NotUrsula
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2002
I recently left MCO on a late flight, and went through something of a ridiculous circus with TSA because Pre-Check was closed for the night. Thought I'd post the experience so that others can learn from it.
If you are leaving MCO after 9 pm, pack your carryon as though you don't have PreCheck. Trust me, it's worth the effort.
So, we arrive at MCO at 9:10 pm for a SWA flight that departs at 11 pm. Plenty of time. We head straight for the PreCheck line, which from the garage means walking past the entire main security line structure. We enter through the usual rope line, get all the way to the TSO sitting in the chair at the PreCheck line, only to have him look up and say, Oh, this line isn't open any more, you have to go back to the regular line.
So, we walk back the way we came and enter the regular line. (Of course, we haven't packed for the regular line.) The TSO checking IDs sees the PreCheck notice and tells us to keep both our IDs and BPs out and to tell the other agents that we have PreCheck so that they won't make us take off shoes and take out electronics. She also writes PRECHECK in big red letters on our BP's.
We get into line and put our carryons down, then turn for the scanners. "HOLD IT," says a TSO, "you need to take your shoes off." We offer up our BP's. "Let me see your ID". We hand over IDs and wait while they are checked again. "OK, keep your shoes on, but you still have to remove electronics." Back to the line (which now has more people in it who are getting annoyed) to take out the electronics, even though with PreCheck we are not supposed to need to do that.
Back to the scanner line. A different TSO barks, "You have to take your shoes off." I reply that we were just told not to because we have PreCheck. "I need to see your boarding pass and ID". Out they come again, for the 3rd time in a walk less than 15 feet long. "OK, but next time use the PreCheck line like you're supposed to!" We point out (politely) that it's closed for the night.
Finally through the scanners, we notice that our carryons have been set aside next to the xray, and while we wait at the end of the belt, at least 10 people pick up their things and move past us while two TSO's standing next to our bags stare at their fingernails. Finally one of them looks up and says, "Are these yours?" Yes, we reply. She then hands the bags over with no explanation as to why they were pulled.
It took us 30 minutes to get through the line from the ID check position until we got our carryons handed back. I can only conclude that it was a passive-aggressive punishment for asking for the PreCheck procedure in the "wrong" line. Maybe I was just tired after a long day, but just in case that wasn't the issue, best to be prepared if you leave that airport after 9 pm.
PS: I was actually prepared to go through in the standard manner, but the ID agent made a point of telling us that we should follow the Pre-Check rules. Because of the confusion about that, we kept having to go back and forth from the bag conveyor to the metal detector area, which not only annoyed us, but also the other passengers in line. The issue with the bag was that all of the electronics were in separate bags in protective sleeves, and the 3-1-1 baggies were not right on top. Also, we were wearing lace-up shoes, which we never would have been if we were expecting Pre-Check to be closed.
I also thought that it would have been the simplest thing in the world to have a colored card to hand out so that all of the TSOs can easily see that you have Pre-Check.
To be clear, the 30-minute time span was from the point that we passed the ID check and were able to approach the conveyor belts, not from the back of the line.
If you are leaving MCO after 9 pm, pack your carryon as though you don't have PreCheck. Trust me, it's worth the effort.
So, we arrive at MCO at 9:10 pm for a SWA flight that departs at 11 pm. Plenty of time. We head straight for the PreCheck line, which from the garage means walking past the entire main security line structure. We enter through the usual rope line, get all the way to the TSO sitting in the chair at the PreCheck line, only to have him look up and say, Oh, this line isn't open any more, you have to go back to the regular line.
So, we walk back the way we came and enter the regular line. (Of course, we haven't packed for the regular line.) The TSO checking IDs sees the PreCheck notice and tells us to keep both our IDs and BPs out and to tell the other agents that we have PreCheck so that they won't make us take off shoes and take out electronics. She also writes PRECHECK in big red letters on our BP's.
We get into line and put our carryons down, then turn for the scanners. "HOLD IT," says a TSO, "you need to take your shoes off." We offer up our BP's. "Let me see your ID". We hand over IDs and wait while they are checked again. "OK, keep your shoes on, but you still have to remove electronics." Back to the line (which now has more people in it who are getting annoyed) to take out the electronics, even though with PreCheck we are not supposed to need to do that.
Back to the scanner line. A different TSO barks, "You have to take your shoes off." I reply that we were just told not to because we have PreCheck. "I need to see your boarding pass and ID". Out they come again, for the 3rd time in a walk less than 15 feet long. "OK, but next time use the PreCheck line like you're supposed to!" We point out (politely) that it's closed for the night.
Finally through the scanners, we notice that our carryons have been set aside next to the xray, and while we wait at the end of the belt, at least 10 people pick up their things and move past us while two TSO's standing next to our bags stare at their fingernails. Finally one of them looks up and says, "Are these yours?" Yes, we reply. She then hands the bags over with no explanation as to why they were pulled.
It took us 30 minutes to get through the line from the ID check position until we got our carryons handed back. I can only conclude that it was a passive-aggressive punishment for asking for the PreCheck procedure in the "wrong" line. Maybe I was just tired after a long day, but just in case that wasn't the issue, best to be prepared if you leave that airport after 9 pm.
PS: I was actually prepared to go through in the standard manner, but the ID agent made a point of telling us that we should follow the Pre-Check rules. Because of the confusion about that, we kept having to go back and forth from the bag conveyor to the metal detector area, which not only annoyed us, but also the other passengers in line. The issue with the bag was that all of the electronics were in separate bags in protective sleeves, and the 3-1-1 baggies were not right on top. Also, we were wearing lace-up shoes, which we never would have been if we were expecting Pre-Check to be closed.
I also thought that it would have been the simplest thing in the world to have a colored card to hand out so that all of the TSOs can easily see that you have Pre-Check.
To be clear, the 30-minute time span was from the point that we passed the ID check and were able to approach the conveyor belts, not from the back of the line.
Last edited:
