flyertalker003967

Altering boarding passes was not really my main concern (in TSA fixing the 0 or 3) but having the comfort of knowing what type of screening I will be dealing with. Knowing in advance helps me plan my packing accordingly.

At the end of the day TSA doesn't want people in the program to know when or when not they have pre check screening. This was done as a security precaution to prevent participants from smuggling contraband. Since it is now very well known to see if or if not you are going to precheck lanes I guess that defeats the entire purpose of the "randomness".

What they should do is always grant participants access to the lanes but adding more "random" hand wipe test, shoe test, or pat downs. This way it will somewhat be unpredictable although leaving a great deal of discretion to the TSA officers at the checkpoints.

Update: Further research has made me learn that TSA now keeps a "PreCheck Disqualified list" with the same pool of list of no fly, secondaries, etc. Source: http://www.nextgov.com/defense/2012/...ch-list/59889/

When I first saw this I wondered what an individual has to do in order to become disqualified.. the federal register has answered my questions:


"As part of the effort to identify individuals that are low risk, TSA also is creating and maintaining a watch list of individuals who are disqualified from eligibility from TSA Pre✓TM, for some period of time or permanently, because they have been involved in violations of security regulations of sufficient severity or frequency. Disqualifying violations of aviation security regulations may involve violations at the airport or on board aircraft, such as a loaded firearm that is discovered in carry-on baggage at the checkpoint, or a threat to use a destructive device against a transportation conveyance, facilities, or personnel. The TSA Pre✓TM Disqualification List will be generated by TSA’s Performance and Results Information System (PARIS).17"


Source: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012...2012-28058.pdf


You would think that committing one of those examples noted above a precheck restriction would be the least of your worries.

monitor

^ ^ ^
Yup. I've been doing it since day one and simply leave my bags (although generally on the belt with wife who also has pre-check) and trot right over to the nude-o-scopes (which sometimes do not even catch my metal knee). This is very little trouble at all at DCA, LGA D, or MIA, and I'll let you know about FLL early next month.

underpressure

Boarding pass scanners are tied directly to the PC located at the kiosk which is in the Delta Network. @:-)

FriendlySkies

Not the BP scanner that is used in the Pre-Check lane @:-). They are stand-alone units.

jackal

Just to be 100% clear:

Scanners at the gate that the airlines use to board the plane are (obviously) connected to the network (so the airline can tell who's boarded, etc.).

Scanners at any TSA security checkpoint (including but not limited to PreCheck lanes) are standalone units and rely on a signed barcode to verify validity (and, in the case of PreCheck, eligibility).

meballard

While that has traditionally been completely true, I've noticed some PreCheck locations with a PC at the same location. I'm not sure if/how they are linked at this point, or if they are used for anything other than military checks, but they seem to be moving more in that direction.

FriendlySkies

Two explanations that I can think of. 1) Some airports allow people with a military ID to use Pre-Check. I know in SEA that they have a computer to verify the military ID is valid.

2) Some airports have the Known Crew Member lane, which allows the flight crews to bypass security. It's possible that you saw this setup near the Pre-Check lane.

LoganFlyer

Stupid question for which I'm pretty certain the answer is no, but I'll ask anyway: if I have PreCheck through DL status and I'm flying US one day, is there any way to "transfer" that status from DL to US? In other words, if I'm flying US out of PHL, where they do have PreCheck, is there some way to tell US that I have PreCheck access due to my DL status and to consider me for selection?

jackal

You're correct: the answer is "No."

You can apply for Global Entry and use your Trusted Traveler number for PreCheck on any participating airline, but if you are receiving PreCheck due to an invitation by a specific airline, access to PreCheck is only available when traveling on that particular airline.

bennos

Just got 3 beeps at JFK T3. Hopefully this means pre-check is coming soon (presumably to T2 or T4)?

StayingHomeIsBetter

I have cleared PreCheck multiple times in PHL at the C concourse. PreCheck status attained thru DL not USAir.

Edited to add: It make sense that is should work this way. One has to presume (and, for so many reasons, hope) that it is a TSA computer and not a DL computer that is selecting who gets the pass. So, it should be independent of what airline is the predominate carrier at a particular checkpoint.

FriendlySkies

You can get the 3 beeps at non Pre-Check airports, too. I've gotten it on all of my UA mobile BPs originating at MCI.

14940674

Weren't you flying DL those times? It should not be possible to transfer PreCheck acquired through DL status to US tickets.

jackal

AA has PreCheck at T8.

Note that if:

a) You are flying on an airline that participates in PreCheck, and
b) You have opted in to PreCheck, and
c) the airport has a PreCheck checkpoint (shown on the TSA's map or PDF) anywhere in the airport, and
d) TSA doesn't randomly decide to deny you,

then (assuming you qualify for and have opted in to PreCheck) you will receive a PreCheck-enabled BP.

This has a benefit of meaning that unless the PreCheck checkpoint leads to a concourse that is not attached to the concourse containing your departure gate, you can use PreCheck at that airport. It does not matter if TSA's map or PDF guide do not specify that the airline you are flying participates at that particular airport.

Obviously this does no good at JFK, since the concourses are not connected, but you will still get a PreCheck-enabled BP (except in the case of a random denial). (I have gotten PreCheck-enabled BPs with UA at T7 at JFK.

DL2SXM

I think it was PHX, I used the kiosk to check in and went to the dedicated pre-check security lane. They scanned my pass, it beeped twice and through pre check I went. It seems that I didn't even have to be pre-chosen.