Posted by Jeff Zeleny at 8:36 a.m.
This morning at O'Hare, passengers were bracing for the worst. And I was among them.
No wonder, given the fact that this email bulletin arrived long before sunrise: "United strongly recommends that passengers arrive at the security checkpoint at least 3 hours prior to scheduled departure for all flights."
So how long did it take this traveler to get through security? 12 minutes.
After a summer of punishing flight delays, today seems to be one of the easiest flying days in a long while, providing you check your bags (or leave your toothpaste behind). At least that's the case here in the B Concourse at O'Hare International Airport.
As I stood in line for a cup of coffee, one woman noted that she had been waiting for her latte for nearly as long as it took her to clear security.
Of course, there are plenty of signs that things are far from normal in light of yesterday's news that an alleged London-based plot to blow up as many as a dozen airplanes had been thwarted.
Today, more people seem to be paying attention to televisions turned to the CNN Airport Network. More people seem to be reading the newspaper. More people seem on edge.
Still, at least in O'Hare, there were surprisingly few hassles this morning.
Now, we'll see if our bags – which are checked – are waiting for us in Washington.
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Comments
This could be the best thing that's ever happened to air travelers. Now that everyone is afraid to bring anything on board, security, the boarding process, and de-planing will all go sooooo much more quickly.
The only people I feel sorry for are business travelers (who probably never check luggage) and people traveling with kids (how do you entertain kids for hours?).
Posted by: KJR | August 11, 2006 10:39 AM
I do a lot of short trips and often brought only carry-on baggage with all my essentials. The amount of times my 1 bag had to be checked because the overhead bins were already full from the 1bag, 1laptop, 1briefcase folks got to be annoying. This will make boarding/deboarding a lot smoother. The only concern I have is: how often will they serve drinks on flights now? And can I have the *whole* can please?
Posted by: RAM | August 11, 2006 11:53 AM
Why in the world would anyone travel with kids anymore? Seriously, it is worth the hassle to get little Madison and Jackson to Disneyworld or to Grandma's? Not in my world.
Posted by: Kim HH | August 11, 2006 1:54 PM
Are the new rules inconvenient? Yes.
Do we want to blow up at 31k feet? No.
Personally, I don't want to know/interact with those "business" travelers who can't/refuse to put this into perspective.
Posted by: Milo | August 11, 2006 1:59 PM
Milo - and just how often do you fly? Do you fly enough to generate any revenue for the airlines or are you one of those who purchases a ticket for the cheapest last minute flight you can? And do you fly more than once a year? Once a month? Once a week? Those "business" travelers you allude to are the only ones paying to keep the airlines flying. If you make the business community made, you go out of business. It's that simple.
And by the way, you're totally missing the point about being blown up in the air. Real Americans won't let that happen again. If anyone on an airplane starts to act suspicious or try anything stupid, you can bet your bottom dollar (that you undoubtedly saved on your airfare) that other passengers would take care of the suspect right then & there. I have no doubt about that. In fact, it has already happened in several cases. Richard Reid, the shoe bomber, comes to mind.
In case you're wondering, I do fly at least once a week for business & am in the top 100 most frequent flyers on American Airlines. Ever.
Do all of us "business" travelers a favor & stay home or drive.
Posted by: Jack | August 11, 2006 4:16 PM
Maybe I'm being naive and I understand the security issue however, can we get to some reasonable rules? If a person is drinking from a water bottle, do we really think there are explosives in it? Why make them throw it out?
Posted by: lochnessmonster | August 11, 2006 4:26 PM
My, Jack sure is testy.
Do they still allow you to bring on the $3 bottle of water you buy at the starbucks that's inside security?
Posted by: stan | August 11, 2006 4:34 PM
I travelled this morning and didn't feel inconvenienced and I travel often. The lines at Midway weren't any longer than usual.
Here's an idea to the Tribune letter writer who complained that she couldn't get her contact lens solution onto a plane now: buy a pair of glasses. Problem solved, n'est-ce pas?
Posted by: Bill | August 11, 2006 7:45 PM
But Bill - I thought we were fighting them over there for our freedom...freedom to wear contact lens, freedom to drink water, freedom to brush our teeth on airplanes, freedom to wear Chapstick.
Oh wait, I forgot: freedom isn't free. Now add to that the cost of glasses.
Posted by: Hawkeye | August 11, 2006 9:09 PM