Airlines for America (A4A) applauded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plan to expand the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) PreCheck program to include an additional 60 airports across the country.
A4A said expansion will more than double the number of U.S. airports with expedited screening lanes to a total of 100 locations by the end of 2013. TSA officials noted more than 15 million passengers have used TSA PreCheck since it launched in October 2011.
A4A said it has consistently advocated for programs that take a risk-based approach to security, including TSA PreCheck and Known Crewmember, which enable TSA to focus its resources on greater threats, enhancing safety and security while making travel more efficient and convenient for customers.
“Expanding the TSA PreCheck program to 100 U.S. airports will greatly improve the overall travel experience by enabling more passengers to benefit from expedited screening procedures across the country,” said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. “We applaud DHS for continuing to advance risk-based solutions that make travel more convenient and enjoyable for the traveling public, while enhancing safety and security.”
Joining A4A was U.S. Travel's Roger Dow, president and CEO. "The travel community applauds this move to dramatically expand the PreCheck program, which already has immensely benefitted the traveler experience while bolstering aviation security and the national economy. We are grateful to Administrator John Pistole and the TSA for so aggressively getting behind this win-win program."
"A decade ago, the widespread assumption was that we couldn't enjoy sound security and passenger convenience at the same time. PreCheck has given us the evidence that that's not the case. By letting low-risk passengers pre-submit their personal information to speed up the screening process, TSA has provided the tools to get passengers through the nation's airports more quickly and safely. Given that travel is a $2.0 trillion industry that supports one out of every eight jobs, PreCheck is a program that benefits not just travelers, but the country as a whole."
"We in the industry stand ready to assist with the next crucial step: building up passenger participation and enrollment well beyond the 15 million travelers who have already availed themselves of the service," Dow said.
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