Travelling is a fantastic thing; meeting new people, seeing new places, and gaining new perspectives through new experiences are just a few of the perks. Planes have brought great things to the table in terms of traveling; they have made it quicker, more efficient, and more widely available. In recent years, however, flying has become a bit of a hassle, with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) enacting strict guidelines and protocols in the name of keeping airlines and their passengers safe. Anyone who has traveled by air (or knows someone who has) is familiar with the numerous inconveniences, such as taking off your shoes, opening up laptops, searching through bags, and removing any trace of metal. All of that might be changing soon, however.
The TSA announced that it is going to be expanding its PreCheck program, which would allow certain, pre-approved individuals to go through separate screening lanes, where they would not have to take off belts or shoes, open their laptops, or go through the trouble of similar measures. Currently, the program has been used by about 15 million people, and is set to become available at sixty new airports with this latest expansion.
So far, passengers who receive invitations by airlines, CBP Trusted Traveler program members, Canadian NEXUS members, and those who are members of frequent flier clubs are eligible for these PreCheck lanes. Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America all currently make use of the PreCheck lanes, and JetBlue and Southwest are expected to eventually join the ranks.
On the topic of the expansion, TSA Administrator John S. Pistole had this to say: “As the TSA continues to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to transportation security, we are looking for more opportunities to provide the most effective security in the most efficient way possible. Expanding TSA Precheck to more locations enables many more passengers across the country to experience expedited screening.”
Image courtesy of the TSA website, where you can find additional information about the PreCheck program.