joeypore

This seems to be pretty consistent as of late, if one pax has a KTN, then the whole party usually gets precheck... but I'm sure there are exceptions. I wonder how big the party traveling together can be, as I'm traveling with 4 total pax on one res later this year and am curious to see if we'll all get precheck (I'm the only one with a KTN).

davie355

Say you have PreCheck but your companion does not.

Do you join your companion in the regular screening line, or do you split up and reunite after clearing your respective lines?

Trivial question I'm sure - just curious.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

When traveling with colleagues and the line is long I just tell them I will meet them at the gate as I do not do the nudi scope. My spouse and I have GE so we travel together.

Randyk47

Romelle

It depends. With younger grandkids, I of course skip the pre-check. And would do the same for travel-inexperienced friends, older relatives or anyone who might derive some comfort from the company.

If I did pre-check, I'd still be inclined to wait until any companions got through the regular process. Just seems more sociable. For business associates (I'm retired now so that doesn't apply), I think I'd just say I'd meet them at the gate/lounge/bar/? Maybe offer to save a seat.

TWA884

Hello @davie355,

I've merged your question into an exiting thread on this topic.

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

ashill

Blueskyheaven

3 of us ( family) are booked on one trip and mother in law on separate ticket but we have same AA flights flying out of ORD- SAN in late December. 3 of us( family members) have TSA Precheck but MOL does not.
Returning back same like this with separate tickets but same flight. She joined us later and we had already booked our trip before she was gonna join us. MOL is a senior citizen, can walk but uses a cane and doesn't speak English. She is a Canadian resident and here on US tourist visa. So while we will use Tsa-precheck to skip the line. She can't and will be using regular line. Is there anything we can do for her like skipping the long security line and answer question if she is asked anything? Or it won't be any issue? Thanks. One of us ( our child) is autistic so we will request early boarding and will be good for my MOL too.

Also, she is flying on AA round trip alone between YYZ to ORD before and after our trip. She can request assistance with baggage, pre boarding?

Thanks for your suggestions and thoughts!

TWA884

Hello @Blueskyheaven,

I merged your question into the relevant thread.

You didn't write how old your mother-in-law is. If she's 75 or older, she's likely to receive PreCheck like expedited screening.

I recommend requesting wheelchair assistance for her AA flights.

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

Blueskyheaven

Yes she is almost 80. Should I speak to anyone at airport ? Also will AA help her exit the aircraft, get to aircraft and go with her to baggage claim area, etc? The fear is she may get lost when exiting the plane and not know where to go.

Often1

As to the trip where you are all travelling together, simply have one family member stay with her. She should receive some form of expedited screening and that may very well be Pre-Check. But, if it is not, one of you, even though you have Pre-Check, just stay with her and submit to the extra screening.

As to the trip she is taking alone, it does not sound as though you think it is safe. Both YYZ and ORD have wheelchair service, but those are simply someone who will push her between locations, they are not guides and cannot provide any form of care. Similarly, cabin crew may or may not pay a bit of extra attention, but they are not there for individuals.

If I had those concerns, I would fly out to get her or have someone fly with her.

Loren Pechtel

The obvious solution here is that one of you who speaks her language should go through the regular line with her.

TWA884

The wheelchair service is generally curb to curb. @Blueskyheaven needs to call the airline at the numbers listed in the page linked above to make the arrangements.

GUWonder

I would say she has a very substantial but far from guaranteed chance of getting PreCheck on her boarding pass. If she doesn't then, the best approach is to give all the hand luggage to the PreCheck line users and have one of the family members go with your elder relative to assist. There are plenty of people flying out of ORD terminals 1-3 that understand little to no English and it seems to work out some way or another.

Assistance with hand baggage is unlikely to come from the airline and airport employees unless there is something like a wheelchair request involved, and some FAs are more willing to help than others. Fortunately, there is more commonly some passenger with the sense of recognizing who needs help and actually helping when it is needed in this regard. It's before and after boarding the plane where luggage of all sorts may be more of an issue. I would suggest minimizing the cabin baggage to something that can be held in her lap while seated on a normal chair/wheelchair. I would also suggest having everything else in checked in luggage at the check-in counters/curb-side.

For such situations, there are times when flying from or via a PreClearance airport to the US can be helpful or unhelpful. For example, for older relatives of mine coming from say Asia to the US, doing AC to YYZ and then AC or UA to the US can be helpful since the need to claim bags physically at YYZ isn't commonly required there anymore; and then at the US airport, the bags are basically landside at that point.

goalcam

Do I have to use the TSA Precheck lane when going through the security if it says TSA Precheck on my boarding pass? I'm flying out of SEA as a Canadian citizen with an American citizen who doesn't have NEXUS or TSA Precheck, and I'd like to stay with her through security when possible in order to assist her as disability is a factor.