Going through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening lines at the airport can be frustrating for both families and those stuck behind them. Parents with young children often have more to deal with than the average traveler. They may need extra time to fold strollers, wrangle toddlers, or wait for additional screening for bottles and baby food.
To address the needs of families, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem on July 18 announced the Families on the Fly initiative, which will provide dedicated lanes for families at select airports. The program is intended to “mitigate the unique challenges families face when traveling and minimize stress while maintaining the highest level of security,” Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl said in a press release announcing the program.
While exciting, this idea isn’t new. Around the world, many airports already have dedicated screening lanes for families, including Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul, Istanbul Airport (IST), and Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha. Here’s what to expect as DHS rolls out the Families on the Fly program in the United States.
Where will families find dedicated screening lanes?
The TSA stated that the rollout of the Families on the Fly program will start with Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida and Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina. During a press conference, Noem explained that DHS chose these airports because they tend to be popular hubs for families with small children.
In the next phase of the program, families will be able to use dedicated screening lanes at John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, California, and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu, Hawai’i. Eventually, DHS plans to implement the program at Charleston International Airport (CHS) in South Carolina, Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) in Florida, Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport (PVD), Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in Puerto Rico, and Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida. Other airports may follow depending on the success of the program.
Currently, the time frame for expanding the Families on the Fly program remains unclear. “It’s a phased rollout strategy, which is not surprising considering the operational intricacies involved in redesigning security checkpoints,” says Paul Stewart, a relocation expert who helps families navigate travel, and founder of international baggage shipping company My Baggage USA.
Why make this change now?
According to Stewart, over the years travelers have been becoming increasingly frustrated with getting through airport security lanes. “Post-pandemic travel levels have been through the roof, and airports have been struggling to keep up with longer wait times and operational backlogs,” he says. The Families on the Fly program “feels like a response” to mounting anger on the part of families and other travelers who want to get through security more quickly and with less stress, he tells Afar.
Stewart explains that it makes sense for DHS to focus on families to help TSA security lanes run more smoothly. Although it’s not their fault, families frequently create security backlogs as parents juggle their children, luggage, and the additional equipment that young children need when traveling. Dedicated screening lanes for families could help alleviate this congestion and help everyone get through security more quickly.
Stewart explains that DHS likely chose to roll out the program during the busy summer travel season to maximize its impact. Summer is when family travel peaks due to kids being out of school, and delays created by families going through security may be at their highest, he says.
Additionally, DHS recently announced other changes in airport security procedures, such as eliminating the need for travelers to remove shoes, explains Katy Nastro, a travel expert with the flight-monitoring subscription service Going. She believes dedicated screening lanes are part of a larger effort by DHS to implement changes that have been in the works for years but have not been tested and finalized until now.
TSA hasn’t released hard data yet, but in other countries, similar programs have helped reduce security line times by 10 to 15 percent during peak hours, says Jesse Neugarten, founder and CEO of Dollar Flight Club and a father who frequently travels with his children. Neugarten has used dedicated family screening lanes in Australia and New Zealand. “We were able to skip long lines and get through without the usual stress of juggling bags and strollers while trying to keep the kids from melting down. It made the entire day smoother and the trip more enjoyable. It’s a small change that has a massive impact when you’re traveling as a family,” he explains. Neugarten is looking forward to using dedicated family screening lanes in the United States.
Are dedicated family security lanes a good idea?
Having dedicated TSA lanes for screening could make the security screening process easier for everyone. “Operationally, this could be a win-win if it is done correctly. The family lanes would work to destress parents who will no longer feel hurried or judged about managing their children through security,” Stewart explains.
Moreover, dedicated family lanes could be helpful for those traveling without children, too. No one likes being stuck behind a family that slows down the entire security line. “For the general traveling public, it should supposedly accelerate normal lanes by eliminating the natural bottlenecks that families otherwise create,” Stewart told Afar.
For many families, a dedicated family security lane stands to reduce some of the stress. “I’ve witnessed firsthand how frustrating airport security can be for parents. There’s nothing worse than trying to fold up a stroller while holding up an entire line, taking care of squirmy toddlers, and fighting over carry-on bags,” Stewart says. Dedicated family lanes “remove that social stress so families can go at their own speed,” he explains. “If these lanes are well-staffed and well-marked, they’ll be a godsend for family travel,” he adds.
However, dedicated family lanes also have the potential to make things more complicated. The success of the Families on the Fly program will rely significantly on the TSA having sufficient resources to run the program, according to Stewart. “If airports do not adequately staff these dedicated lanes or leave them unoccupied during off-peak family vacation periods, they might prove to be more confusing than convenient,” he says. If these lanes are open sporadically, families might become more stressed if they are unsure where to go. Or, if the lanes are not staffed appropriately to handle the extra demands created by families, the congestion at security for families could worsen.
If that happens, families may choose not to use dedicated lanes. Some parents may decide they don’t want to get stuck behind other families who will delay their passage through security, ultimately making travel more difficult. That was my experience flying out of New Delhi, India, with my children in January. My family was directed to a dedicated family screening lane that initially seemed shorter. However, because the families in front of mine took so long to get through security, the process took longer than if we had gone through the regular screening lanes. Ultimately, the family-only security lane slowed down our progress. Now, if I see a dedicated family screening lane, I decline the option.
“The ultimate test will be in practice,” Stewart says. That’s especially true during other peak travel times, such as Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, says Nastro. Only time will tell if the Families on the Fly program will be successful or create more headaches.
