Historically, security screeners have fixated on looking for “bad things” rather than “bad people” – searching for potentially dangerous objects rather than trying to ferret out possibly dangerous folks. Now, possible signs of a shift.
The Transportation Security Administration is rolling out a pilot program at a quartet of airports: Detroit Metro, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Miami International and Dallas/Ft. Worth International. At the first two, select members of Delta’s SkyMiles frequent flyer program will get expedited passage through security. At MIA and DFW certain members of American’s AAdvantage frequent flyer program will receive the same. Select travelers belonging to the United States Custom and Border Protection’s Trusted Traveler program will also get faster screening. That could mean people participating in the pilot effort might not have to do things like shed shoes and take their laptops out of carrying cases. Everyone will still have to pass through a metal detector. To make sure the bad guys don’t game the system TSA says in a prepared release, “All passengers in this pilot are subject to recurrent security checks and random screening.”
The aim of all this is “to enable our officers to focus their efforts on higher-risk areas,” asserts TSA Administrator John S. Pistole. “Enhancing identity-based screening is another common sense step in the right direction.”
Industry insiders seem to agree. But they’d like to see the effort go further. “As the program evolves, it is critical that eligibility expands beyond frequent flyer programs,” says Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. Dow wants to see to it that “the entirety of the security process—lines and screening—is improved for all travelers.”
As for the shift in emphasis to real risk-based security, we aren’t anywhere near that yet. Still, Global Business Travel Association Executive Director and COO Michael W. McCormick says, “TSA has taken a significant step toward turning theory into practice.”
We’ll have to wait to see how this practice actually plays out at the airport.
Read the Cheapflights guide for getting through security at the airport.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: glenmcbethlaw)
