[QUOTE=seadog6608;151469]I feel like calling the cops and telling them I am being held against my will at some of these places. Especially in a small place where you can actually see the gate less than 100 yards away.[/QUOTE]
We had a university staffer ride with us on a UNOLS ship and the place we pulled into gave her shit every time she made a trip in and out of the gate with the rental car. She was on the crew list, had her driver’s license and personally vouched for by the Master…but the rent-a-cop still gave her shit and some of them made her wait till she got an escort from the ship. And she was a saint, too, gave people rides to and from the airport etc, fielded pay problems, the whole magilla. What a nice lady and they shit all over her. Like she was a criminal or a terrorist.
[QUOTE=catherder;151473]We had a university staffer ride with us on a UNOLS ship and the place we pulled into gave her shit every time she made a trip in and out of the gate with the rental car. She was on the crew list, had her driver’s license and personally vouched for by the Master…but the rent-a-cop still gave her shit and some of them made her wait till she got an escort from the ship. And she was a saint, too, gave people rides to and from the airport etc, fielded pay problems, the whole magilla. What a nice lady and they shit all over her. Like she was a criminal or a terrorist.[/QUOTE]
Imagine if they treated airline employees the way they treat us. Instead of an express security lane with reduced screening, they’d be suspiciously interrogated and then made to wait for an hour until somebody can escort them to the gate, and crews on layover would have to sleep in the gate area instead of being allowed to go to off-site hotels, while security keeps kicking them in the ribs throughout the night and telling them they’re not allowed to sleep in the terminal.
Terminal security is just another example of the dichotomy between life in the unsung USMM and life for everyone else. If more people knew or cared what we do, things wouldn’t be the way they are.
[QUOTE=Glaug-Eldare;151545]Imagine if they treated airline employees the way they treat us. Instead of an express security lane with reduced screening, they’d be suspiciously interrogated and then made to wait for an hour until somebody can escort them to the gate, and crews on layover would have to sleep in the gate area instead of being allowed to go to off-site hotels, while security keeps kicking them in the ribs throughout the night and telling them they’re not allowed to sleep in the terminal.[/QUOTE]
Amen. The irony of this statement is that I’ve actually been allowed to use the airline employee express lane on occasion, using my TWIC card. No bull. Ain’t that a wicked pissah?
[QUOTE=catherder;151577]Amen. The irony of this statement is that I’ve actually been allowed to use the airline employee express lane on occasion, using my TWIC card. No bull. Ain’t that a wicked pissah?[/QUOTE]
That’s the nuts! I’m gonna try that. Wicked pissah indeed!
[QUOTE=PaddyWest2012;151593]How do you even go about such a thing? I don’t think I’ve ever even seen an employee express lane.[/QUOTE]
I hadn’t flown for 5 years since I retired. Last year I flew twice out of Houston Hobby. Both times I was directed through an express line. I’ve never applied for any expedited status. Probably just my good looks…
[QUOTE=PaddyWest2012;151593]How do you even go about such a thing? I don’t think I’ve ever even seen an employee express lane.[/QUOTE]
It’s the line they send the pilots and FAs through. I think I was wearing a polo shirt and lookin’ all respectable-like because the TSA guy pointed to that line and said, go through there.
IIRC, that happened in Orlando and has not happened since.
Now, I do get the TSA pre-check thing on my boarding passes which is different. That’s the no-takee-offee your shoesie line. Which is sweet! I’ll enjoy that as long as it lasts.
[QUOTE=catherder;151600]It’s the line they send the pilots and FAs through. I think I was wearing a polo shirt and lookin’ all respectable-like because the TSA guy pointed to that line and said, go through there.
IIRC, that happened in Orlando and has not happened since.
Now, I do get the TSA pre-check thing on my boarding passes which is different. That’s the no-takee-offee your shoesie line. Which is sweet! I’ll enjoy that as long as it lasts.[/QUOTE]
Ah the TSA Pre line. I love it. For about a year, I automatically got the designation whenever I flew. This was even before I got my “Known Travelers Number” (KTN) but more on that in a bit. At first, I thought it was a Continental/United thing, but last year when I flew to NOLA with my SO on Southwest, both there and back I got the Pre check designation on my boarding pass. And yeah, I zoomed through as she was stuck with the peons. At least I took the bags so she didn’t have to deal with them. Getting into the TSA Pre line is like flying in the old days. Unless it is a small airport, even the computer stays in the bag. . . .
Now, about 10 months ago or so, I was told that the “automatic” TSA Pre designations would be more random unless I got a background check and KTN. Where do I go for the KTN? Well, either the airport, or the same facility on the east side of Houston that handles issuing TWICs. I just had to bring some money and an acceptable ID. Was the TWIC one of the acceptable IDs? Uhhh, that would be no. . . . .
Once I got my KTN and entered it into the database of the airlines that I fly the most, I was all set. Now often times I fly it is very short notice, usually 24 hours or less. So, of course once I got my KTN, I rarely got TSA Pre. . . .I thought it was because of the short notice, but here lately I am getting the designation much more regularly; even on a flight I took a couple of weeks ago with only 3 hours notice. . . .
[QUOTE=cmakin;151716]Ah the TSA Pre line. I love it. For about a year, I automatically got the designation whenever I flew. This was even before I got my “Known Travelers Number” (KTN) but more on that in a bit. At first, I thought it was a Continental/United thing, but last year when I flew to NOLA with my SO on Southwest, both there and back I got the Pre check designation on my boarding pass. And yeah, I zoomed through as she was stuck with the peons. At least I took the bags so she didn’t have to deal with them. Getting into the TSA Pre line is like flying in the old days. Unless it is a small airport, even the computer stays in the bag. . . .
Now, about 10 months ago or so, I was told that the “automatic” TSA Pre designations would be more random unless I got a background check and KTN. Where do I go for the KTN? Well, either the airport, or the same facility on the east side of Houston that handles issuing TWICs. I just had to bring some money and an acceptable ID. Was the TWIC one of the acceptable IDs? Uhhh, that would be no. . . . .
Once I got my KTN and entered it into the database of the airlines that I fly the most, I was all set. Now often times I fly it is very short notice, usually 24 hours or less. So, of course once I got my KTN, I rarely got TSA Pre. . . .I thought it was because of the short notice, but here lately I am getting the designation much more regularly; even on a flight I took a couple of weeks ago with only 3 hours notice. . . .[/QUOTE]
I was selected by an airline for TSA Pre, and it’s appeared on passes for other airlines, but I didn’t apply for it.
I’ll have to look into that Known Traveler Number thing.
[QUOTE=catherder;152681]You may be right since I never applied for it. It just appeared on my boarding pass one day and I expect it to stop one day.[/QUOTE]