My first experience with PreCheck
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: IAH mostly.
Programs: I still call it Onepass every now and then. Platinum.
Posts: 500
My first experience with PreCheck
I got my Global Entry approval in August, but until Monday night at SEA, I had never had the opportunity to go through a PreCheck lane. Lots of three beeps in BOS Term C and SFO, but no reward for my trouble.
Monday night I got to go through the PreCheck lane at SEA.
My first reaction: This is AWESOME!
My second reaction: Why did I have to pay $100 to be treated respectfully and not just presumed to be a criminal? Why can't all U.S. citizens be treated as respectfully?
It's just wrong and it's a distraction from the real issue that lets TSA off the hook from the people who have to deal with them the most often.
Monday night I got to go through the PreCheck lane at SEA.
My first reaction: This is AWESOME!
My second reaction: Why did I have to pay $100 to be treated respectfully and not just presumed to be a criminal? Why can't all U.S. citizens be treated as respectfully?
It's just wrong and it's a distraction from the real issue that lets TSA off the hook from the people who have to deal with them the most often.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 11,513
If you don't have airline elite status (or recent frequent travel), you do have to be a member of a DHS TT program in order to participate.
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: IAH mostly.
Programs: I still call it Onepass every now and then. Platinum.
Posts: 500
But again, that speaks to my larger gripe: just because someone is a kettle and doesn't fly enough to be elite or doesn't wish to pay for GE, they shouldn't not be assumed to be a common criminal every time they fly. Every U.S. citizen (or legal resident for that matter) should be treated with the same amount of respect and deference that precheck members get. Period.
Like I said, TSA created precheck so that the people who fly the most and complain the loudest can bypass the lines. They're oiling the squeaky wheel, so to say. But that doesn't fix the indignity and injustice of the current airport security process.
#5
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: Delta TDK(or care)WIA, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,869
I don't think the $100 is the worst of it. From what I understand though, NEXUS is a better choice for somebody who can get to a NEXUS center. $50 and from reading elsewhere it allows you to enroll in GE for no additional cost.
If you notice, your $100 didn't simply allow you to avoid being treated like a criminal. How many people were in line in front of you? Any? The maximum I've ever had in front of me has been 5. My first time, I went through it alone.
How many clerks were there? 3?
1 X-ray
1 WTMD
3 clerks
All for just you and me.
Totally worth much more than $100, but what you and I are doing is receiving the advantage of a greatly disproportionate amount of government resources - paid for by EVERYONE'S taxes. Look to your left the next time you go through, those people paid for the clerks and equipment to get you through. Your taxes and GE fee, and my taxes and NEXUS fee, didn't pay anywhere close to the full cost of that. We are receiving benefits paid for by the taxes of people on the other side of the barrier to our left.
PLUS
WHY is the entrance to Precheck at SEA behind the Elite entrance? I was an FO before I started using it (before they set it up as behind the Elite entrance in fact) and have always gotten past the dragon with no problem but why should a Kettle who's NEXUS or GE be turned away or even have to argue?
If you qualify, it has NOTHING TO DO with your relationship with the airline. It is a GOVERNMENT program.
They created it to create a class of Übermenschen among the most frequent flyers and TSA critics. They want to shut us up by giving us a special experience. I won't shut up. Don't you shut up either.
If you notice, your $100 didn't simply allow you to avoid being treated like a criminal. How many people were in line in front of you? Any? The maximum I've ever had in front of me has been 5. My first time, I went through it alone.
How many clerks were there? 3?
1 X-ray
1 WTMD
3 clerks
All for just you and me.
Totally worth much more than $100, but what you and I are doing is receiving the advantage of a greatly disproportionate amount of government resources - paid for by EVERYONE'S taxes. Look to your left the next time you go through, those people paid for the clerks and equipment to get you through. Your taxes and GE fee, and my taxes and NEXUS fee, didn't pay anywhere close to the full cost of that. We are receiving benefits paid for by the taxes of people on the other side of the barrier to our left.
PLUS
WHY is the entrance to Precheck at SEA behind the Elite entrance? I was an FO before I started using it (before they set it up as behind the Elite entrance in fact) and have always gotten past the dragon with no problem but why should a Kettle who's NEXUS or GE be turned away or even have to argue?
If you qualify, it has NOTHING TO DO with your relationship with the airline. It is a GOVERNMENT program.
