You Can Fly Before You Fly At Bush Airport
By
Leonard Zwelling
It has been said that TSA stands for Talking And Standing Around. Well, maybe it does at other airports, but not at the big airport in Houston.
The BW and I were headed for Durham, NC for her Medical Alumni Council spring meeting.
From the time we got our bags tagged outside the terminal and carried our golf bags inside to the time we passed through the metal-detecting gates after our carry-ons were scanned was under ten minutes. It may have been only five.
Now there are caveats to enjoying the speed with which the process can work.
First, you must have Clear. Clear costs money, but some American Express cards will credit you the cost of one membership.
Second, you must be TSA-Pre Check. That also is a process to obtain, but highly valuable.
If you can enter this rarified Clear/TSA-Pre-check, line, you walk up to a terminal. The camera takes your photo. No fingerprint scans, no eyeball scans. You are escorted to another line where that photo is re-verified and you are on to the TSA carry-on scanning where they have finally gotten trays big enough to hold your bag.
Do all that, and you can be through the lines in about five minutes and on to the line to get into the United Lounge, where the line to get the free food is lengthy and the availability of an open seat limited. The “exclusive” United Club seems to include everyone now.
No other airport TSA staff anywhere in the world can get you through this process faster than the team in Houston.
This blog has been critical of all kinds of things from national politicians to academic leadership. However, it’s time for three cheers for the Houston IAH TSA.
Nobody does it better.
You literally fly through the airport faster than you will get off the ground, not to mention faster than it takes to get on the plane.
