Program Now Includes American Airlines

The TSA announced this week that American Airlines will participate in TSA Pre-Check operations at LaGuardia Airport (LGA). At LGA, select American Airlines and Delta Air Lines frequent flyers and passengers who are members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler programs are now eligible to participate in TSA Pre-Check when traveling domestically.

TSA Pre-Check is part of the agency’s larger effort to implement risk-based security concepts that enhance security by focusing on travelers considered high-risk and about whom the agency knows less. To date, more than 1.4 million passengers have experienced TSA Pre-Check. TSA Pre-Check is available in 15 airports for Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines frequent flyers.

“We welcome LaGuardia’s American Airlines frequent flyers to TSA Pre-Check as part of the agency’s shift away from a one-size-fits-all approach to a more intelligence-driven and efficient security system,” said Douglas Hofsass, TSA Associate Administrator for Risk-Based Security. “Better prescreening enables TSA to more effectively prioritize screening resources in the field by separating out low-risk individuals and those we can learn more about.”

TSA Pre-Check has been in place at LGA since April, when Delta Air Lines began the program there. Eligible passengers include U.S. citizens flying on participating airlines as well as those who are members of CBP Trusted Traveler programs, including Global Entry, SENTRI and NEXUS.

If TSA determines a passenger is eligible for expedited screening through the TSA Pre-Check prescreening process, information is embedded in the barcode of the passenger’s boarding pass. TSA reads the barcode at the designated checkpoint and the passenger may be referred to the TSA Pre-Check lane where they will undergo expedited screening, which could include being able to leave their shoes, light outerwear and belts on, allowing them to keep their laptops in their cases and 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bags in their carry-on. TSA will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport and no individual is guaranteed expedited screening.

As part of the effort to implement additional risk-based security procedures, TSA is in the process of testing several other screening concepts, including a program designed to positively identify airline pilots, the use of expanded behavior detection techniques, and providing TSA Pre-Check screening benefits to U.S. military active duty members traveling through Ronald Reagan Washington National and Seattle-Tacoma International airports.

TSA’s multi-layered approach to security also includes behavior detection officers, explosives-detection systems, canine teams, and federal air marshals, among other measures that are both seen and unseen.

FMI: www.tsa.gov