Is it true, you really do have to check in early for a flight to get through security?

Well, here's what happened to me at Rochester yesterday, flying USAir:

I checked in at 6:15 am for an 8 am flight. I couldn't use curb-side check-in because I had to negotiate a seating change, but I figured I had 2 hrs., I could afford to stand in the line in front of ticketing.

There were 5 out of the possible ten ticket-agent stations open; 2 were devoted to first-class, 3 to everyone else. I was probably 20th or 30th in line and would have been panicked if it weren't still pretty early. The lines moved pretty well for a while, and of course, with 2 agents tending to 1st class, there were never more than 2 or 3 people in that line.

All of a sudden, it seemed to dawn on someone that no one was going to make the 7 am flight to Boston, so they called "anyone for Boston" and about a dozen people came up to the front of the line and were checked in.

A few minutes later, they called "anyone for Pittsburgh?" and a minute or two later "anyone for Newark"? and there were now two lines -- one that was moving these people through and one for those of us with later planes, which kept being winnowed for the next flight.

By the time they actually checked me in, I had been by-passed by about twice as many people as had originally been in front of me. I wasn't late for my plane -- actually had plenty of time -- but it seemed a completely idiotic system. If I had checked in with 20 minutes to spare, I would have been processed immediately.

I'm sure any number of you could suggest to USAir a more efficient and logical way of dealing with all this.

i stopped by northwest/continental counter at 4:30AM to change a flight - there were already people in line for the 7am flight, doing what the airlines told them, showing up 2.5 hours before flight - well, the airlines check-in agents don't even show until 5:30am according to the New Orleans baggage guy loitering outside ... face it all the airlines need to take some lessons in organisation

It isn't just USAir doing that - I stood in Continental, Northwest and Southwest lines and had the same exact thing happen to me. It is absolutely maddening. They are encouraging the behavior that they don't want! Just let the people miss their flights and then they will learn to be early like they have been told about 10,000 times.

Does it bother anyone that 2 out of 5 agents were handling the First Class people? I think 1 would have done it, and then that would have improved the speed of the coach lines by (is my math right?) 33%!

When people pay a lot of money to fly first class (although admittedly many of them are probably on upgrades) they expect and deserve not to stand in line. It's one of the perks of traveling that way. At least with American Airlines I have always noted than when there is a break in the first class line, they'll take a coach customer. Are you saying that there were two agents for first class and times when they weren't helping anyone and refusing to take a coach passenger?

I flew Delta four times last week, and never spent more than 20 minutes from curb to gate chair. I'm sure it varies location to location, but they had their act together in Atlanta, Birmingham, Dallas, and Seattle.

No, the first-class check-in agents were never idle and refusing to take coach check-in, but at no time were there more than 3 people in the first-class line. I absolutely cannot believe the first-class people would have been served any less well had there only been one agent dedicated to them. This is a time when the "Me Before Anyone Else" attitude is absolutely inappropriate, and the "We paid, we're entitled" mentality is just another version of that. Are you saying, Lord Patrick, that you would have begrudged waiting an extra 2 minutes (the average check-in time per person for 1st class) so that they could have reduced the chaos elsewhere? How obnoxious. Esp. since no one pays for their own First Class ticket -- it's always Platinum Upgrades anyway.

And remember: you'd still have to go through security with everyone else.

I missed my flight on United from Oakland to Chicago, even though I showed up 2 hours early. They didn't pull anyone out of line, and the plane ended up taking off half full because most of us were still in line. In the end, I waited in line for 4 hours (had to stay in line to get rebooked on another flight).

Many of the people in the first class lines are not actually flying first class. They have a "medallion" or other super frequent flyer card that allows them to skip the long line and use the first class line.

I had exactly the same experience flying USAIR from La Guardia. Showed up 2 hours early, got in line and watched everyone else BEHIND me in line get pulled out because they arrived for their flights "late." I was finally checked in after all the early departure flights had left.

When a bunch of us protested, the USAIR person said that it was policy to pull people 40-45 min. prior to their flight time and that was the way it was going to be. So... you might as well show up no more than 1 hour before your departure because you'll definitely make the flight.

Carole? You will definitely guarantee that I will make my flight? Great! I was so worried about getting there a whole TWO hours prior. You have alleviated my worries! Thanks Carole!