People who frequently travel as a result of cheap traveloptions, such as cheapairplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, and cheap vacation packages, aresometimes discouraged by the long lines they face going through airportsecurity.
In an attempt to expedite travel through airport securitylines, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) PreCheck program isbeing more than doubled in size.
Recent feedback from travelers indicate that there arelonger PreCheck lines than before the latest expansion, as well as sometimeslonger waits than at standard airport security lines.
TSA announced in September that it was expanding itspopular expedited security program to 60 new airports in addition to the 40airports already offering this program. Today PreCheck enables qualified travelers on seven airlines to passthrough dedicated security checkpoints at 97 airports. By the end of this year there will be 100 airportsparticipating.
Participating travelers do not have to remove their shoeswhen going through airport security checkpoints or take their laptops out oftheir carry-on bag. Airlines currentlypart of this program are Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, United, US Airways,and Virgin America. JetBlue is planningon joining shortly.
Some travelers have noticed that as the number of PreCheckpassengers increases wait times at their dedicated lines at airport securitycheckpoints have grown as well.
TSA refuses to provide the number of PreCheckparticipants. It has acknowledged that18 million passengers have gone through PreCheck lanes since the programstarted in October of 2011. Selectmembers of frequent flier programs have been invited to apply for PreCheckprivileges by participating airlines. Others have qualified by being members of an existing Customs and BorderProtection Trusted Travel program, such as Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI.
TSA intermittently allows low risk travelers to use aPreCheck lane on a case by case basis. By the end of this year PreCheck will be open to all U.S. citizens. To apply, travelers will have to pay an $85fee and agree to a background check and fingerprinting. Membership is good for five years.
TSA plans to address complaints about slower lines byexpanding the number of PreCheck lanes and their availability. The whole point of the process is that it issupposed to provide expedited screening for trusted travelers in the mostefficient way possible.
Ultimately TSAs objective is to have the majority of U.S.fliers viewed as trustworthy travelers who pose no threat to others on aplane. Eventually almost all screeningpositions at airports will be devoted to PreCheck members.
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