On two recent trips via USAirway from Philadelphia, USAir reserved one TSA for first class passengers and the rest of the passengers had to line up (very long lines I might add) for the remaining TSA'a. A USAir rep was actually monitoring the lines and directing folks according to their type of passage. My first inquiry to USAir in the summer assured me that I was not correct. It could not have been a USAir employee directing traffic. It was - I know - because I saw her. One place where you do not want to cause a scene is in an airport, so I waited until I returned home to call. On another trip, same thing. This time, when I called USAir, they informed me that they indeed could reserve a TSA for first class. A call to TSA confirmed they could. Can anyone explain who pays the TSA's? It is is USAir, ok. If these are federal employees, how can an airlines use a federal employee for their personal gain, ie, a perk for first class. Anyone who can explain this would make me quite happy.

We were in a big line in Boston and noticed they had a "First Class" line going thru security. I can't explain it. Why don't you e-mail USAir?

This is actually common at a lot of airports. There is a "faster" line for frequent flyers and/or First Class. Yes, the TSA employees are goverment employees, but the goverment does have an interest in keeping airlines from going bankrupt. USAir has enough problems already. Those first class flyers probably paid a lot for those tickets and USAir needs to keep them happy! (I am joking, I have no idea why the TSA allows this, but I do know it is a practice at several airports.)

If you have a seperate line, some people are not happy. If you don't have a seperate line, other people are not happy. This is basically a no-win situation for both the airlines or the government.

the lines are provided by several carriers (not just USAir) and in addition to first class (who the airlines justify it by saying that the customer does pay for the added service), is typically also used for airport/airline employees and handicapped passengers.

the lines are not controlled by the TSA, the airlines are responsible for the lines up until checkpoint (i.e., people who check tickets are contract employees, not TSA employees). congress and the TSA officially say there can not be a 'first class' screening, for what that's worth.

Okay, some ignoramus has to step up to the plate on this subject and I guess I'm the one. I travel a lot (first class as often as possible) and I have absolutely no idea what a TSA is. Would someone please enlighten me?

TSA = Transportation Security Administration / Agent, established by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act in November, 2001. It oversees and regulates airport security in the United States.

http://www.tsa.gov

The factb that bthe "government [has been convinced that it has an interest] in keeping airlines from going bankrupt is part of the problem.

The ONLY thing that going through a security checkpoint faster than anyone else gets you is the "opportunity" to sit on your butt longer at the gate until the rest of the passengers show up.

actually, the concept behind it is quite the opposite. someone who's able to go through the priority line doesn't need to show up as early as someone who doesn't. it's a way to guarantee they won't be waiting an hour on line somewhere.

For a little perspective I have been through these lines tons of times where there was s single TSA set aside for the first/business class travelers. I've watched carefully and although the F/B line is much shorter it rarely moves any faster. The 4/5 (or more) TSAs working the regular lines get through way more people and in fact the people on the regular line are almost always through just as quickly - or even more so - than those on the F/B line.

The only time I can see this being a problem is in a very small airport where the one TSA for the F/B travelers is a very high proportion (ie 1/2 or 1/3) of the entire staff.

If you approach the issue philosophically - rather than on a strictly time basis - obviously there are other questions involved. But frankly, in the airport I'm more interested in practicality rather than the philosophy.

I travel often and first class as often as we can too. It is a perk to go thru a shorter security line, as is a seperate check in, and free drinks on board. We also belong to the club lounges so we have a different waiting area.........but we pay for it, as well as our first class tickets!!


What is the problem with TSA for first/business passengers???? First class is there to give travelers a certain level of added ammenities - for a price. That is one of the reasons why we love first is the shorter secuirity line.

Why is this a problem with you is more the question!

Since the TSAs are government employees there is no reason for them to recognize addtional money paid to the airlines. customs agents don't - why should tax money be used to treat one traveler better than another.

(Obviously the airline should do so. But why should my money go to give you a shorter line?)

As long as they are providing the service of security and they are doing what they are supposed to do, why not? I always leave from JFK, and the first class security line is shorter, when that line is done, the first class security person goes over to the other line. There is no TSA assigned for first class/business passengers so it does not matter, that agent is working the same as the other agents. When there is no line for first class, that agent is still working on the other security lines. It actually makes tings move faster when the lines are long to open another line. I have been to the airport many times and there was no first class security line, it was just one line. When the lines are longer, they try to accommodate the first class passengers by adding that service. It also in turn makes you line move that much faster.

You do not get special treatment from security, you have to go thru what ever process they have, the line is just sometimes shorter. There is also just 1 line for first/business passengers and tons more for regular, sometimes you wind up waiting just as long.

There are 2 lines: The line to check bags is staffed by airline employees. These lines have separate sections for customers with first class tickets. This is okay, because these employees are paid by the airlines.

The TSA security lines are different.
TSA employees are paid by the government (by taxpayers). Government employees should not be discriminating on the basis of ticket fares.

For customers with connecting flights, being forced to stand on a longer line can mean missing a flight. It is very inappropriate for government employees to engage in this type of discrimination. It is probably also illegal, although I do not think any lawsuits have been filed about this yet.

Thank you all for your replies. I think JoyceL summed up the situation well. I hope something can be done to remedy this inequity. But, as I said, getting on a flight at an airport is not the place to do this. And, Annabelle, gifts (perks) can only be given when you own or purchase the merchandise. Giving something away that does not belong to you, I believe, is called theft.

(sigh) i know you'll believe what you want to believe, but again, the lines are not managed by the TSA. The TSA does not say 'ok, first class over here.' That's the airline. As to why the TSA isn't forbidding that practice, they did initially and airlines suffered a lot of backlash for it, for very good reasons.

The airline is playing favorites, not the TSA.

This is from an article I just found from the Atlanta Business Chronicle which echoes what I wrote earlier in the thread:

The lowdown: Premium airline customers will still have access to airline-managed, exclusive security lines. However, the TSA forbids the airlines from setting aside specific security screening machines and metal detectors for frequent travelers.

This means elite-level travelers will have access to an exclusive, shorter and faster-moving line that leads to the security screening area. This line will be managed by airline employees (not TSA screeners), which will allow premium passengers to get to the head of the line much faster than nonpremium flyers. (Think of how the Delta Medallion line works at the ticket counter: You stand in line, and you are directed to the first available agent, ahead of nonmedallion travelers.)