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Fly Away Cafe - Where travel is a way of life

Flight Attendant Friday: Security Lines

by Mary Jo Manzanares on March 21st, 2008

Flight Attendant Friday Today’s Flight Attendant Friday question is one that I am frequently asked.  It’s usually muttered under someone’s breath, and often in a rather harsh tone.  See if you can relate.

 

Q.  Why do Flight Attendants get to cut in front of the security line?  I’ve been waiting a long time, and it just isn’t fair.

A.  Signs should be posted at every security area that state:  “Please allow uniformed flight crew to proceed to the front of the line.”  You may not have seen the signs.  They are there, it’s just that they are very small, and posted in a place that is not easily seen by the lines of people we are passing in front of.

Originally, the airports set up a separate security screening line for airport and airline employees.  At certain times of the day these lines were VERY busy, and at others they were nearly unused.  In an effort to have more efficiency, the employee-only line was done away with, and the policy of moving employees to the front of the line was adopted. 

Many businesses and professions have a similar type of perk for their employees, whether it’s a separate entrance to a building, dedicated elevator for employees, or maybe the ability to bypass security entirely.  This is just our version of that.

Some airports manage this process better than others, and at the best it takes us barely a minute or two of your time.  Complaining loudly will probably be overlooked, but getting aggressive or becoming physical (I’ve seen it happen) is a sure way to get yourself detained.

 

Do you have a question about the life or work of a Flight Attendant?  Send your questions to me for inclusion in a future Flight Attendant Friday.

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POSTED IN: Air Travel, Flight Attendant Friday

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