The Luggage Blog

Aside from airline fees, one of the top complaints traveler’s have lately is the amount of time it takes to get through security.  The TSA has tried to address this issue by implementing self-regulated lanes designed for different types of travelers.  The only downside to system where each passenger decides their level of expertise is that people may tend to chose whatever line they think will be quickest, regardless of how often they travel… leaving the people who actually DO travel often stuck waiting behind someone less prepared (as usual).

A few airlines are taking matters into their own hands and plan to provide special priority lines to their frequent travelers.  American Airlines announced last week that they’re starting their Priority Access, giving their top customers dedicated security and boarding lines to speed up their trip.  Today Southwest Airlines announced Fly By,  which will provide a priority security lane to Business Select and Rapid Reward A-List customers.  Both programs are said to begin sometime in late October.  This sounds like great news for frequent travelers who are sick of getting held up in long lines.  While we’re not sure how TSA policies play into this, we suspect you’ll still have to remove your shoes.  But at least the people in line with you know the drill and are probably wearing slip-ons.

Southwest Airlines Introduces Priority Security Lanes at Select Airports
American Airlines Adds Airport Perks for Top Travelers

Photo by Ingorr

When you go on vacation, you expect lines. Lines at airport security. Lines for every attraction at the theme park. More lines for food after the attractions.

Well, I just went on a European vacation, and I’m happy to report, they have lines, too.  In fact, I was in one line for four hours. With a ten-year-old. And I had to get up before dawn to wait in it. But what makes it a little different from the lines we have around here is: I enjoyed it.

If you must know, it was in England – a country that takes line waiting so seriously, they even have a more elegant word for it: queuing. And the queue in question was at Wimbledon – for grounds passes to the famed All England Lawn Tennis Championship.

If you must know, the Wimbledon queue is the best way to get early-round tickets. There are actually 19 courts in full operation during at least the first week of the tournament, and the difference between Centre Court matches and matches on, say, Court 11 is mostly the TV exposure and nationalities of the players involved. If you’re interested, Wimbledon sets aside 500 tickets for each of the show courts – Centre, One and Two – for queuers (is that a word?) every day.

[Read more →]