General Discussion

I've traveled twice this summer. Both experiences were unpleasant because every single seat was sold and the airports were jam--packed and understaffed.

I had my worst experience ever with security screening in Omaha, Nebraska just last week. We arrived 2 hours early (thanks to my SIL's obsession with getting there a full 2 hours early. We barely made it to our plane on time. Security took approximately an hour. They were running bags multiple times. They didn't have the staff needed for those who needed extra screening (my mother in a wheelchair, my daughter and I who both opt out because we are heavy medical radiation users), anyone over 75 who just went through the medical detector. My daughter's and my belongs cleared a full half our before our pat downs. My mother lost some of her medicine because she forgot it was in her rollator (which they took through after her) and they had to send it back through screening, my daughter and I saw what was happening but had no way to alert anyone on the other side of screening. And, rather than checking the rollator through to our ultimate destination they checked it to the transfer airport (even though we had arranged in advance for wheelchair assist through the busy Chicago airport on a tight timeline).

So it may be that everyone is just crammed on fewer flights, with fewer airlines - but security and the waiting areas in airports are busier than ever.