TSA PreCheck Program - Questions/Experiences for United Airlines Travellers
Oct 24, 2012, 9:24 am
#1816
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Oct 24, 2012, 10:04 am
#1817
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Morris County, NJ
Programs: UA 1K/*G, Avis Pres, Marriott Plat
Posts: 2,305
I encountered this recently at BOS. The net-net is that you get on the pre-check line, and if you get one beep instead of 3:
a) the TSA agent yells at you for being an idiot and getting into "his" lane.
b) he sends you to the end of the 'regular' line.
c) If you're using a mobile BP, when you got to the head of the 'regular' line, you got sent back to the pre-check TSA agent because he's the only one with a BP scanner!
It was, by far, the most ridiculous, stupid, incomprehensible thing I've seen from TSA ... and that takes a lot.
I got the riot act from the TSA agent because I only got one beep even though I've used precheck previously. He basically called me a liar.
Putting an extra BP scanner at the beginning of the line (like in EWR) would solve the problem, but apparently BP scanners are a rare commodity at BOS.
Oct 24, 2012, 10:12 am
#1818
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,158
I'm flying YQR-DEN-TPA Friday. No preclearance at YQR, so I clear at DEN (I have GE so reasonably fast, plus we're the first international flight of the day which helps).
Officially Pre doesn't work with international itineraries, but I'm hoping it might consider my DEN-TPA segment to be domestic since I've cleared Customs domestically.
How do I find out? I understand there's a separate Pre lane from the normal Premier lane?
Officially Pre doesn't work with international itineraries, but I'm hoping it might consider my DEN-TPA segment to be domestic since I've cleared Customs domestically.
How do I find out? I understand there's a separate Pre lane from the normal Premier lane?
The Pre lane in DEN is on the south end of the main terminal. When you come out of customs (North end), go to the security area on the far side - not the one immediately outside of the customs arrival area. Go to your left towards the luggage store and the Pre lane entrance will be about halfway down next to the CLEAR kiosks.
Oct 24, 2012, 10:59 am
#1819
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: PBI
Programs: DL Plat, B6 Mosaic
Posts: 427
Printed out my BP last night for my SEA-LAX flight this morning. Used the barcode reader to determine I had the 0 instead of the 3. Went back into the res and realized that my global entry number was not entered into my res (only in my profile). I added it, reprinted my BP and got the magic 3! Just breezed through SEA security this morning and now enjoying some coconut sprinkled munchkin donuts in the lounge.
Oct 24, 2012, 11:01 am
#1820
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depending; Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,555
Originally spouse+me on one PNR. I entered the traveler info. Split PNR. I verified the info. We are both Global Entry. I got three beeps, she got one beep.. I made sure her traveler info on the reservation matched her GE card (First Middle Last) -- but UA has her as FirstM Last. Am chalking it up to "random" checks?
Is there a minimum time needed for UA and TSA to communicate/coordinate records (ie: a batch process run every X hours)? Or is it real time when going to print your boarding pass? (IE: Are people who get the UA PNR split disadvantaged?)
Second question. I saw this article re: AA and Pre-Check and am wonder if there is a SHARES command sequence that might help UA flyers ensure the info has been transmitted? http://upgrd.com/sitinfirst/helpful-...k-tonight.html
Last edited by abaheti; Oct 24, 2012 at 11:11 am Reason: added second question
Oct 24, 2012, 11:16 am
#1821
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
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I'm not sure, but I got PreCheck on a UA ticket booked about 5 hours out. I did wait a couple of hours before doing mobile check-in just in case it required some time to sync up, but when I checked, I got the magic 3. I do have NEXUS.
Oct 24, 2012, 11:42 am
#1822
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: UA GS, SPG Plat, National EC Executive (Replaced Hertz), Hertz PC (Retired)
Posts: 724
It's near real time. Watched a friend add his PassID to an existing reservation and reprint the BP 5 minutes later and it had the 3.
Oct 24, 2012, 12:38 pm
#1823
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Location: Chicago
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Oct 24, 2012, 12:46 pm
#1824
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Premier Silver (Soon to be Gold), IHG Plat Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 3
Advice for ORD terminal 1?
I am now pre-check and went through ORD terminal 1 a few weeks back. I did not see a seperate pre-check line so went through the premier line (only 5 minute wait). When I got to the front I got the beeps and was sent to the left into an empty bag screener and walked right through. Are there any pre-check only lines to bypass the premier line?
Oct 24, 2012, 12:48 pm
#1825
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Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
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I am now pre-check and went through ORD terminal 1 a few weeks back. I did not see a seperate pre-check line so went through the premier line (only 5 minute wait). When I got to the front I got the beeps and was sent to the left into an empty bag screener and walked right through. Are there any pre-check only lines to bypass the premier line?
There's a sign right above the "Premier Access" signs for Pre-Check. The entrance is against the wall, on the left.
Oct 24, 2012, 1:15 pm
#1826
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Boulder, CO and Waimea, HI
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Oct 24, 2012, 1:30 pm
#1827
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: UA, AA
Posts: 1,821
PIT has this design. If you only get one beep you are routed to the regular scanners, but you have already bypassed the entire line.
Oct 24, 2012, 2:03 pm
#1828
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Cambridge, MA
Programs: AA Exec Plat MM, UA MM 1K, MR Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 153
The Boston United Terminal A TSA-Pre this Monday morning at 5:30am was as long as the Premier Line. Terminal A Boston has the worst Premier/TSA Pre Check line I have ever seen. The fact that there is no way to pre-screen unless you have a scanner at the head of the line, means anyone can line up at the TSA-Pre and just be sent to the regular security line when they get the single beep.
Oct 24, 2012, 3:02 pm
#1829
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Morris County, NJ
Programs: UA 1K/*G, Avis Pres, Marriott Plat
Posts: 2,305
The Boston United Terminal A TSA-Pre this Monday morning at 5:30am was as long as the Premier Line. Terminal A Boston has the worst Premier/TSA Pre Check line I have ever seen. The fact that there is no way to pre-screen unless you have a scanner at the head of the line, means anyone can line up at the TSA-Pre and just be sent to the regular security line when they get the single beep.
So, if you are precheck and get unlucky enough to get a single beep, you have to wait in BOTH the precheck and the regular line. AND get insulted by TSA to boot.
It was absolutely absurd.
Oct 24, 2012, 3:26 pm
#1830
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Premier Silver (Soon to be Gold), IHG Plat Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 3