Anyone flown since Orange alert?
 

I'm flying from LGA on Thursday and I'm wondering what changes and delays, if any, have occured since last Friday. If you watch all the hype on the news (unavoidable in this area), supposedly they've stepped up security (what now, cavity searches?), especially in NY and Washington.<BR><BR>So, any feedback from those flying this week? Want to know how early to arrive, thanks.

I had 8am departures from Miami last Saturday and LasVegas Sunday.Both were jam packed at 5.30am when I arrived.Some chaos but overall OK.Just seemed to be more thorough and tedious.But made it thru and made my flights.Some griping at the gate.But that happens anywhere.

Great. That's what I was afraid of. Oh well, at least we have a 1:00 pm flight, so we don't have to get up at midnight!

Four flights since the Orange alert. Cleared US customs in Toronto - it took about twice as long as 6 months ago (close to an hour). I was randomly selected for a total search, and they went through EVERYTHING - in front of everyone. Little piles of undies accumulating on the table, and they opened my cosmetics bag, handled stuff and opened bottles. Security was a little lighter on the other flights. On all flights, everyone had to take of their shoes (note: don't wear sandals unless you want to wear them with socks).<BR><BR>And I know someone who is a naturalized Canadian citizen but born in Ethiopia who was asked by US customs what his religion was, and when he said &quot;Catholic&quot;, they proceeded to quizz for 20 minutes to see if he really was Catholic.

Yep, now that I'm back I have to say that everything was longer, especially flying OUT of Miami! I saw several people not allowed to check-in because they got to the ticket window 55 minutes prior to departure. The agents told them they were too late to check their luggage (they couldn't carry-on). Even though they arrived at the airport an hour and 15 minutes early, they couldn't get the flight (they waited 20 minutes in the first check-in line). Unlike LGA, Miami had you take your bags to a new, separate line after checking yourself in to have bags searched and checked in. So now you have 3 lines if using paper tickets, check-in, luggage search/check-in line, and security/carry-on luggage search line before gates. Ugh!

Yes, took a 9:15am flight from Newark to Cancun 1 1/2 weeks ago, and returned Thursday night. No problems at all. The morning checkin went quickly and no major lines at security on either end.

We had more trouble due to weather than anything else. I will encourage everyone to use the kiosks or check-in online if possible &amp; you can go straight to security.

I've flown twice with no delays or extra security measures noticed. But I do check in online before my flight and try to take just a carry on bag so I don't have to check it. I did notice the lines at the main counters weren't very long.

Flew a couple weeks ago - delays due to weather, but no noticable differences with security.

We flew from JKF to Zurich and back in the last week and a half. We arrived at JFK 2 hours before the evening flight and had no problems at all. No lines, no issues. We were screened more thoroughly than in the past - or at higher settings on the machines (my belt and watch set off the alarms), but no real hassels. On the way home from Venice to Zurich the security personnel searched a carry-on bag that we had because they thought they saw a knife - it was a long metal clip holding some papers together! But it was no big deal, and they were very nice about it all. (as were we!)

Can you use a kiosk if you have e ticket and have to check luggage?

yes you can use the kiosks. that's the beauty of e-tickets!<BR>

I fly every week and everything is about the same as it was pre-orange. The a/p's with long delays are the same airports that sucked all along. <BR>I flew out of Columbus last week and they were complete morons. It took forever to get through security.<BR>DFW is a breeze, LAX is easy, San Diego is fine, ATL is slow but not too bad.<BR>DCA is slow but not as bad as Columbus.

I fly every week and everything is about the same as it was pre-orange. The a/p's with long delays are the same airports that sucked all along. <BR>I flew out of Columbus last week and they were complete morons. It took forever to get through security.<BR>DFW is a breeze, LAX is easy, San Diego is fine, ATL is slow but not too bad.<BR>DCA is slow but not as bad as Columbus.

This is a stupid question, but how does the computer at the kiosk take your luggage? I know it won't actually take it, but do you check in at the curb?<BR>And we really don't have anything expect a piece of paper with the flts etc. on it.

We flew last weekend, fewer travelers, more thorough security, but otherwise not that great a difference. <BR><BR>Re:kiosk check in with luggage -- when it prints out your boarding pass it also prints out a baggage label for someone behind the counter. You go to the counter and they will put the label on the bag, having matched you and picture ID and bag all up. Then they either place it on conveyor belt to go to Xray or, in some cases, you have to take it over to the Xray lines yourself.<BR><BR>Very odd experience in LGA: so many people checking in on Sunday morning that bags bound for Xray were getting piled up in an office near the Xray machine, and only a handful of people actually were asked to take their luggage personally to the Xray area. The others appeared to be loaded on big dollies and toted to some other Xray machine somewhere. <BR><BR>I assume part of the reason for that is that space at LGA (in the Amer. A. terminal, anyway) is so very limited. Also there was a second Xray machine that seemed not to be in use when we checked in ca. 10 am. Still it was unsettling to see the tower of checked bags in a room with the door open and people coming and going randomly.

I flew out of Hartford last week to Baltimore and onto Albequerque. I had no trouble and all. No problems getting through security; was even able to check luggage curbside at both ends. I last flew out of Logan in July--this was a much better experience.

We just got turned Yellow again. We can return our un-used duct tape back to Home Depot for a refund, and buy adhesive remover. Don't be afraid to fly and give peace a chance.