SFO no.

Usually when I travel, I go on United, and, as such, use the United terminal at SFO. It is fine, nothing spectacular...but after my security experience just now...well, it seems outstanding, especially the special security line for those with airline status. (Elitist? Maybe. But I have put in my time!)

I am flying out to Toronto, and am on a codeshare flight with Air Canada (I always try to fly for miles...all about the free flights and upgrades!). Air Canada is in a terminal with Alaska, Airtran, and Continental. The check in was fine, but then I approached the security. The little sign said, "5-10 minutes from this point." I entered security way past that point, so figured I would fly right through.

This was not to be.

I don't know if it was because it is a Sunday night, or because these airlines don't cater so much to the business traveler, but the lines moved so slowly you would have thought every person was flying for the first time. Because it is Sunday night after a kind of busy weekend, and I am tired, my patience was very thin. It took at least 20 minutes, which doesn't seem like a long time, but when you are getting stabbed in the back by some lady's pillow, and someone else is reeking like smoke so badly your eyes are watering, 20 minutes is an eternity.

I appreciate the need for security lines. I have yet to figure out how me taking out my laptop, taking off my shoes, and stripping off my jacket/sweater/anything one layer out from my skin really makes me safer. I wouldn't mind all this security in the least if it was really making us safer. To me, it seems it just perpetuates the state of fear in which we've all lived since 9/11. Security has not improved since I flew on 9/15/2001. There are just more rules.

So, if you're flying out of SFO, especially Terminal 1, make sure to bring a few extra minutes and a lot of extra patience.

(and...apparently, it just became ok to POLISH YOUR NAILS in the terminal. Her nail polish must have been in her little quart-sized ziploc bag)