mikepa

I usually fly Delta or SKyteam everywhere I go, even when there's a much more convenient non-stop. But last night I broke the rule and flew JetBlue non-stop SFO - FLL (mostly because it was half the price!)

So this is my first time on JetBlue thinking I'll get to see how the other half (non-elite travelers live). I did join their FF club, but didn't add my Known Traveled Number (didn't have it handy). I had a regular (non-extra space seat.

So imagine my surprise when I checked in and looked at my boarding pass - I had TSA Pre ! How can that be I wondered?

Anyway i arrive at SFO and there's a big line at TSA (International terminal, all flights seem to leave at night) and I head for the TSA Pre line thinking that was lucky. Only to be told TSA Pre line is closed and to use the Priority Lane instead. Lane was empty so I walked straight to the TSA officer who checks IDs. She shouts "TSA Pre" to another TSA guy who takes me to the front of the screening line and motions for me to insert my bags. I'm then led through the magnetometer instead of the full body screened everyone else has to use. And bam, I'm through security in two minutes flat. I felt like a celebrity!

So how did I get TSA Pre with Jet Blue and do they always do this streamlined service for TSA Pre "people' when the TSA Pre line is closed?

JB was fine BTW, nice to fly how direct w/o the joys of DTW or ATL. And at 6', I had enough leg room to be comfortable in a "regular" JB seat. Maybe this is the start of a new relationship!

Doc Savage

Probably just a random Pre assignment. Some proportion of pax just gets sent there.

And enjoy your direct flights without the KoolAid.

StayingHomeIsBetter

I thought that they were phasing out the random "try it and if you like it, buy it" Prechek?

That said, I took my wife to the airport for a flight to PVG and she (no enrollment, no status) had Prechek. But, she had a BE ticket. Does BE get you Prechek?

xliioper

I went through SAN last night after the Pre lane was closed. They gave everyone who had Pre a blue piece paper which allowed them to leave their shoes on and go through the magnetometer. Still had to take out laptop and liquids though.

I've used one of my choice benefits to gift Gold to my wife the last couple years. She's consistently gotten Pre when she has been Gold, and not gotten it the times I've let her status lapse. Most recently, she got Pre on our way back from SAN. I had just renewed her Gold status the day before we left and she did not get Pre on the way out. I suspect DL is still opting in those with status, but it looks to take a few days to take effect.

flyerCO

I think what got phased out is the random selection of passengers waiting in line to go and use precheck when not selected.

pgh234

My wife and I get pre 90% of the time. I can assure you I never paid for a KTN.

Stop being lemmings and believing what the government tells you!

kenn0223

The TSA (under orders from Congress) eliminated the program call Managed Inclusion II where an agent diverted people randomly at the checkpoint late last year. They are now introducing Managed Inclusion III where they essentially do the same thing but make people walk by a dog before being diverted (you can hardly make this stuff up). Interestingly, Managed Inclusion III is nearly identical to Managed Inclusion I -- essentially they got called out for getting rid of the dogs I guess.

They still, and have for a long time, had Secure Flight. Secure Flight is the scoring system that gives each passenger a score based on a bunch of factors with a low score resulting in SSSS and, apparently, a very high score resulting in PreCheck. I think Secure Flight is actually the primary (only) decision making process and a KTN just increases someones score substantially resulting in PreCheck every time. It is also likely that, if a passenger scores highly in Secure Flight once, they are likely to do so in the future so reports of passengers without a KTN routinely getting PreCheck make sense. My personal opinion is that the TSA couldn't care less if you get PreCheck or not as I suspect the fee charged is generally equal to the cost of administering the vetting program. Rather, the PreCheck enrollment process allows them to gather additional information about travelers that they can then use in Secure Flight and raise that travelers score.

They also did away with the program where elites got PreCheck simply because of their status but I think that was essentially just rolled into Secure Flight.

I doubt the TSA will ever restrict PreCheck to ONLY those with a KTN. Their wait times would get out of control at some airports. It's in their best interest to make full use of all checkpoint lanes they can staff (since this is one of the metrics they are evaluated on). IMHO; those who push the idea that "you have to have a KTN to use PreCheck" just can't be bothered to understand or explain the nuances of the programs or are looking for a way to bad-mouth the TSA (not all that hard).

Here is a source with some of this same info: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...stjoeSopzdItVw

RSSrsvp

This is definitely not a DL topic and I am moving this thread over to the "Trusted Travelers" forum.

RSSrsvp - Moderatoor

sethb

The government knew who you were even without you providing the KTN.