Predicting the Security Line Wait

The TSA, the government agency in charge of airport security, has setup a website that attempts to predict the length of airport security lines.

Creative Commons picture by twodolla.

The Power of Such Knowledge

Find the shortest security line

The TSA website estimates the wait time for each terminal and section of gates. Getting separate estimates for the security line at the A gates and the one at the B gates is more valuable than one might at first think.

In most airports the different gate sections are connected by walkways. Assisted by TSA’s estimate of wait time you can see if you would be better off going through the C gate security checkpoint and then walking around to the A Gates. This could give you an extra half hour to spend with a cinnabun rather than standing around in the security line.

Arrive at the airport just in time

If you don’t like sitting around at the airport, you can time your arrival so there is just enough time to make it through security and catch your flight.

Sure, this significantly increases your risk of something going wrong and missing the flight. However, sometimes that is a risk worth taking.

Possible flaws in the website

Holidays

This website doesn’t seem to compensate for holidays and other times of heavy air traffic. Which, if correct, seems like a big flaw. When the security lines are most likely to cause a problem, this website will be least suited to help you avoid such problems.

Just the line

Aside from the line there is also the time you spend frantically taking of your belt, shoes, and unpacking your computer. However, only the time you spend in the line seems to be included in the website.

Live information

Granted, this website is designed to help people estimate what their wait will be like. However, the website doesn’t seem to display what the wait is now. This live information could be both interesting and useful (especially on holidays).

Oh the potential of this information

The TSA has made a valuable step in the right direction. However, more timely data could really help. Rather than just estimates, telling people what the wait is like right now could have many uses.

If posted in the airport, live information could also help decrease overall wait time by encouraging people to spread out among the different security checkpoints.

Creative Commons picture by wili_hybrid.

The FAA sort of does this too

The FAA also has a page that displays similar information. The FAA’s site shows how far behind airplanes are running at various airports. Such information allows you to see how long you may have to wait on an airplane before it takes off.

Luckily the FAA seems to post much more current information than the TSA.