TSA is looking to use private sector companies to help vet travelers looking to register for PreCheck access. According to USA Today, TSA plans to meet with interested firms in October.
“I believe our ability to grow the population of TSA Precheck eligible travelers will be dramatically expanded,” Pistole said.
Personally, I’m all for expanding PreCheck eligibility as long as airport security lines are reallocated to PreCheck as the number of eligible participants increases. Admittedly, I’ve always wondered why people would opt for signing up for PreCheck as opposed to getting Global Entry. The article offers a friendly reminder and interesting travel factoid on that question – “200 million Americans don’t have passports required for Global Entry.” That number amazes me….just a little.
What are your feelings on expanded PreCheck access?
-MJ, September 29, 2014
[…] MJ on Travel linked to a USA Today article last week discussing plans by the Transportation Security Administration to use private companies to enroll more members in PreCheck. Apparently only 600,000 have signed up to pay $85 for five years of PreCheck access, while there are 2.5 million have paid $100 for five years of Global Entry (which includes PreCheck). Scott McCartney of The Wall Street Journal raised the topic again this morning, saying, “[t]he Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program is desperate for customers after three years of operation.” As the government seeks to grow the program they seem to have decided that convenience is… Read more »