This new TSA prescreen sounds like a great idea: SOUNDS! In reality they give special treatment to certain people who don’t have to take off their coat and shoes or remove their liquids or laptops.
Unfortunately this privilege is given to people who are completely undeserved. For the second time I dash up to the security line and race into the TSA prescreen line with my luggage flying behind me, only to screech to a halt behind a group of overclothed, confused individuals who are moving things from one bag to another for what reason, I’m not sure. And they’re taking their shoes off.
While inching toward the one and only x-ray station, I see the A list line whizzing by me. Even the “regulars” have 8 stations and are moving at a reasonable pace. I’m A list. Why did I think this prescreen was a privilege? To avoid taking my shoes off, I’m waiting, waiting, waiting. Now I see why. Probably a third of the people in the TSA prescreen have water bottles, wine, puffy jackets, or stuff in their pockets and have to be extra screened. One even stopped in the middle of the x-ray machine and turned around like ring-around-the-rosy.
The screener kept saying, “You’re done. You can step out. Hey, mam!”
I thought prescreen meant you are experienced. Guess not.
Feeling annoyed and a bit smug, I get an iced tea and get on the plane. I sit in my favorite place grumbling to the flight attendant about all the people who don’t know what they are doing. After I have successfully protected the middle seat from someone sitting in it, I stand up and sit in the window seat – landing squarely on my iced tea, which explodes, creating a cold wet mess.
Great experienced flyer, right?
