November
9, 2003
In
Line for the Holidays
Washington Times
There are surprises in
life, but two of them are not Thanksgiving and Christmas. They come at the same
time every year. And it's no surprise that Americans travel en masse over those
holidays, the Sunday after Thanksgiving said to be the year's busiest travel
day.
The Transportation Security Administration knows those holidays are coming, but
it would be comforting to know the TSA is taking positive measures other than
warn people to show up even earlier at the airport.
Once TSA had a goal of passengers waiting no more than 10 minutes to pass
through its security screening. However, TSA officials are preparing to tell
passengers arrive at the airport 1½ hours before flight time. The authority
that runs the two major airports serving D.C. says two hours is more like it.
And even though Americans are generous gift-givers over the holidays, woe to
the passenger who arrives at security with the gifts already wrapped.
To be fair to TSA, Congress, which insisted on government-hired and government-paid
screeners, is now complaining about the cost and demanding cuts in TSA's work
force. And the agency's task isn't made easier by jokers like Nathaniel
Heatwole who smuggled box cutters aboard aircraft just to show it can be done,
forgetting that TSA's objective is not to stop contraband but to stop
hijackings — which it has done.
But enough of sympathy
for TSA. The traveling public has problems, too, and these take precedence.
Rather than just hope
to struggle through the holidays without angering too many people, TSA should
try to show the screening process can be conducted, in Sen. John McCain's
words, with "predictability and dignity," and that true security
doesn't involve hassling grandmothers and infants and ordering passengers to
remove their belts and shoes.
The headlines on stories about the agency's appearance before Congress tended
to run like this: "Holiday travelers should plan on long lines, TSA
says." That's so government. The wording ought to be more like this:
"TSA should plan on holiday travelers so there are no long lines."
As we said, it's not like the holidays are a surprise.
