FlyerJ

They just said so on Twitter! Great news.

Questions for the Westjet folks here:

- When is this effective for your eligible passengers?

- Where can Nexus members add their KTN # in order to get Pre-Check on flights departing the US?

- Will Pre-Check status appear on all forms of boarding passes (ie mobile, web check-in w printed BP, and airport-printed BP)? Or only some?? (When AC first joined Pre, passengers had to have their BP reprinted at the airport in order to get PreCheck... although that's since been resolved)

Look forward to hearing the details -- thanks Westjet.

CanuckFlyHigh

FlyerJ - Can I, as a Canadian, Nexus holder, get Pre-Check? If so, how do I do it?

WestJet

Full release to come in a few weeks but here's the skinny:

Transborder travel just got easier
WestJet has partnered with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to introduce the TSA Precheck for trusted travellers who are departing from U.S. airports. TSA Precheck offers a smarter travel experience. No need to remove shoes, belt, or light jacket. Laptops and liquids remain in carryon.

Guests looking to participate in this program must fit the eligibility requirements below, and visit a WestJet ticket counter to pick up a TSA Precheck boarding pass before travelling.

Eligibility requirements:
• Canadian citizens who are members of NEXUS
• U.S. citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents who are members of NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry, or TSA PreCheck

Initially, travellers will only be able to use this program using a boarding pass issued from a WestJet ticket counter; however, in early 2016, self-serve enhancements will be available.

______________________________________

Cheers,
Darren

FlyerJ

I you have Nexus, you're automatically eligible for TSA PreCheck.

- You need to be flying on an eligible airline (and WS is apparently now one of them)
- and on a flight departing from the U.S. (since the program is TSA only)
- and you need to have provided your "KTN" (that's your Known Traveler Number, aka your Nexus pass ID number) to the airline prior to completing check-in. Most airlines do that on the same web screens where they capture passport info.

If all that happens, you should get the Pre logo on your boarding pass, which gives you access to the PreCheck security line at the airport. The only exception: you'll occasionally (rarely) get a random, full inspection -- PreCheck isn't guaranteed 100% of the time.

FlyerJ

Thanks Darren.

Can your customers now add their KTN to reservations ... has your web-site been updated?

And if I can't access a reservation via the web-site (like one of mine, which nobody seems able to solve!) can your phone agents add the KTN to a current reservation?

WestJet

Right now it's being done only over the counter with an agent. Self serve options will open up next year.

Often1

Which means a substantial competitive advantage for AC as WS passengers will still have to arrive at the airport in time to line up for both the counter and for the regular checkpoint line in case they aren't selected for Pre-Check.

AC passengers who OLCI can both skip the counter and know, 24 hours ahead, whether they have been selected for Pre-Check on the particular segment.

FlyerJ

Sorry ... are you talking about printing the boarding pass, or about adding the passenger's Known Traveler Number to the reservation?? (Two very different - and I would assume separate! - steps in the process.)

FlyerJ

Maybe so in the short term, but . . .

• In joining PreCheck, WestJet has just made a massive leap forward. Seems like good news for WS, not bad.
• They said above that it will expand to self serve check-in options (just like Air Canada) in a few months ... so no need to print/check-in at the airport in the very near future. They'll then be exactly on par with AC when it comes to check-in for PreCheck passengers. Advantage: nobody.
• And, funny, Air Canada was in the exact same position when they first launched PreCheck! Mobile and web check-in wouldn't work, and you had to go to AC at the airport to have a boarding pass printed.

Rather than seeing this as "a substantial competitive advantage for AC", my read on this is that WS is eliminating a substantial competitive advantage for AC. They've already cleared the biggest hurdle in doing that, and will have completely eliminated it soon.

YYCCL3

Thanks for posting this! Saved me the 15 minute security line in LAS tonight!!

rehoult

Not quite. When you did OLCI / mobile check-in on AC you could put in your KTN and find out right away if you had precheck. If you did, there was a big box telling you to reprint your BP at the airport (both desk and kiosk worked) if you wanted to take advantage of it. If you didn't, you know right away. Worst case it added 2 minutes to reprint at a kiosk, so I could still arrive 48 minutes before departure and be fine (I did so many times).

With WS, I have to line up for an agent and still won't know if I get it until after I see the agent. So I've got to arrive with enough time to both wait at check in, and potentially wait in regular security. There is zero benefit; I'd spend less time at the airport if I used OLCI and went straight to regular security, thereby saving myself the check-in line.

mabramovich

Just a note on PreCheck in BOS today. I lined up for about 10 minutes in the 2 person bag drop line. The regular check in line was lengthy - 20 people or so. I got to the front, told the agent I wanted to add my KTN. She knew what that was (although confirmed this was the PassID on my NEXUS card) but warned me that "PreCheck was not guaranteed" and that "WestJet was having some trouble with the TSA." Indeed, I did not get PreCheck printed on my boarding pass. The person at the PreCheck line let me try PreCheck anyway, but I only got 1 beep and they kicked me out.

So, not having PreCheck at terminal A in Boston is a pretty big miss and would certainly steer me to AC, especially given how smooth AC is at terminal B (as any regulars out of Boston know). Hope WS gets this fixed.

Retired FF

I had to go to the WS counter at LAS a couple days ago to have TSA Precheck added to my boarding pass. DONE without any issues. Went to the Nexus line and was out of security in two minutes. A big relief as the regular security had at least a hundred people which would have taken an hour plus to get through...

HomerJ

Fling from PHX to YYZ in April....so if I am understanding I have to go to the WJ checkin and get a new BP with the TSA pre-check on it?
I still cannot do this online or over the phone?
Sorry but this isn't clear by the posts above.

Ace Cdn

That is correct. You have to go to a Westjet agent to add your number and print you a new boarding pass as this isn't available to do when you do online checkin yet. My work around is I book the flight on expedia and my KTN is in my profile with them so it is added automatically.