They created it to create a class of Übermenschen among the most frequent flyers and TSA critics. They want to shut us up by giving us a special experience. I won't shut up. Don't you shut up either.
#6
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Between EWR & PHL
Programs: UA MileagePlus dirt (former hard-way Silver); AS Mileage Plan MVP; Hilton Honors Silver
Posts: 1,586
united.com: TSA pre-screening program
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: IAH mostly.
Programs: I still call it Onepass every now and then. Platinum.
Posts: 500
UA does a lot of things wrong, but they were pretty open about the whole PreCheck thing.
united.com: TSA pre-screening program
united.com: TSA pre-screening program
Maybe I'm using the wrong term when I say, "invited." Fair point.
#8
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,444
But again, that speaks to my larger gripe: just because someone is a kettle and doesn't fly enough to be elite or doesn't wish to pay for GE, they shouldn't not be assumed to be a common criminal every time they fly. Every U.S. citizen (or legal resident for that matter) should be treated with the same amount of respect and deference that precheck members get. Period.
We foreigners are often the most mistreated, just because they can.
#9
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Catania, Sicily/South Jersey (PHL)/Houston, Texas/Red Stick/airborne in-between
Programs: United Global Svs, AA PlatPro, WN RR, AZ/ITA Freccia, Hilton Diam, Bonvoy Gold, Hertz Prez, IHG
Posts: 3,548
I actually got a small lecture to put my coat back on. I had already removed watch, wallet, phone etc and stored in my coat before hte check point. They actually did not have any bins available to use and the TSA "girl" was huffy because she had to go get me a bin to run through the machine, but it was a very easy experiance versus normal TSA feckless nonsense.
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: IAH mostly.
Programs: I still call it Onepass every now and then. Platinum.
Posts: 500
I finally flew a domestic segment out of IAH a couple of weeks ago and got my first three beeps (both GE and elite on UA not sure which made it happen)
I actually got a small lecture to put my coat back on. I had already removed watch, wallet, phone etc and stored in my coat before hte check point. They actually did not have any bins available to use and the TSA "girl" was huffy because she had to go get me a bin to run through the machine, but it was a very easy experiance versus normal TSA feckless nonsense.
I actually got a small lecture to put my coat back on. I had already removed watch, wallet, phone etc and stored in my coat before hte check point. They actually did not have any bins available to use and the TSA "girl" was huffy because she had to go get me a bin to run through the machine, but it was a very easy experiance versus normal TSA feckless nonsense.
#11
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: SYD (perenially), GVA (not in a long time)
Programs: QF PS, EK-Gold, Security Theatre Critic
Posts: 6,792
And even more so, this. ^^^^
#12
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: Delta TDK(or care)WIA, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,869
Probably the OP did not mean Lawful Permanent Resident, but just anybody legally in the United States.
#13
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1,685
Make it a $1k. I don't care. I like not having to be groped, not having to reveal to strangers my shoulder problems, and finally being treated at a checkpoint with dignity again.
I like that the cost does keep the lines low. Just like airport parking. Make it $50/day, I'll gladly pay to know I have a spot open for me, and easy access to the terminal without having to go to the edge of eternity.
In Dubai I use Marhaba services which charged me about $12 to be escorted through customs. We went past the large lines of economy passengers, beyond the business and first class passengers, even beyond the diplomat line to an unlabeled line where customs was quick and friendly. Sometimes it just pays to pay.
I like that the cost does keep the lines low. Just like airport parking. Make it $50/day, I'll gladly pay to know I have a spot open for me, and easy access to the terminal without having to go to the edge of eternity.
In Dubai I use Marhaba services which charged me about $12 to be escorted through customs. We went past the large lines of economy passengers, beyond the business and first class passengers, even beyond the diplomat line to an unlabeled line where customs was quick and friendly. Sometimes it just pays to pay.
#14
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: MKE
Programs: DL-MM-Diamond HH-Diamond
Posts: 3,218
I was told last week that they were having problems with the precheck lines and might slowdown the rollout to more airports. Seems there are a lot of people still trying to bring banned items through
#15
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,444
I can assure you that the experience of passing through the TSA checkpoint with a foreign passport as ID is not pleasant, ever. Apparently being foreign (and not even remotely from "terrorist countries") makes you instantly liable to more horrid screening. They do that because they can: foreigners donīt have a means to effectively complain (even less than anyone else) and often donīt know enough to stand against abuse.