1Newflyer

Everybody understands the difference, the last few pages suggests otherwise. Last year I received a TSA PreCheck on my boarding pass departing USA without Nexus or other programs. No direct interaction with U.S. CBP on departure from USA regardless if PreCheck or not through security screening.

flyquiet

TSA says you may get PreCheck via NEXUS or a separate registration in PreCheck but they also give it to random people based on undisclosed criteria on single occasions, and they also omit to give it to people with NEXUS (and presumably PreCheck registration) on single occasions. They don't want people to count on not being fully screened on the day of travel.

I was deeply disappointed not to get PreCheck leaving LAX given the gong show that it is in the regular line where AC leaves from (or left from if they've moved already). But I know that is one of the terms and conditions: don't count on it.

It would be nice if those who did get PreCheck without registration/NEXUS were at least frequent travellers that know how to follow a queue and put their crap on the belt in an organized way, and not take the darn shoes off if the sign says shoes stay on, but that is not always the case. NEXUS holders have been known to express dismay at infrequent travellers in the PreCheck lines -- sometimes in error, but sometimes because they won the boarding pass lottery and got PreCheck.

The signs on the PreCheck lines say something like "TODAY you have been selected to experience the PreCheck screening", to reinforce that the decision whether you get it (nominally) is not a guarantee either way.

canadiancow

When I left PHX a while back, there were so many people taking shoes off, rearranging bag contents, etc. I walked to the front of the xray line, dumped my bag ahead of the 10 people standing around, and walked through the metal detector.

I've done similar things at SFO, but it's never been such a long line.

It's not really possible for me in Canada in NEXUS lines because my laptop is still going to have to come out, but if I don't need to pull anything out of the bag and I see a gap at the front of the line, I'm jumping in there. Any gaps in the xray machine are a waste of everyone's time.

After Burner

It's not just on single occasions. I'm one of those "random" people without NEXUS (or other credentials that I'm aware of) that gets TSA Pre 100% of the time. I really have no clear idea what the mechanism is or what the criteria are that consistently identify me as someone who can bypass normal screening. I'm curious about this but I doubt it will ever be explained to me.

canadiancow

For one thing, passengers under 12 or over 75 are always entitled to Pre✓.

After Burner

Are you suggesting I'm in one of those categories?

canadiancow

I'm offering an example of how a non-trusted traveler would always get Pre✓

canadiancow

Due to my "six segment itinerary" (i.e. not at destination for 24 hours), I couldn't check in online, but I'd added my NEXUS info to APIS.

At the counter, the agent was adamant that because I had a connection she needed my passport, and my NEXUS card was not sufficient, even though I've done this dozens of time.

I'd also asked for a seat change, but that's another matter.

I walked away with my BPs, and got almost to security before I noticed I was missing "TSA PRECHK" in the top right.

Back I went.

And I got a new agent.

He was very efficient, changed my seat, and got "TSA PRECHK" to show up.

So have faith if someone who works at the airport tells you a NEXUS card is no good. It is. Believe me.

tcook052

A few off topic posts have been deleted as this isn't a general thread to ask about all trusted traveler programs but rather focus on TSA Pre-Check for AC passengers. There is a whole forum dedicated to Trusted Traveler programs and may be found here.

tcook052
AC forum Mod.

Cozmo456

Has anyone noticed that precheck is no longer working? This is my second flight in a week with no precheck. The concierge say they know of the problem and there is nothing they can do.

This is a big step backward.

canadiancow

Which airport?

Cozmo456

DFW, now LGA. I heard from someone LGA was down last week as well.

GLAinYYZ

EWR was certainly down on Monday unfortunately (took ages waiting in the regular line). Check in agent said the system had been down for a few days!

vernonc

This sucks. Now I have to plan my airport arrival so I have enough time for the long security lines at SEA and SFO.
Hopefully someone can update if this gets resolved hopefully before next week

Bohemian1

The first time I did this was at MCO when the obviously frustrated TSA agent just motioned for me to bypass the amateurs. Any time I’m in the same situation with a US flight, I do the same and have never had an issuse, at least with the TSA.