TSA Precheck Not Valid Unless SouthWest Opts You In?
May 21, 2014, 12:13 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 876
TSA Precheck Not Valid Unless SouthWest Opts You In?
I haven't flown SW in a few months, and I've got an upcoming flight tomorrow. As with all airlines, I updated my profile to include my global entry number. I've been successful at getting Pre-Check with AA, US, & Alaska. However, Pre-Check didn't appear on my ticket when I checked-in today.
I called SW and was told that I will not see Pre-Check unless I receive an email from Southwest asking me to opt-in into the program. In other words, they don't care you've been been approved by the government; the theoretical benefits won't translate into real-life benefits randomly selects you to join their Pre-Check program.
Anyone has any advice how to get SW to opt you in?
I called SW and was told that I will not see Pre-Check unless I receive an email from Southwest asking me to opt-in into the program. In other words, they don't care you've been been approved by the government; the theoretical benefits won't translate into real-life benefits randomly selects you to join their Pre-Check program.
Anyone has any advice how to get SW to opt you in?
May 21, 2014, 12:22 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA-GLD/1MM, WN-AList+/CP, Hilton-Diamond
Posts: 26
Boy, I hope this isn't true, considering that I just spent $100 on Global Entry, precisely because Southwest didn't give me the opt-in option for Pre-Check.
FYI, I did my interview yesterday and added my KTN to my reservation for my flight 2 hours later... didn't get pre-check, but I didn't expect the IT systems to get updated that quickly.
FYI, I did my interview yesterday and added my KTN to my reservation for my flight 2 hours later... didn't get pre-check, but I didn't expect the IT systems to get updated that quickly.
May 21, 2014, 12:24 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,832
This is not true. My wife was not invited to Sothwest's opt-in program but has a KTN via the $85 TSA pre-check program. She gets pre-check qualified on all her WN flights. Of course, she is pre-check, not GE.
I would call the 214 Dallas customer care folks and make sure your account is properly updated to include your GE info and to ask if they have had had any problems with submitting GE info to TSA.
I would call the 214 Dallas customer care folks and make sure your account is properly updated to include your GE info and to ask if they have had had any problems with submitting GE info to TSA.
May 21, 2014, 12:25 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
I think you were misinformed. Plenty of people here have reported success without any indication of any opt-in. I have gotten TSA PRE without a KTN or opt-in.
Check to see if you RR profile and your GE number names match exactly.
If your flight was booked before your profile had the GE number in it I think you need to call and have Southwest add it.
All of that not withstanding, many people have also reported that Southwest's TSA PRE clearance seems to be less reliable than other carriers.
Check to see if you RR profile and your GE number names match exactly.
If your flight was booked before your profile had the GE number in it I think you need to call and have Southwest add it.
All of that not withstanding, many people have also reported that Southwest's TSA PRE clearance seems to be less reliable than other carriers.
May 21, 2014, 12:27 pm
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
You got a poorly-trained agent. WN has nothing to do with who gets and does not get pre-check. WN is simply the means of matching people who purchase its tickets with people eligible for pre-check.
May 21, 2014, 12:28 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,832
Boy, I hope this isn't true, considering that I just spent $100 on Global Entry, precisely because Southwest didn't give me the opt-in option for Pre-Check.
FYI, I did my interview yesterday and added my KTN to my reservation for my flight 2 hours later... didn't get pre-check, but I didn't expect the IT systems to get updated that quickly.
FYI, I did my interview yesterday and added my KTN to my reservation for my flight 2 hours later... didn't get pre-check, but I didn't expect the IT systems to get updated that quickly.
May 21, 2014, 12:47 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,171
May 21, 2014, 1:12 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 876
This is not true. My wife was not invited to Sothwest's opt-in program but has a KTN via the $85 TSA pre-check program. She gets pre-check qualified on all her WN flights. Of course, she is pre-check, not GE.
I would call the 214 Dallas customer care folks and make sure your account is properly updated to include your GE info and to ask if they have had had any problems with submitting GE info to TSA.
I would call the 214 Dallas customer care folks and make sure your account is properly updated to include your GE info and to ask if they have had had any problems with submitting GE info to TSA.
May 21, 2014, 1:14 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 876
Quote:
Originally Posted by zookie
Boy, I hope this isn't true, considering that I just spent $100 on Global Entry, precisely because Southwest didn't give me the opt-in option for Pre-Check.
FYI, I did my interview yesterday and added my KTN to my reservation for my flight 2 hours later... didn't get pre-check, but I didn't expect the IT systems to get updated that quickly.
Multiple folks at Southwest have told me in order to get pre-check, you must make your reservation at lest 24 hours in advance as that's when WN transmits your info to the TSA. It's not submitted/approved by the TSA in real-time, ie, at the time you make your reservation.
Originally Posted by zookie
Boy, I hope this isn't true, considering that I just spent $100 on Global Entry, precisely because Southwest didn't give me the opt-in option for Pre-Check.
FYI, I did my interview yesterday and added my KTN to my reservation for my flight 2 hours later... didn't get pre-check, but I didn't expect the IT systems to get updated that quickly.
Multiple folks at Southwest have told me in order to get pre-check, you must make your reservation at lest 24 hours in advance as that's when WN transmits your info to the TSA. It's not submitted/approved by the TSA in real-time, ie, at the time you make your reservation.
Any suggestions about what I should do?
May 21, 2014, 1:26 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,832
I called customer relations in Dallas. And the speech I was given referred to SW seeing this as a pilot program & the send random invites to groups of customers. My invite would probably be prioritized because of my existing status with global entry, but I would have to wait until I received an email.
As another poster stated, make sure the name used for your GE application exactly matches your name in the flight details, etc. Make the birth dates match as well.
May 21, 2014, 2:20 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: AA EXP, DL-Plat, WN-CP | Hotels: Choice-Gld, IHG-Plt, Rad-Gld, HH-Dia, Hyatt-Glob, Marriott-LtPlt
Posts: 2,889
Also, I doubt that this is the issue too because you say you have used it on other airlines (but you keep referring to your global entry number). Make sure you are entering your Trusted (Known) Traveler/ PassID # and not your GOES Application ID #.
May 21, 2014, 2:28 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: AA EXP, DL-Plat, WN-CP | Hotels: Choice-Gld, IHG-Plt, Rad-Gld, HH-Dia, Hyatt-Glob, Marriott-LtPlt
Posts: 2,889
This is key. It seems like you may have booked your reservation before adding your KTN to your profile. In which case, a CSR rep has to manually add it to that reservation regardless of whether it is in your profile.
