"At Sea-Tac Airport, frustration -- and a surprising level of patience"

Friday, August 11, 2006

At Sea-Tac Airport, frustration -- and a surprising level of patience
By BRAD WONG
The Seattle (WA) Post-Intelligencer


In an anxiety-ridden scene bound to be replayed for days, if not weeks,
untold numbers of Sea-Tac Airport passengers missed flights Thursday after
getting ensnared in security-screening lines that seemed to stretch forever.

Lattes and bottled water were downed in a huff. More expensive items, from
lip balm to perfume, ended up being last-minute discards.
 
"Oh my God," blurted Bothell resident Sally Hemstreet, 59, when she saw the
daunting queue. Hemstreet was accompanying her elderly father, who was
catching a return flight to Southern California. 

"It brings the reality of war home," she said. 

Thursday's sudden national security ban on liquids, creams and gels from
airplane carry-on bags was spurred by news that a foiled terrorist plot
across the Atlantic would have used explosives disguised as such harmless
items.

The restrictions reverberated loudly in the nation's airports. In Seattle,
about 50,000 passengers slowly made their way to security checkpoints for
hand inspection of luggage. Waits for many were two hours or longer, but
airport officials said most travelers were surprisingly patient.

"People actually seem to be taking this in good stead," said Sea-Tac
spokesman Bob Parker. "They understand there is a serious situation in the
world."
 
While some passengers heard early-morning news reports of the London
terrorist arrests and were prepared for a security crackdown, others were
caught off guard.

Debbie Gurrad, 55, had traveled from Poulsbo to catch a 9:30 a.m. flight to
Salt Lake City. She stood in line clutching a small jar of massage cream --
fully expecting it to be confiscated.

"People are calm," said Gurrad, who also took it in stride. She missed her
flight.

Despite freshly erected signs proclaiming the new requirements, passengers
were still showing up at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints
with an impressive array of banned liquids. All wound up in the trash.

"It's confusing, but I think people understand and are cooperating," said
Michael Tong, the airport's assistant finance and budget manager.

Passengers' reactions depended on where they were standing. One line
stretched back to Row T on the fourth floor of the parking garage. That
section was near the garage's rear area and International Boulevard, home to
office and hotel buildings.

But the line didn't go directly to an airport sky bridge, which eventually
would have taken passengers to the main terminal. Instead, it snaked around
to Row U on the fourth floor, then to a set of elevators in the parking
garage.

Near a set of elevators, Seattle resident Marjorie Kittle, 38, said she was
resigned to the wait. She'd already placed her shampoo, toothpaste and
contact lens solution in her checked luggage.

"I'm going with the flow," she said. "But why weren't they screening this
well before today?" 

Security across the U.S. was tightened, and flights were canceled or
delayed.  

Snohomish resident Tammy Baker, 32, joined the security line cradling a
Starbucks grande chai tea. 

But she didn't worry about having to dump the costly beverage prematurely.
Time was on her side.

"As long as this line is, it will be gone," she said.

Making her flight to Los Angeles worried her more. "It's not going to
happen," she said. "We're going to pray there's another flight."

Despite the ban on carry-on coffee, a barista at the airport's Diva Espresso
store said morning sales were good. Passengers had more time than usual to
wait and drink.

Inside the airport garage, the sound of conversation replaced the normal
silence of parked automobiles.

For those arriving Thursday morning at Sea-Tac, the process was smoother. 

Ray Smith, 46, who flew in from San Francisco, said he waited only 30
minutes there to get through security.

"Seeing the long lines, it makes you think about traveling, unless you have
to," the Bellevue man said, referring to the Sea-Tac scene. "I'm just glad
our trip happened before all of this happened."

U.S. Customs and Border Protection juggled its staffing to provide more
officers and canine units to the airport.

Elsewhere in Washington, travelers faced little changes, with local, state
and federal agencies generally saying they were remaining vigilant and
enforcing their existing security measures.

Those traveling by ferry from Anacortes to Sidney, B.C., were asked to
arrive two hours ahead of departure, up from the normal 60 to 90 minutes, to
allow security to check every car.

The checks normally are performed on random vehicles. 

The Coast Guard said the maritime security level was unchanged.

Amtrak is still operating on code yellow, which has been the case since the
bombings in Madrid, Spain, in 2004.

No security changes took place at the King County, state Supreme or federal
courthouses, officials said.

"As I have said repeatedly, the only way to keep citizens safe is through
the use of well-trained, fully staffed security checkpoints -- whether that
is at our borders or our airports," Gov. Chris Gregoire said Thursday.

She said federal authorities are "satisfied that they have the resources to
keep travelers safe" and have not asked the state for assistance at
Washington airports.

Attached Photos:

Travelers wait in line at Sea-Tac Airport.

A Transportation Security Administration employee dumps items no longer
allowed aboard airplanes, including beverages, toothpaste and shampoo.

People as far as the eye can see continue to work their way to a security
checkpoint Thursday at Sea-Tac Airport. Security across the U.S. was
tightened, and flights were canceled or delayed.

Travelers who have already been in line for two to three hours continue
waiting to reach a security checkpoint.

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