Some Travelers Could Qualify For Expedited Screening At
Selected Airports
TSA Administrator John S. Pistole spoke Thursday with aviation
stakeholders to provide an update on TSA’s ongoing efforts to
implement risk-based, intelligence-driven security measures.
As part of the discussion, Pistole provided details on the
agency’s plan to conduct a pilot program in the coming months
to enhance TSA’s identity-based, pre-flight screening
capabilities and provide trusted travelers with expedited
screening.
“These improvements will enable our officers to focus
their efforts on higher risk areas,” said TSA Administrator
John S. Pistole. “Enhancing identity-based screening is
another common sense step in the right direction as we continue to
strengthen overall security, and improve the passenger experience
whenever possible.”
During Thursday's briefing, Administrator Pistole informed industry
stakeholders that as part of a pilot beginning this fall, TSA will
test enhancements to TSA's pre-flight, identity-based screening
capabilities through a partnership with U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) as well as U.S. air carriers. During the first
phase of testing, certain frequent fliers and certain members of
CBP's Trusted Traveler programs, including members of Global Entry,
SENTRI, and NEXUS, who are U.S. citizens will be eligible to
participate in this pilot, which could qualify them for expedited
screening at select checkpoints at certain airports.
At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International and Detroit
Metropolitan Wayne County airports, certain frequent fliers from
Delta Air Lines and certain members of CBP’s Trusted Traveler
programs who are U.S. citizens and who are also flying on Delta
will be eligible to participate in the pilot. At Miami
International and Dallas Fort Worth International airports, certain
frequent fliers from American Airlines and certain members of
CBP’s Trusted Traveler programs who are U.S. citizens and who
are also flying on American will be eligible. TSA plans to expand
this pilot to include United Airlines, Southwest, JetBlue, US
Airways, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines, as well as
additional airports, once operationally ready.
Administrator Pistole will work with CBP Commissioner Alan D.
Bersin and the airlines to determine passenger eligibility for this
screening pilot, which is limited to U.S. citizens and is
voluntary. As part of the pilot, these passengers may be eligible
for expedited screening at the aforementioned airports. All
passengers in this pilot are subject to recurrent security checks
and random screening.
This pilot initiative will help inform TSA’s next steps as
the agency considers future risk-based, intelligence-driven
security measures that would enable travelers to volunteer more
information about themselves prior to flying.
During the briefing, Administrator Pistole reiterated that TSA
will continue to incorporate random and unpredictable security
measures throughout the airport and no individual will be
guaranteed expedited screening. He further explained that airport
security checkpoints are only one part of a multi-layered system
for aviation security. Other layers of security, both seen and
unseen by the public, include intelligence gathering and analysis,
explosive-detection canine teams, federal air marshals,
closed-circuit television monitoring and behavior detection
officers.