Anonymous
Post 03/30/2026 12:40     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:And the follow up question is why was today magically better?


Less people traveling. Thursday, Friday and Saturday would be main days for traveling. Especially Saturday. Sunday less, and if those, a small portion managed to change to a different airport.


There are also reports that they sent in extra TSA agents to BWI, from other airports.

I read they had additional K-9 units which allowed for them to treat regular security like TSA pre check and allowed the line to move more quickly.


They were already doing that on the insanity days. Shoes on, liquids and laptops stayed in bags. Once you got to the actual screening it was just like precheck whether you had it or not.

I’m still just so upset at all the stress and ruined vacations. We made our flight but barely and it was so incredibly stressful. It will be a very very long time before I fly BWI or SWA again, knowing we could have gone out of IAD or DCA (our normal airports) without issue.


Same. I used to choose Bwi cause it was a small airport with usually quick processing. Never again.


So now there is one airport with risk of hitting a helicopter head on, and another with 4+ hours TSA lines. Guess will stick with the third option with the crazy mobile units.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2026 12:37     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:And the follow up question is why was today magically better?


Less people traveling. Thursday, Friday and Saturday would be main days for traveling. Especially Saturday. Sunday less, and if those, a small portion managed to change to a different airport.


There are also reports that they sent in extra TSA agents to BWI, from other airports.

I read they had additional K-9 units which allowed for them to treat regular security like TSA pre check and allowed the line to move more quickly.


They were already doing that on the insanity days. Shoes on, liquids and laptops stayed in bags. Once you got to the actual screening it was just like precheck whether you had it or not.

I’m still just so upset at all the stress and ruined vacations. We made our flight but barely and it was so incredibly stressful. It will be a very very long time before I fly BWI or SWA again, knowing we could have gone out of IAD or DCA (our normal airports) without issue.


Same. I used to choose Bwi cause it was a small airport with usually quick processing. Never again.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2026 10:27     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:And the follow up question is why was today magically better?


Less people traveling. Thursday, Friday and Saturday would be main days for traveling. Especially Saturday. Sunday less, and if those, a small portion managed to change to a different airport.


There are also reports that they sent in extra TSA agents to BWI, from other airports.

I read they had additional K-9 units which allowed for them to treat regular security like TSA pre check and allowed the line to move more quickly.


They were already doing that on the insanity days. Shoes on, liquids and laptops stayed in bags. Once you got to the actual screening it was just like precheck whether you had it or not.

I’m still just so upset at all the stress and ruined vacations. We made our flight but barely and it was so incredibly stressful. It will be a very very long time before I fly BWI or SWA again, knowing we could have gone out of IAD or DCA (our normal airports) without issue.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2026 10:09     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
My husband and I were both on planes today that we take pretty often. They were both 1/3 empty, which is not normal.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2026 10:04     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It has to do with the % of TSA agents calling out at those airports. DCA and IAD have not had the call-outs that BWI has had.


This is obvious. The question is why?

I've read (probably on DCUM) that IAD and DCA TSA are privately contracted and funded so they're being paid - no idea if it's true.

I don’t think that’s true. Dulles and DCA aren’t listed as airports that use private contractors. I think it has more to do with BWI TSA staff pulling more from the Baltimore area, while staff for IAD/DCA pull more from the DC/NoVa region where they have a higher tolerance for federal government shenanigans.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2026 09:56     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:And the follow up question is why was today magically better?


Less people traveling. Thursday, Friday and Saturday would be main days for traveling. Especially Saturday. Sunday less, and if those, a small portion managed to change to a different airport.


There are also reports that they sent in extra TSA agents to BWI, from other airports.

I read they had additional K-9 units which allowed for them to treat regular security like TSA pre check and allowed the line to move more quickly.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2026 09:54     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It has to do with the % of TSA agents calling out at those airports. DCA and IAD have not had the call-outs that BWI has had.


This is obvious. The question is why?

I've read (probably on DCUM) that IAD and DCA TSA are privately contracted and funded so they're being paid - no idea if it's true.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2026 09:49     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:And the follow up question is why was today magically better?


Less people traveling. Thursday, Friday and Saturday would be main days for traveling. Especially Saturday. Sunday less, and if those, a small portion managed to change to a different airport.


There are also reports that they sent in extra TSA agents to BWI, from other airports.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2026 21:55     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:And the follow up question is why was today magically better?


Less people traveling. Thursday, Friday and Saturday would be main days for traveling. Especially Saturday. Sunday less, and if those, a small portion managed to change to a different airport.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2026 21:11     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
And the follow up question is why was today magically better?
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2026 21:10     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:It has to do with the % of TSA agents calling out at those airports. DCA and IAD have not had the call-outs that BWI has had.


This is obvious. The question is why?
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2026 21:04     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It has to do with the % of TSA agents calling out at those airports. DCA and IAD have not had the call-outs that BWI has had.

Dulles has centralized security so you can access any terminal through any security line. That helps prevent what’s going on at BWI, where they have to staff security lines for the lower capacity terminals. They can’t distribute Southwest customers to the other lines and they can’t close those lines either, because it’s the only way for passengers traveling on other airlines to get to their gate.


BWI is building a shuttle between the two wings but it isn’t there yet.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2026 18:44     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:It has to do with the % of TSA agents calling out at those airports. DCA and IAD have not had the call-outs that BWI has had.

Dulles has centralized security so you can access any terminal through any security line. That helps prevent what’s going on at BWI, where they have to staff security lines for the lower capacity terminals. They can’t distribute Southwest customers to the other lines and they can’t close those lines either, because it’s the only way for passengers traveling on other airlines to get to their gate.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2026 18:33     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Went through security checkpoint C at 5:40pm. Less than 20 minutes. Hardly any lines at SW check in. Appreciate everyone’s tips yesterday. You can drop bags 4 hrs ahead of time. We went and grabbed food outside airport and then parked and went through security.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2026 17:05     Subject: BWI really terrible today!
Anonymous wrote:I think at BWI there is no inside the security perimeter hallway between D/E and A/B/C.


Correct. You would have to exit through security to get from D to C.