Forget wine bars, fashion boutiques and Wi-Fi hot spots. At four U.S. airports, the most popular new feature is a security line that lets a select few travelers whiz through the screening process with their shoes on, their laptops stowed and their dignity intact.
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8 j u3 q: g) @4 i$ h2 n1 P) {" R zFor now, only high-mileage members of the frequent-flier programs of Delta Air Lines Inc. and American Airlines, along with U.S. citizens enrolled in any of three 'trusted traveler' programs run by the U.S. government, have a shot at this red-carpet treatment.9 u& C8 B- {3 J0 P" H. y
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The expedited screenings, which the Transportation Security Administration has been testing since Oct. 4, are available solely for domestic flights at invitation-only security lanes─one each at the Miami, Atlanta and Detroit airports and at Dallas/Fort Worth International.. ]8 y* U G, R" X3 ]
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The pilot program, called TSA PreCheck, spares eligible passengers one of the biggest hassles of modern air travel: having to strip off their shoes, belts and jackets and put them in plastic bins, along with their wallets, computers and toiletries, before they and their belongings pass through metal detectors.7 a$ i9 z8 G- f# w2 K) ~
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'This is absolutely, unequivocally the most convenient, exciting, enhanced passenger experience that's come to an airport since Sept. 11, 2001,' says Jason Muntz, a national account manager for a paint company.
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Mr. Muntz, who flies 200,000 miles a year and is an elite Delta customer, says the new process at his hometown airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, takes less than a minute, down from as long as 15 to 20 minutes in the line reserved for Delta's high-mileage fliers who aren't part of the new program.
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The TSA said this week it is extending the program to three more airports. In December, a special screening lane will be available to top-tier Delta and American passengers at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. In early 2012, the Minneapolis airport will offer a similar lane for elite Delta customers, and Los Angeles International Airport will provide one for their counterparts at American, a unit of AMR Corp.
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When the TSA announced the program in July, it said it eventually planned to expand it to more airports and carriers, including United Continental Holdings Inc., Southwest Airlines Co., US Airways Group Inc., JetBlue Airways Corp., and Alaska Air Group Inc.'s Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. The agency declined to comment on when or where it might make further additions.* B1 N# h2 D$ Z. W% \
% u8 Z* p1 z: a/ t3 Z5 p1 a: wAs many as 2,000 of the 1.7 million domestic passengers the TSA screens daily go through each of the four special lanes. They are greeted by new signs the agency has placed there that say such things as: 'Keep those shoes on. You busy traveler, you.'& q6 f; i3 c& |* w
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'The ultimate goal is to move away from one-size-fits-all' security, says Robin Kane, the TSA's assistant administrator for security capabilities.+ c- B' o5 G2 h1 \9 l* P, p+ N2 n/ w
( I* T9 H0 s5 `0 m3 j# VThe new approach is one of a series of programs the agency has introduced recently to adjust security measures to the degree of risk. Children age 12 and younger, for example, no longer need automatically remove their shoes at a security checkpoint. At five U.S airports, some airline pilots are allowed to clear security more quickly because the TSA can identify them and verify their employment.3 W* m, |7 ]& Z& E# n
# J: m' B0 R: ~' p" b+ {TSA PreCheck takes advantage of the vast pool of data airlines have about their most-frequent-flying loyalty-program members. To be eligible for the program, those fliers must authorize the carriers to share their data with the TSA, which reserves the right to subject them to additional screening, says the agency's Mr. Kane. So far, a total of 280,000 people have opted into the free program.
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Delta put the offer to the highest echelons of its SkyMiles loyalty plan over the summer, but it wouldn't specify the number of members involved or what levels they occupied in the hierarchy.
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American declined to disclose which elite members of its AAdvantage program were solicited, but a spokesman added that the 'take rate' was among the highest of all recent offers sent to its premium customers.
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Tyler McMillan, who works in information technology and finance for Coca-Cola Co. and flies about 100,000 miles a year─usually with two laptops in tow─says the first time he went through the PreCheck lane at Hartsfield, 'I was shocked that it was so easy and so fast. I was so impressed.'
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But until the program expands to more airports, 'it's only painless one-way,' he says.
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Another route into PreCheck, even for those with no connection to Delta or American, is through Customs and Border Protection's 2008 Global Entry program. That program, which costs $100 for five years, requires travelers to complete a detailed online questionnaire and then participate in a personal interview with a CBP agent.
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Global Entry fliers skip the immigration lines at 20 U.S. airports. Instead, they simply swipe their passports, scan their finger prints and type in a few details about their flights at kiosks in the immigration arrival hall. 'It takes two minutes,' says a CBP spokeswoman. |
发表于 2012-8-14 23:21:39
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