Updated Procedures for Military Users of TSA Pre-Check
I’ve posted several times on using TSA Pre-Check so that you can go through expedited screening at the airport and not remove your belt, shoes, take out your laptop and all those other bothersome things they do to prevent the bad guys from winning. The program auto-enrolls all Service Members (SM) and they recently expanded the locations for DoD access from an original ten to over 100 now.
I was logging into DTS today for an upcoming commanders conference training event. There was a note on the DTS home page about a change effective 12/20. They are giving guidance on how to ensure that you will be able to use Pre-Check. It involves entering your DOD ID Card number into the Known Traveler block of the TSA Page that pops up right after you make your first flight selection. Best of all is to save the information in your profile so it auto populates the field every time. Also, they advise you (as I did previously) to tell a civilian travel agent to enter it for you on your reservation. The details are revealed on this page.
I have received a few comments from SMs who were unable to use TSA Pre-Check even when they flashed their ID Cards and this may explain why. Note that the wife and I recently returned from HNL and when we tried to use the return segment Pre-Check line the guard turned us away since it didn’t say “Pre-Check” on our AS boarding passes. We went through the regular line where we got the wonderful “three beeps” when the boarding pass was scanned. The agent there asked why we weren’t using Pre-Check and I said it was because the other guy kicked us out. She responded by marching us over to the Pre-Check line and politely chewing the guy out for not scanning out BP regardless of the fact that they did not say the words “Pre-Check”. So don’t let a couple of missing words stop you from going up against TSA!
I’ve been having a really troubling experience at BOS recently. The dedicated pre-check lane has been up and running for about a year. This used to be great, and operate the way it was intended, however, lately they’ve been letting anyone go through the pre-check screening (meaning keep on your shoes and jackets and not remove laptops and liquids). Yes, there’s still the pre-check-only line to get your boarding pass verified and get the three beeps, but then where there used to be a dedicated metal detector and baggage screening belt just for pre-check, they now allow absolutely anyone from any TSA Agent’s line to choose the pre-check screening. For one, this is a pain as it means the pre-check line moves just as slow as the regular lines (what did I pay $100 and go through the interview and background check for?), but it also means that they are letting unvetted people through with reduced scrutiny. They are not trusted travelers, yet they are being treated as if they are. WTF?
@ Skyrone – Yes, I have seen a similar experience at DCA. My daughter had to go through by herself and there was a guy with an iPad at the front. He pressed the iPad for each traveler and they got randomly sent to either Pre-Check or the normal line. She loved going through Pre-Check and I think that is the point. TSA is trying to give some people a “free sample” in order to get them to pay $85 for the five year Pre-Check card.