Passing the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) screening line at the airport can be frustrating for both families and those stuck behind them. Parents with young children need to deal with more than the average traveler. They may need extra time to fold strollers, strangle infants, or wait for additional screening of bottles and baby food.
To address family needs, on July 18, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Christineome announced the Family on the Fly initiative. The program aims to “maintain the highest level of security while reducing the unique challenges faced by families while traveling and minimizing stress.”
It’s exciting, but this idea is nothing new. Around the world, many airports already have dedicated family-friendly screening lanes, such as Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN), Istanbul Airport (IST), and Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH). As DHS is rolling out its US Fly on the Fly program, there is something to look forward to here.
Where do families find their own screening lanes?
The TSA said the family rollout for the fly program will begin at Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida and Charlotte Dugrass International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina. At a press conference, Noem explained that he chose these airports because DHS tends to be a popular hub for families with small children.
The next phase of the program will allow families to use their own screening lanes at John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, California, and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu, Hawaii. Ultimately, DHS will implement programs at Charleston International Airport (CHS) in South Carolina, Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) in Florida, TF Green International Airport (PVD), Luis Munos Marine International Airport (SJU) in Puerto Rico and Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida. Other airports may continue depending on the success of the program.
Currently, the time frame for expanding the Family On the Fly program remains unknown. “This is a gradual rollout strategy, which is not surprising given the operational complexity associated with redesigning security checkpoints,” says Paul Stewart, relocation expert who helps families navigate the trip and founder of international luggage transport company My Baggage USA.
Why am I making this change now?
For many years, travelers have become increasingly unhappy about passing through the airport’s security lane, Stewart said. “Post-pandemic travel levels have been through the roof and the airport has been struggling to keep up with longer wait times and operational backlog,” he says. The Family on the Fly program “feels like a response” to increasing anger on the part of other travelers who want to get through security more quickly, he says from afar.
Stewart explains that it makes sense for DHS to focus on the family and help TSA security lanes run more smoothly. It’s not their fault, but families frequently create security backlogs as parents exchange children, luggage and additional equipment they need when their young children travel. Dedicated screening lanes for families reduce this crowding and help everyone pass security faster.
Stewart explains that DHS likely chose to roll out the program during the busy summer travel season to maximize its impact. In the summer, he says, family travel can peak as children are graduating from school, and the delays created by families experiencing security can be the best.
Additionally, DHS has recently announced other changes to airport security procedures, such as eliminating the need for travelers to remove shoes, explains Katy Nastro, travel expert at flight monitoring subscription services. She believes the dedicated screening lane is part of a greater effort by DHS to implement changes that have been in work for many years but have not been tested and confirmed.
TSA has yet to release hard data, but in other countries, similar programs have helped reduce security line times by 10-15% during peak times, says Jesse Neugarten, founder and CEO of Dollar Flight Club and a father who frequently travels with children. Neugarten uses dedicated family screening lanes in Australia and New Zealand. “We were able to skip and pass through the long lines without the usual stress of juggling bags and strollers, making it smoother all day and more enjoyable. Neugarten looks forward to using its dedicated family screening lane in the US.
Is a security lane for a dedicated family a good idea?
Using dedicated TSA lanes for screening makes the security screening process easier for everyone. “Operationally, if this is done correctly, this could be beneficial to both parties. Family lanes work to stress parents who don’t feel rushed or judged or judged about managing their children through security,” explains Stewart.
Plus, the dedicated family lanes are also useful for those traveling without children. No one likes to get stuck behind a family that slows down the entire security line. “For the average traveler, it’s likely that they’ll need to accelerate their normal lanes by eliminating the natural bottlenecks they’ve created by their families,” Stewart told Afar.
For many families, dedicated family security lanes stand to reduce stress. “I witnessed firsthand how annoyed airport security can be for parents. There’s nothing worse than folding a stroller while lifting the entire line, caring for a creepy toddler, or fighting over a carry-on bag,” Stewart says. The lane of a dedicated family “relieves that social stress so that the family can go at their own speed,” he explains. “If these lanes are understaffed and well marked, they will be a godsend for family trips,” he adds.
However, dedicated family lanes can also make things more complicated. According to Stewart, the success of a Family on the Fly program relies heavily on TSAs, which have sufficient resources to run the program. “If the airport doesn’t properly staff these dedicated lanes or leave them open during off-peak family holidays, it may turn out to be more confusing than convenient,” he says. If these lanes are sporadically open, families may feel more stressed if they don’t know where to go. Alternatively, security crowds for families can get worse if lanes are not properly staffed to handle the extra requests they have created.
If that happens, the family can choose not to use their own lanes. Some parents decide they don’t want to be stuck behind other families who delay passing security, and ultimately make travel more difficult. That was my experience and I jumped out of New Delhi, India with my kids in January. My family was directed at a screening lane of dedicated families that initially seemed short. However, my previous family took so long to get through security that the process took longer than if I had passed through the normal screening lane. Ultimately, family-only security lanes slowed our progress. Well, if I see a dedicated family screening lane, I reject the option.
“The ultimate test actually takes place,” Stewart says. This is especially true for other peak travel times, such as Thanksgiving and winter holidays, Nastro says. Only time can tell if the Family on the Fly program will be successful or cause more headaches.
