Airports seek to ease checkpoint process with lane for families, people carrying liquids

ST. LOUIS -- The cumbersome task of getting through the airport checkpoint is getting a little easier at Lambert Airport in St. Louis and around the country.

Transportation Security Administration security director Bill Switzer was at Lambert on Friday for the opening of the airport's family and medically exempt liquids lane.

The lane is aimed at helping families, particularly those with small children, pass through in a separate lane while more seasoned passengers can move through the regular lines. Also, people carrying liquids, aerosols and gels for medical reasons -- for example, cough medicine, insulin, prescription medications -- can get through the checkpoint faster by using the lane.

"TSA is making a great effort to make it more friendly for families," Switzer said. "When people come here for the holiday season, everybody feels rushed."

And while the change comes in time for Thanksgiving, it is permanent, Switzer said.

On Friday, the lane appeared to be helping at times, as parents led young children through the so-called family lane at a busy checkpoint at Lambert. But at other times, the lane was empty while long lines of passengers waited to get through the regular checkpoints.

Paige Eismann, a checkpoint supervisor at Lambert, said that aside from making it easier for families and to get liquids for medical needs through the checkpoint, other requirements are still in place. Other liquids must be in containers with 3.4 fluid ounces or less. And those liquids must be in a resealable bag placed in a bin.

Alcohol, wine and soda are still not allowed through the checkpoint. Knives and other weapons are still not allowed. Wrapped packages will be unwrapped and checked.

"If you don't want them unwrapped and rewrapped, please remember to wrap them at your destination," Eismann said.

TSA officials said medical-needs liquids will undergo additional screening, but the process usually takes less than two minutes. Restrictions on quantities of liquids, gels and aerosols were implemented in August 2006 as part of the effort to prevent terrorism.

Use of the family-medical liquids lanes began at selected airports earlier but is now being expanded to all airports.

Airports are entering one of the busiest travel times of the year, the period right before and after Thanksgiving. Lambert spokesman Jeff Lea said the peak is expected to be the weekend after Thanksgiving. And while the economy has taken a toll on travel, Lea expects big crowds.

"It's not going to be the Thanksgiving of the past, but relatively speaking, it's going to be busy," he said.