Travelers opt for pricey services to avoid waiting in long TSA lines |
FILE: Crowds of travelers in a long queue at TSA security check at Denver International Airport over a summer holiday weekend.
Travelers who don’t want to deal with record-high wait times at airports across the country can bypass the system — for the right price.
As Transportation Security Administration checkpoint lines have spiraled out of control during the partial government shutdown, travelers across the country have come up with plenty of — mostly very expensive — options to get around the queuing problems
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One alternative is flying private. XO, a private aviation network, has seen a recent increase in bookings.
“As congestion at major hubs continues to intensify — particularly for frequent business class travelers who often split their flying between commercial flights and business jets — we’re seeing a growing shift toward these clients consolidating more, if not all, of their flying through XO,” XO spokesperson Julia Murray told SFGATE in an email.
Murray said XO customers enjoy the company’s flexibility and “efficiency of private terminals.” A flight leaving on April 1 from Las Vegas to Los Angeles starts at $4,000.
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Redditor ThaiTum suggested travelers use PS, a private terminal service at Los Angeles International Airport. The terminal, located outside the main airport, offers a lounge (called a Salon), private security screening, baggage service and a chauffeur who drives you directly to your plane before your flight.
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Without a membership, the service costs $1,295 per person or $4,950 for a group of up to four in their private suite, according to the PS website. The service has seen steady growth in recent years. SFGATE reached out to PS, but it declined to comment on the record on whether it has seen an increase in booking numbers. The LAX location has had uninterrupted service since the government shutdown.JSX, a charter air carrier, offers a semi-private experience. Flights start at $249 each way and include up to two free checked bags. It operates from several California-based locations, including Burbank, Napa Valley, Carlsbad, Monterey, Santa Monica and Orange County.
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JSX spokesperson Meghan Patke told SFGATE that bookings are “demonstrating a solid start to expected seasonal demand trends,” but declined to offer any specific trends from the last few weeks since long lines began to form at airports.
Some passengers have opted to hire line sitters at various airports to avoid waiting in line all day, according to the Washington Post. The Post found line sitters between $25 and $65 per hour. Airports have since asked travelers to avoid getting to the airport too early, causing lines to be even longer than anticipated.
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President Donald Trump recently ordered emergency pay for TSA agents, but more than 450 TSA agents have quit since the government shutdown began, and it’s unclear how quickly airports will return to normal operations.
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