cblaisd

Mine is always printed on cheap paper with a cheap printer

Chrisinhouston

My wife and I flew from IAH-ATL last Thursday out of Terminal C, she got precheck and I did not, we are both GE but she got hers before me. While she waited for me she made small talk with the female TSO at the precheck side who suggested that I make sure my new GE number is in my precheck profile at the UA site so I did upon arriving in ATL.

We flew back on Tuesday (post Sandy) ATL to IAH. Crazy set up at ATL as we had to check our bag at the UA desk on the N terminal but then walk to the S. Terminal for the only open pre-check line. Neither of us was selected and they only had 1 regular lane and 1 barely used pre-check lane open. Just as we got within 3 people of the area to get our bins for the conveyor belt a TSA agent brought up 12 military recruits who were late for their plane and they proceeded to let them get in front of us. The TSO was yelling at them to hurry up and remove laptops, shoes, belts, etc, empty all pockets and go through the NOS. I don't have a problem with anyone in the military getting ahead of me but with the pre-check lane empty it seems like it would have made more sense to send them there, I hardly think they were a great security risk.

MBS MillionMiler

I'm getting VERY frustrated with this whole Pre-Check thing. I've now had 8 opportunities to use it, and have been 'selected' exactly twice. And once was at EWR, just before boarding an international flight. On the same reservation, coming home through ORD, despite departing out of T2, I stayed on the train from the international terminal a little longer to T1, so I could use Pre-Check. I wrongly assumed that my return, ON THE SAME RESERVATION as my outbound, that I'd be all set to go again. So I went all the way to T1 at ORD for nothing...Probably waited longer as the so-called "Premier Access" line was a mile long...Instead of saving me time, it probably cost me an extra 20 minutes in wait time.

I know it's supposed to be random, to keep one on their toes, so to speak, but 2/8 is not good. Part of my arrival process at airports is to build in 'security time', and I'm just not getting it! Either I'm a 'security threat' or I'm not. Nothing's going to change in my pre-trip prep because I may or may not be selected...So far, Pre-Clear has been a joke to me.

My name is the same on all tickets, and I've entered my information properly from my Global Entry account.

dkmatter

Yeah, it's pretty stupid. If it wasn't for the fact that it's exceedingly less annoying when it does happen, I'd have totally lost interest. As it is, I'm not going to far out of my way.

Ari

You should scan your boarding passes in advance so you know how to budget your 'security time'.

jackonferry

I too am getting frustrated, in part because I don't know if I am properly set up (for US tickets I am crediting to UA) or what my success rate should be as a GE member. I wish there was an ombudsman or something that could help.

You can reduce your frustration somewhat by decoding your boarding pass in advance. If you have the magic 3 you know you are getting PreCheck for that trip and you can arrive a little later.

sethb

Which is great when it works. A couple of weeks ago, I got 3 beeps at LGA but the Pre machine was broken.

MrMarket

The odd thing is, outside of the one time that my BP wouldn't scan properly (it scanned "invalid" but still produced the 3 beeps, I've never missed a pre-check. I was invited by UA, not via GE. Perhaps UA offered that pilot program to travelers that are most likely to clear based on some TSA-provided criteria.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Ditto - got invited to apply via UA. Haven't been denied yet. I like those 3 beeps...

Michilander

You got to use Pre-Check on an international itinerary?

Dsybok

I do not know about the randomness, I am now 6/6 at LAX and 1/1 outside of my home airport (which was yesterday at ORD).

I also had yet another conversation with someone in Pre Check line who did not sign up, and wasn't invited by UA. He seemed to have no idea how he was eligible. I am wondering how that is happening.

I am not willing to assume I will get it, or to try to decode my boarding pass ahead of time, so all it has done for me is given me more time post security than I would have had in the past.

ilovesprint

Guys - i have had lots of success (knock on wood) having this information match.

Go to edit traveler in your united in tin

My name on my itins is:

Mr. FIRSTNAMEMIDDLENAME LASTNAME - firstname & middle run together

in the United ID it is listed

FIRST NAME XXXX
MIDDLE NAME XXXX
LAST NAME XXXX

DOB XXXXXXXX

Know traveler/pass ID - My 9 digit trusted traveler # (global entry)

In my global entry acct - here is what I have

last name/paternal name XXXXX
First name XXXXX
Middle name: XXXXX
DOB XXXX
CITY OF BIRTH XXXX
STATE OF BIRTH XXXXX
email xxxxx
confirm email xxxxx
pass id/ membership #My 9 digit trusted traveler # (global entry)

hope this helps!

MBS MillionMiler

Yeah, I was surprised too, especially since I was departing EWR on an international flight--not like I was connecting somewhere then taking a flight across the ocean.

Michilander

If you don't mind sharing, what country were you flying to?

MBS MillionMiler

Mainland China.