=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/chronicle/archive/2002/03= /10/TR55219.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, March 10, 2002 (SF Chronicle) How much would you pay for life in airline's fast lane? Michael Dougan Joy Halme of Portland waited for the American Airlines employee at San Francisco International Airport to wave her forward toward the security gate. It marked the last obstacle between Halme and her Cancun-bound aircraft. In a separate line off to her left, passengers sauntered directly to the gate without delay. These were first- and business-class ticket-holders, plus high-mileage frequent fliers. Did Halme resent the fact that a privileged elite was passing through security ahead of her? "Certainly," she said. After a brief flap between airlines and the new Transportation Security Administration a couple of weeks ago - which the airlines won - it's clear that loyalty to a particular carrier might confer a new privilege: You can pop right up to the head of the line at airport security gates. This is not true of all airlines, although most of the major carriers se= em to be adopting the policy. Nor will it help at every airport. At SFO, United and American offer VIP lines; at Oakland International Airport, no airline does. Anyone planning to join a frequent fliers club to obtain this first-in-line privilege should consider how many miles they travel by air each year. The occasional flier who racks up a few thousand miles in a given 12-month period =1Fwon't perceive any benefit at the security gates. Those favored few who scurried through the gate ahead of Halme, for example, were mostly holders of American's AAdvantage Gold, Platinum or Executive Platinum cards. The lowest rank among them (Gold) must fly at least 25,000 miles annually to maintain their status. United is even more strict. Only Premier Executive or Premier Executive = 1K card holders may take advantage of the expedited lines. That means a minimum of 50,000 or 100,000 miles logged each year on United aircraft. Mere Premier- status passengers - who fly between 25,000 and 49,999 United miles annually - must fall in line with the unwashed masses bound for steerage. Purchasing a first- or business-class ticket for United or American flights also will gain you access to the fast lines at SFO. Better yet, use your frequent flyer miles to obtain an upgrade. In the aftermath of Sept. 11, airlines - beginning with Northwest - devised the fast-track elite lines as a way to lessen the pain of boarding a plane for passengers who spend the most money on tickets every year. "They're our best customers," said Joe Hopkins, a United spokesman in Chicago. "This recognizes them as valued customers." That was fine with the FAA back when security screeners were airline employees. But when the government took over airport screening functions a few weeks ago, the new Transportation Security Administration =1Fdidn't consider it proper for federal employees to be pampering certain people at the airlines' behest. The agency ordered the elite status lines to be shut down at a handful of airports. Airlines requested a clarification of that policy and wound up getting to keep their VIP queues. They were forbidden, however, to designate a given security gate for the exclusive use of their best customers. Now the elite lines and those for the rest of us all funnel passengers toward the same gates. Not everyone in the slow line minds the two-tiered system. "They paid for it," said Lisa Hall of Menlo Park as she waited to reach the United security gate at SFO. What's more, the advantage is not always that great. The line that held Hall stretched through half the airport, but it moved quickly. As she neared the gate, Hall said her total wait time had been about five minutes. Likewise, over at American, it took Halme only 10 minutes between the time she stepped into line and the moment she placed her carry-on bag onto the X-ray machine's conveyor belt. If you find yourself standing in a slow and sinuous airport line, watchi= ng with envy as big spenders dance through the gate ahead of you, consider these words from SFO spokesman Ron Wilson: "Coach passengers may say that these people are getting preferential treatment. Well, maybe they are, but if they take all those people and put them back into the coach line, they're then making longer lines for everybody." So be grateful that your own line has been culled of those annoying airline aristocrats. Dress for Success Once you reach that security gate, your passage can be expedited by careful planning and preparation. Chances are you will encounter a screening process far more detailed and time consuming than even a month ago. Nowadays you not only need to think about what you carry, but also what you wear. Here are a few quick tips: -- Minimize metal: No big brass belt buckles, of course, but even tiny traces of metal can set off the alarms in the newly sensitized magnetometers. Underwire bras have become a major source of embarrassment for their wearers, who are subjected to embarrassing pat-downs. (You can insist that these be conducted by a female screener, who should use only the back of her hands.) -- Be ready: Removing what metal you do carry - watches, pens, glasses, jewelry - and placing these items one by one into the bucket for visual inspection can also slow you down. Before you even get in line, insert all these objects into a clear plastic bag to present for inspection. -- Wear sensible shoes: At the airport, this means slip-ons. There's a good chance you'll be required to remove your footwear for inspection (and, perhaps, a trip through the X-ray scanner). This is a lot easier if you =1Fdon't = have to deal with laces. The chances of having your shoes closely inspected might be reduced by wearing a pair with thin-soles. -- Ready electronic gear: Some delicate electronic gear should not be packed in check-in luggage, but it can sure retard your progress through the security gate. Be ready to power up each item individually - laptop computer, digital camcorder, portable CD player, cellular phone, Palm Pilot - to demonstrate to the screener that they are what they are. Before leaving home, make sure your batteries are charged. Better yet, consider traveling in a low- tech mode. E-mail your Sensible Traveler questions and comments to mdougan@sfchronicle.com.=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2002 SF Chronicle