JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Anyone who has ever traveled with kids knows it can be a lot. There's the stress of getting through security and that oh-so-lovely rush of anxiety you get as you struggle to fold your stroller while keeping an eye on your little one. Well, now there may be some hope for traveling families. The Transportation Security Administration is rolling out the Families on the Fly program. Marian Summerall with Central Florida Public Media checked out these new family friendly lanes.
UNIDENTIFIED TSA AGENT: Pockets empty?
MARIAN SUMMERALL, BYLINE: With a baby on her back and two children clinging to her legs, Emily Manley is approaching the security checkpoint line at Orlando International Airport.
EMILY MANLEY: I've got three. Three of these are mine.
SUMMERALL: They're on their way to Oregon and are directed to the family lane - a new concept from the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA.
MANLEY: They told us way down. They're like, walk right over there. There's a family friendly line. And they were super sweet to all the kids.
SUMMERALL: She is relieved that there aren't too many other people around rushing to get through security to catch their flights. That way, her kids don't get separated from her.
MANLEY: The other ones I've gone through are like - they're like, you know, holding them back, like, physically, as I go through so we don't go through at the same time, which is scary for kids.
SUMMERALL: In fact, TSA says it will not separate children from guardians in these lanes and has modified screening procedures it says limits pat-downs.
PETE GARCIA: You're an expert there. Yeah, you're all done.
SUMMERALL: Pete Garcia is helping some families arrange their bins. He's TSA's security director here.
GARCIA: You see the number of strollers and small children. And we want to be able to provide them as much assistance as we can and get them through here as effectively and efficiently as we can.
SUMMERALL: Garcia says there's just more patience and help for families with small children.
GARCIA: A lot of times, they'll - they may be in a standard lane, you know, mixed in there with business travelers and other folks, and they may feel like they - they're a burden.
SUMMERALL: But not in this lane. And Emily Manley can calmly gather all her kids and her belongings after passing through the TSA checkpoint.
MANLEY: It's so nice. I love anything that's, like, geared towards families because you don't find it often.
SUMMERALL: Besides Orlando, at least 10 other airports, including Oklahoma City, Tampa, Salt Lake City and Charlotte, have rolled out family friendly security lanes, and TSA says more are in the works.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Have a safe flight.
(LAUGHTER)
SUMMERALL: For NPR News, I'm Marian Summerall in Orlando.
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