Expedited Airport Screening Program Expanding

By Author: Steve Robinson
Total Articles: 468
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As much as frequent fliers love cheap travel options, be they cheap airplane tickets and discount hotel rooms or cheap vacation packages, sometimes they feel discouraged when facing long airport security checkpoints that appear to be moving at a snail’s pace.

The good news is that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has decided to enlarge its PreCheck security program to an additional 28 airports this year.

Approved fliers in this program are able to move through security without having to remove their shoes, belts and jackets. Additional benefits include being able to leave laptops and TSA approved liquids in their carry-ons.

By adding the country’s busiest airports to this program the Department of Homeland Security believes the country’s security capabilities will expand and ease the screening process for travelers who have been identified as “trusted partners.” Now more attention will be shifted to screening fliers that may be of greater risk.

To date, the TSA has screened and approved 336,000 fliers to join the program which was introduced last year at seven airports. ...
... Eligible members include American citizens who are frequent fliers on selected airlines. Travelers interested in participating can apply via the government’s Global Entry website.

After a flier has been approved for expedited screening, information is added to the barcode of his or her boarding pass. Once scanned at a security checkpoint the traveler may be directed to an expedited screening lane.

Chicago’s O’Hare, New York’s JFK, Salt Lake City, and Washington’s Regan National airports will be added to the program by the end of March. The following 24 airports will be added prior to the end of 2012:

• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
• Denver International Airport (DEN)
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
• Honolulu International Airport (HNL)
• Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
• LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
• Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL)
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
• Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU)
• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• Orlando International Airport (MCO)
• Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
• Portland International Airport (PDX)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
• Tampa International Airport (TPA)
• Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
• Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
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