How can we make your airport wait better?

[JetBlast]

SFers-

In preperation for the holiday travel season I am trying to gather some information on behalf of our airport's customer service division. Not only are we making an effort to make the lines shorter, but we want to figure out how we can make people's wait in line less stressful. I figured the SF community is a diverse enough group with many travelers, so this would be a good place to ask.

Please note that I do not work for TSA, so I have no say over how they do airport security, how incompetent and crazy they are, etc. I cannot change that. We are simply trying to improve the wait as much as possible.

Any and all ideas appreciated, and if anyone is flying through Baltimore/Dulles, look for me

 

[EnglishGent]

Ok I know it's not but if you were a new member this is how I would view this.

 

[kwilkinson]

Cool JB. You should put up posters of your avatar all around the airport. Also look through the "These are Fake" thread for other poster possibilities. That'd improve the wait, IMO.

 

[Thomas]

I would going to suggest blowjobs for male passengers if the line wait is over 20 minutes, but that just makes the wait even longer for those suffering from performance anxiety.

hmmmm...

brb - serious answer coming.

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by EnglishGent

Ok I know it's not but if you were a new member this is how I would view this.

I did consider this, but hopefully new members will look at my post count and date of joining and realize it is not.

 

[Thomas]

SERIOUS ANSWER:

Newspapers and coloring book packets. They don't have to be expensive - you could probably get these packets printed in no time.

For instance: USA Today for the grown-up passengers
small (6x9) 4-page booklets with 3-4 crayons for the children to keep them busy/quiet. That should majorly reduce the hassle factor for families.

PLUS....expedited lines for people running late and needing major help. big bags, large families, general PITA-types. Segregate those and shunt them into their own lines. But no coloring books for them.

Good luck.

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by Thomas

SERIOUS ANSWER:

Newspapers and coloring book packets. They don't have to be expensive - you could probably get these packets printed in no time.

For instance: USA Today for the grown-up passengers
small (6x9) 4-page booklets with 3-4 crayons for the children to keep them busy/quiet. That should majorly reduce the hassle factor for families.

PLUS....expedited lines for people running late and needing major help. big bags, large families, general PITA-types. Segregate those and shunt them into their own lines. But no coloring books for them.

Good luck.

Thanks for your answer. We literally have boxes of coloring books, I would have never thought of this. As for the USA Todays, etc we will have to work on that.

As for the segregated line we have a designated line for crew and employees, and I also send people with strollers and disabilities through there. When I try to send someone through and tell the security guard (excuse me..."officer") they are running late, they tell me they have to stand in the line with everyone else.

 

[EnglishGent]

The only time I connected in Dulles was after an incorrectly booked flight. Was supposed to fly LHR-ORD-DSM, but the travel agent booked LHR-IAD-ORD-DSM. Our flight into Dulles was late and after getting through immigration and customs we had very little time to make the connecting flight and virtually ran through the airport with my daughter in tow (think she was about 2 at the time). The staff at IAD were really helpful and we got driven half the distance after someone saw us running.

Not flown thorough since, but Dulles gets a

from me

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by JetBlast

Thanks for your answer. We literally have boxes of coloring books, I would have never thought of this. As for the USA Todays, etc we will have to work on that.

As for the segregated line we have a designated line for crew and employees, and I also send people with strollers and disabilities through there. When I try to send someone through and tell the security guard (excuse me..."officer") they are running late, they tell me they have to stand in the line with everyone else.

Yeah, I'm not really sure giving people who are late better service is a good solution. That's just an incentive for more people to be late. Now, giving people special priority who have a lot of children, etc, I could understand and agree with.

 

[nootje]

Newspapers, water and/or coffee...

 

[Joel_Cairo]

nm

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Yeah, I'm not really sure giving people who are late better service is a good solution. That's just an incentive for more people to be late.

I just tell them, I'm sorry, but it would be unfair to all these other people to put you in front of them. If you want to go try and get in at the front of the line I have no problem with it.

I forgot to mention that I also send service personnel in uniform through the crew line as well. Considering all of the active duty members of the armed forces over in Europe and the Middle East come through Baltimore it is especially helpful.

 

[Spatlese]

+1 on Thomas's suggestion re: the knob shine vouchers for delays.

Seriously though, for me the biggest single thing is communication. Being in a long line, not knowing wtf is going on, drives me crazy. If the airlines talked to us more, even explaining things that are out of your control, I think people would be much more understanding. Bad weather, equipment failures -- people understand those things can happen.

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by Spatlese

+1 on Thomas's suggestion re: the knob shine vouchers for delays.

Seriously though, for me the biggest single thing is communication. Being in a long line, not knowing wtf is going on, drives me crazy. If the airlines talked to us more, even explaining things that are out of your control, I think people would be much more understanding. Bad weather, equipment failures -- people understand those things can happen.

The problem with the security lines is that they can be long even if flights aren't delayed. Would it be acceptable to just let people know how far it is until they get to the front of the line or something like that?

 

[MetroStyles]

Free wifi.