Regarding Eve’s GD recent thread on the box-cutter kid:
What is the shortest period of time that the airport security check has lasted for you? The time would start when you got on line to register and end when you finish with the security screening. And we’re only talking about major airports, post-9/11.
Me: 15 minutes in Portland International.
Is that Portland, ME or Portland, OR?
My shortest has to be for a 7AM flight out of Atlanta - I got there about 5:20AM, and was through the line and security 15 minutes, plus the flight was on the T gates, so I didn’t have to ride the people mover.
Oregon.
And I had a large carry-on bag full of stuff, including a nail clipper and small scissors, both of which went unnoticed.
My fastest time was coming back from Madrid last month. I usually have all sorts of metal on me, and that takes forever to go thru the checkpoint, what with the shoes and belts and such. This time I was in complete vacation mode. Teva sandals, no belt, no keys, no change, no watch. Nothing metal except my glasses. I flew through there.
About 2 minutes total.
Traveling as much as I do, I already have all the metal out of my pockets, and I don’t wear a metal buckle belt when I fly. So hit the end of the converyor, puter out in tray, add cell phone wait for OK to walk through.
Since 9/11/2001, I’ve traveled from Tokyo to Taipei and from Tokyo to Paris. All the security checks were done in a matter of seconds.
My experience on Friday, Minneapolis/St. Paul airport:
1:01 p.m. walk off of bus at the designated drop-off point.
1:02 p.m. step up to Northwest self-service check-in, begin checking self in for flight.
1:04 p.m. Have checked in, changed seat (first row of economy class, isle seat). Boarding pass prints, proceed to security line. (carry-on only, no bag to check).
1:05 p.m. empty pockets, place bags on conveyor, walk through metal detector.
1:06 p.m. reclaim posessions from X-ray belt.
Total elapsed time: 5 minutes.
Hint to any dopers flying through the MSP airport: there’s a walkway that connects the C and G conourses behind the parking ramps, near the MetroTransit bus station. At the middle of that walkway, there’s a check-in and security point that you can use as long as you’re flying Northwest and you have carry-on luggage only (Northwest controls about 90% of the flights at the airport). Very few people know about it, but it can save you a lot of time in check-in and security lines.
My experience on Friday, Minneapolis/St. Paul airport:
1:01 p.m. walk off of bus at the designated drop-off point.
1:02 p.m. step up to Northwest self-service check-in, begin checking self in for flight.
1:04 p.m. Have checked in, changed seat (first row of economy class, isle seat). Boarding pass prints, proceed to security line. (carry-on only, no bag to check).
1:05 p.m. empty pockets, place bags on conveyor, walk through metal detector.
1:06 p.m. reclaim posessions from X-ray belt.
Total elapsed time: 5 minutes.
Hint to any dopers flying through the MSP airport: there’s a walkway that connects the C and G conourses behind the parking ramps, near the MetroTransit bus station. At the middle of that walkway, there’s a check-in and security point that you can use as long as you’re flying Northwest and you have carry-on luggage only (Northwest controls about 90% of the flights at the airport). Very few people know about it, but it can save you a lot of time in check-in and security lines.
My last trip was from Chi to Detroit and back. Coming back, I was 2 hours early for my 4:30 flight. As I got my e-ticket, I saw that it said you had to check in at least 30 min before boarding. I strolled through security - they did that 30 sec. exterior check on my carry-ons. Then I walked to the gate, planning on sitting down and reading a book for the next hour or so. But first I stopped in the bathroom.
While in there, I heard them announce the final boarding call for the 2:40 flight to Chicago. I walked up to the desk (after zipping and washing) and asked if there would be any chance of getting on that flight. The gate attendant said “No problem” and exchanged my boarding pass.
I was on the plane no more than 10 minutes after my cab had dropped me at the curb. I was surprised and very pleased.