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Four US airports to test expedited screening plan
Source: Agencies |
July 15, 2011, Friday
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US authorities will begin allowing some frequent fliers this fall to participate in a pilot program for expedited screening at four hub airports, the Transportation Security Administration said yesterday.
Frequent fliers with Delta Air Lines and AMR Corp's American Airlines as well as anyone enrolled in the Customs and Border Protection agency's Trusted Traveler programs could qualify to go through expedited screening in Atlanta, Detroit, Miami and Dallas-Fort Worth.
The TSA has been under pressure to tailor airport security screening to focus on higher risks, particularly after complaints that young children and the elderly are being unnecessarily scrutinized.
The complaints also follow the introduction of physical patdowns for passengers who refuse to go through new full-body scanners or set off such detectors.
"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," TSA Administrator John Pistole said in a statement.
Officials said the program would start sometime in the fall but did not say how long it would run.
Authorities and airlines would review a traveler's information before they would be eligible for the pilot program. Of the 1.8 million who go through checkpoints daily, some 5,000 to 8,000 US citizens a day could get such screening.
Pistole has said previously that expedited screening could permit a traveler to keep his or her shoes on and also not be required to take a laptop out of the bag for X-ray.
Passengers who are part of the pilot still may be subjected to regular screening procedures in a bid to ensure randomness, according to TSA. The agency said also it hoped to expand the program to other US air carriers and airports later
Frequent fliers with Delta Air Lines and AMR Corp's American Airlines as well as anyone enrolled in the Customs and Border Protection agency's Trusted Traveler programs could qualify to go through expedited screening in Atlanta, Detroit, Miami and Dallas-Fort Worth.
The TSA has been under pressure to tailor airport security screening to focus on higher risks, particularly after complaints that young children and the elderly are being unnecessarily scrutinized.
The complaints also follow the introduction of physical patdowns for passengers who refuse to go through new full-body scanners or set off such detectors.
"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," TSA Administrator John Pistole said in a statement.
Officials said the program would start sometime in the fall but did not say how long it would run.
Authorities and airlines would review a traveler's information before they would be eligible for the pilot program. Of the 1.8 million who go through checkpoints daily, some 5,000 to 8,000 US citizens a day could get such screening.
Pistole has said previously that expedited screening could permit a traveler to keep his or her shoes on and also not be required to take a laptop out of the bag for X-ray.
Passengers who are part of the pilot still may be subjected to regular screening procedures in a bid to ensure randomness, according to TSA. The agency said also it hoped to expand the program to other US air carriers and airports later
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