I did a bit of traveling last week, which gave me the opportunity to sample the new Self-Select Lanes being tested by the TSA at a handful of US airports. It's a simple concept, really. Three lanes for three types of travelers. If you know what you're doing, you use the "Expert Traveler" lane. If you think you might have a clue about security screening but aren't totally sure, head to the "Casual Traveler" line. And if you're traveling with a child, or just don't understand how the whole airport security thing works, proceed to the lane marked "Family and Special Assistance."
TSA bashing has become a competitive sport, but I'm going to try to give the agency some credit here: The concept is a good one. Only after seeing it in action do its limitations become painfully clear.
After the jump: One traveler's self-select adventure
I arrived at Boston's Terminal A an hour and a half before my flight to Atlanta, giving me plenty of time to check in, get through security, and grab some lunch. Or so I thought. Upon reaching the security checkpoint, I immediately headed for the Expert Traveler lane, because if there is one thing I'm an expert at, it's finding my way around an airport. But before I knew what was happening, a dour TSA employee shunted me into the Casual Traveler line, completely ignoring my assurances that I am in fact a seasoned pro.
Twenty minutes later, I was still standing in gridlocked Casual Traveler hell, watching Expert Travelers whiz through the lane to my right. The Family and Special Assistance line was also moving faster than mine, leading me to conclude that the Casual Traveler lane is just a dumping ground for anyone the TSA has trouble categorizing. If I had been wearing a suit or carrying a baby, I would have been better off.
Finally, while the TSA lady wasn't looking, I bravely ducked under a barrier and slid over to Expert Traveler. Twenty others caught my slick move and followed, some of them managing to push their way ahead of me, which sort of defeated the purpose of switching lanes in the first place. It ended up taking over 45 minutes for me to get through security, which is not good for a late morning at Logan.
Like I said, the TSA is trying, and they deserve some credit for that. But self-selection is bound to cause problems, because no matter what category travelers fall into, most of them are going to head to the lane with the shortest line. And asking a TSA employee to decide who belongs in which lane is ridiculous – until they see people in action, how are they supposed to know?
The TSA claims that airports using the Self-Select Lanes have seen "an overall increase in throughput and greatly increased customer satisfaction," and I hope they're right, because customer satisfaction is not something they've had a great track-record with so far.
Maybe I just caught them on a bad day. Has anyone else tried Self-Select? How did it work?
