EVER SINCE the terrorist attacks that took place Sept. 11, many travelers have become more scared to fly. For those that have overcome this fear, there are hassles of long lines and elaborate security checkpoints. Even with these changes, flying has remained quite a comfortable experience for the lucky frequent fliers and first class travelers who often have their own, shorter security lines. The Transportation Security Administration just assumed responsibility for our nation's air security last week and immediately began to pursue changes. Their biggest decision was to order the airlines to eliminate the priority lanes, which they had created for their best customers at many of the nation's biggest airports. This was a bad move.
Many business commuters who choose to fly for its efficiency and convenience will begin to look to other modes of transportation that will not involve long lines full of screaming children and first time fliers. This will result in airlines and airports losing valued customers, reducing their profits. As travelers look to other modes of transportation, airlines will suffer economically. They will be forced to cut back in other areas in order to avoid any debts or bankruptcy.
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This could lead to even more economical seating and even lower quality meals, resulting in overall less comfortable flights. As airlines look to remain economically sound, they will tighten their belts in even more areas of passenger comfort, which could potentially drive more travelers away from flying and toward other modes of more consistent transportation.
In closing the priority lanes, the TSA not only is doing a disservice to a significant percentage of frequent fliers and first class customers but also to the nation's largest airlines, which will lose money as a result.
According to the agency, there were two main reasons that the TSA decided to enact this equalization of all passengers. The Washington Post reported Feb. 21 that the shorter and more exclusive lines were causing security equipment to be underused, and the former system fostered hostility among the passengers who had to wait in longer lines. With the new plan in place, the TSA indeed has seen to it that all security equipment can be used for all passengers. However, rather than reduce hostility, it simply has created more of it.
Seasoned travelers and daily commuters who were used to zipping through their shorter lines now will have to stand next to noisy families and novice passengers who may not know what to do once they get to the screening devices.
Animosity will continue to grow as these passengers are forced to mix in line. With the TSA's decision in place, veteran travelers will begin to opt for other modes of transportation which would remain reliable and assure their comfort as they constantly travel to meetings or other events.
A loss of passengers will serve a huge blow to most airlines, many of which already are struggling financially. Industry expert David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, told The Washington Post that the priority lanes were some of the most innovative steps airlines had taken to court the highflying business travelers who often make up 70 percent of an airline's profits. Eliminating the lanes could push many travelers and valued customers to other options of driving or train rides for trips of less than 250 miles.
The TSA really has just created an inconvenience that neither the airlines nor their most frequent users would have wished for. Agency officials are meeting with airline representatives to explain the decision, which took effect a week ago but will be implemented gradually.
It's not worth the effort. The TSA should focus its efforts toward the actual security aspect of the process and in decreasing the length of the lines that lead to the screening devices. They should not be looking to make the lines longer by compressing more passengers into them.
In another act of graciousness last week, the agency also ordered airlines to provide chairs and shoehorns at security checkpoints for those passengers randomly selected to remove their shoes for additional searches. As reported in The Washington Post, this stems from a personal issue within the TSA in that John W. Magaw, director of the TSA, has an artificial hip and has difficulty removing his shoes when standing.
This again shows a strange ordering of priorities. In allowing for chairs in the middle of the security area, there will just be a larger backup as travelers take a seat and put their shoes back on, while other passengers push and shove to try to get to the gate.
In the first week in its new position, the TSA only has served to inconvenience air travelers in one form or another. They should re-evaluate their goals and start from scratch, reneging their current orders and issuing new ones that will enhance the security systems for airports as a whole.
(Alex Roosenburg's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at aroosenburg@cavalierdaily.com.)
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