic controller soon after. He ended up with a decent pension with medical benefits at 56 years old.

Bill

 

[pedro47]

Wheelchairs regularily go through a special line at checkpoints so the pusher can be done faster and move on to another flier than needs a wheelchair. If they didn't, they would need to employ double or more the number of pushers. Not everyone tips.

I have some problems with some people in wheelchairs (not all individuals in wheelchairs). They need assistance boarding the aircraft early. But some of those same individuals in wheelchairs, can walk off the airplane without a wheelchair or from any assistance from the person who push them in their wheelchair to board he aircraft.

Please take some time and observe some of these individuals.

 

[PigsDad]

What about the unaccompanied minors who have an employee with them from the airline check in desk until they are on the plane? Last time our family had one there was no extra charge.

Just curious how long ago it was that you used that service, because now almost every airline charges $150 each way for unaccompanied minors, with Southwest being the outlier at only $50. However, even 15+ years ago when we sent our daughter on a few unaccompanied flights, all airlines charged a fee then, so the fee has been around for quite a while.

Kurt

 

[moonstone]

Just curious how long ago it was that you used that service, because now almost every airline charges $150 each way for unaccompanied minors, with Southwest being the outlier at only $50. However, even 15+ years ago when we sent our daughter on a few unaccompanied flights, all airlines charged a fee then, so the fee has been around for quite a while.

Kurt

It was a quite a few years ago, maybe 2013?, and it was on a Canadian airline, Porter, but the no fee could have been because our granddaughters aunt works for them.

~Diane

 

[WinniWoman]

I’ve used a wheelchair - 3 trips- at airports since my spine surgery. Yeah- I can walk- albeit slowly and limp in pain and I can’t run and stand long periods of time. I’ve waited for a wheelchair that never came and so started to walk and then flag down a staff member with an empty wheelchair if I was lucky and have done the same when getting off the plane. Do not judge when you don’t know what the heck you’re talking about.

 

[Brett]

I’ve used a wheelchair - 3 trips- at airports since my spine surgery. Yeah- I can walk- albeit slowly and limp in pain and I can’t run and stand long periods of time. I’ve waited for a wheelchair that never came and so started to walk and then flag down a staff member with an empty wheelchair if I was lucky and have done the same when getting off the plane. Do not judge when you don’t know what the heck you’re talking about.

Sure, my Mother and some of our friends had to use wheelchairs for traveling. I think the poster was referring to "miracle flights" where the passengers board early using wheelchairs but don't need them when leaving

for example -

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/southwest-flights-miraculously-cure-passengers-ailments.354087/

 

[SmithOp]

My wife and I signed up for pre check two weeks ago, her KTN came through in 2 days, still waiting on mine. I probably triggered an FBI background check being a naturalized citizen.

 

[dioxide45]

My wife and I signed up for pre check two weeks ago, her KTN came through in 2 days, still waiting on mine. I probably triggered an FBI background check being a naturalized citizen.

I didn't have an issue as a naturalized citizen applying for, at the time, NEXUS. Shoot, the US government should already have so much of your background already checked from the many checks it takes to go through naturalization and any immigration processes that came before.

 

[SmithOp]

I didn't have an issue as a naturalized citizen applying for, at the time, NEXUS. Shoot, the US government should already have so much of your background already checked from the many checks it takes to go through naturalization and any immigration processes that came before.

I know right, I had a Secret Clearance 50 years ago in the military, dig that up.