The United app adds airport security wait times after lines return to normal
Here's a feature that would've been a lot more useful before this week. Amid recent hours-long airport lines, United is adding security wait times to its app. However, the feature arrives a few days after security lines began returning to normal. Hey, at least it'll be there for the next shutdown. At launch, the feature is only available for United's hub airports. That includes Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Houston, LAX, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles. Passengers traveling through any of those locations will find the feature in the Travel section of the United app. It will display separate wait times for standard security and TSA PreCheck lines. However, timing is everything, and that's where United comes up short. This week, airport security lines finally returned to normal as TSA workers began receiving their first paychecks in over a month. Go figure: That led to better attendance and, therefore, short wait times. Over 60,000 TSA employees had been working without pay since the partial government shutdown began in February. The DHS shutdown continues , but President Trump belatedly ordered the agency on Friday to begin processing back pay for TSA employees. When asked why he hadn't signed the order much earlier, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt cited an "existential crisis" at airports. (Translation: It contributed to an existential polling crisis for the president.) This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-united-app-adds-airport-security-wait-times-after-lines-return-to-normal-164315823.html?src=rss
The United app adds airport security wait times after lines return to normal
In a move that could have been more timely, United Airlines has introduced a new feature in its app that provides passengers with real-time information on airport security wait times. This feature, which became available just as security lines at major airports began to shorten, is a response to the chaos caused by the partial government shutdown that left thousands of TSA employees without pay.
For weeks, travelers faced hours-long waits at security checkpoints across the United States, leading to widespread frustration and disruptions in air travel. The situation reached a breaking point when over 60,000 TSA employees, who had been working without compensation since the shutdown began in February, finally received their first paychecks. This development coincided with a significant improvement in security line wait times, as better attendance and morale among TSA workers led to more efficient processing.
United's new feature, which is currently limited to its hub airportsтАФChicago O'Hare, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington DullesтАФoffers passengers a glimpse into the security checkpoint experience. Located in the Travel section of the United app, the feature displays separate wait times for standard security and TSA PreCheck lines. While this information can be helpful for passengers planning their time at the airport, the timing of its release has raised questions about United's responsiveness to the evolving situation.
The partial government shutdown, which began in December 2018, had a profound impact on air travel, particularly at major airports. With TSA employees protesting the lack of pay and many choosing to take unpaid leave, security lines grew increasingly longer, and wait times soared. Passengers were left waiting for hours, leading to missed flights, delayed connections, and widespread inconvenience.
The situation reached a critical point when President Trump finally ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to begin processing back pay for TSA employees on February 22. This move came after weeks of pressure from lawmakers and the public, who were growing increasingly concerned about the impact of the shutdown on air travel. In a statement, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt cited an "existential crisis" at airports as the reason for the delayed action. While this decision helped to alleviate some of the pressure on security lines, it came too late for many passengers who had already experienced the brunt of the disruption.
The introduction of United's security wait times feature is a positive step towards improving the passenger experience, but it is unclear whether it will be enough to mitigate the damage caused by the shutdown. As the DHS shutdown continues, there is a growing sense that the airline industry and government agencies must work together to ensure that such disruptions are minimized in the future.
For now, passengers traveling through United's hub airports can at least have some peace of mind knowing that they can check security wait times in the app. While the feature may not have been as useful during the peak of the shutdown, it will undoubtedly be a valuable tool for travelers in the event of future disruptions.
As the airline industry adapts to the changing landscape of air travel, the ability to provide real-time information and updates to passengers is more important than ever. United's new security wait times feature is a small step in the right direction, but it serves as a reminder that there is still much work to be done to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of airports across the country.
In the meantime, passengers can take comfort in the fact that the worst of the shutdown's impact is behind them, and that security lines are returning to more normal levels. With United's new feature and improved TSA operations, travelers can hopefully look forward to a smoother and less stressful air travel experience in the future.
