Updated thoughts on the "Trusted" traveler program
Sep 1, 2014, 9:48 am
#121
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: NEXUS/GE
Posts: 521
While I don't know much about this "trusted" program, I would never pay for "pre-screen." From my experience via general observations, the pre-screen line does sometimes offer a huge advantage in terms of getting people through check-in in a timely manner. However, I've also seen far too often that TSA lets anyone into the pre-screen line, particularly when the regular line is especially long, which sort of defeats the purpose. I'm not paying the government money for expedited service when there's no guarantee that I'll actually get what I'm paying for.
However, as I'm a member of another trusted traveler program, I'm going to use it to get Pre as much as I can.
Sep 9, 2014, 4:39 pm
#122
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA (PPro/3MM/Admirals Club), AS, UA, Marriott (Gold), HHonors (Gold), Accor (Plat)
Posts: 2,602
Supposedly the TSA is substantially reducing (eliminating?) random Precheck unless you've opted in or signed up for the one of the trusted traveler programs.
It's already been happening at some airports. There was a report by fellow member CDKing that it happened to him at JFK.
It's already been happening at some airports. There was a report by fellow member CDKing that it happened to him at JFK.
Sep 11, 2014, 11:06 am
#123
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA (PPro/3MM/Admirals Club), AS, UA, Marriott (Gold), HHonors (Gold), Accor (Plat)
Posts: 2,602
PDX random NOS with PreCheck
Happened to me at PDX today. Guy in front of me beeped the metal detector about 3 times, didn't get sent to NOS. Allowed to keep taking one more thing out of his pocket and eventually passed.
I got the long random beep and had to empty all my pockets, take off shoes and belt and coat, etc. Of course this means my stuff is in a tub where everyone can see it because all my bags have already gone through, which is unsafe. I refused to put my passport in the tub. I then had to wait several minutes for the blasted pat down. The guy insisted on explaining every step in detail, which only made me angrier.
I got the long random beep and had to empty all my pockets, take off shoes and belt and coat, etc. Of course this means my stuff is in a tub where everyone can see it because all my bags have already gone through, which is unsafe. I refused to put my passport in the tub. I then had to wait several minutes for the blasted pat down. The guy insisted on explaining every step in detail, which only made me angrier.
Sep 11, 2014, 6:11 pm
#124
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,059
Happened to me at PDX today. Guy in front of me beeped the metal detector about 3 times, didn't get sent to NOS. Allowed to keep taking one more thing out of his pocket and eventually passed.
I got the long random beep and had to empty all my pockets, take off shoes and belt and coat, etc. Of course this means my stuff is in a tub where everyone can see it because all my bags have already gone through, which is unsafe. I refused to put my passport in the tub. I then had to wait several minutes for the blasted pat down. The guy insisted on explaining every step in detail, which only made me angrier.
I got the long random beep and had to empty all my pockets, take off shoes and belt and coat, etc. Of course this means my stuff is in a tub where everyone can see it because all my bags have already gone through, which is unsafe. I refused to put my passport in the tub. I then had to wait several minutes for the blasted pat down. The guy insisted on explaining every step in detail, which only made me angrier.
Only TSA knows how to take a good thing and screw it up. Think about it. Precheck was pretty much a nod towards those who audibly protested a lot of the security theater while still maintaining it to appease most of the sheeple. I don't have any peer-reviewed statistics to back me up on this one, but I imagine the average Precheck passenger is multiple times more likely to opt out than a regular passenger. While I haven't been in the main lanes since Pre became common, I usually make a note to notice opt-outs, and I've seen far fewer in the past 2-3 years.
I wonder if this random NOS selection coincidences with the end of random Precheck selection. Imagine that course of events as an infrequent traveler. "Congratulations! It's your lucky day. You've randomly got Pre and don't need to remove belts/shoes/coats/LGAs/laptops!" You are thinking, "Wow cool..." Then you get to the WTMD and get the random beep and, "Hahaha... sorry, just kidding!" "Oh, btw, you can have more of this great experience if you give us $85!"