A faster way through airport checkpoints (San Jose eager to launch 'registered traveler' program)

SF Chron ^ | 12/1/2005 | Michael Cabanatuan

[Dashing Dasher]

Officials at San Jose's airport say air travelers weary of standing in long lines at security checkpoints soon will be able to buy their way into a high-tech express lane as part of the federal government's efforts to speed up screening at the nation's airports.

The cost is likely to be about $80 a year per passenger -- the amount charged in a test program at Orlando International Airport -- in addition to submitting 10 fingerprints and photographs of both eyes and passing a federal "security-threat assessment."

The payoff: spending a mere 14 seconds at an identification-checking kiosk instead of as long as 29 minutes in line.

The Transportation Security Administration recently announced plans to establish a nationwide "registered traveler'' program by June but has released no details. On Wednesday, Mineta San Jose International Airport stepped to the front of the line, announcing that it was ready to launch the program within a month of approval by the security administration.

"For San Jose, our business traveler community is a big part of our passenger base,'' said Marina Renneke, a San Jose airport spokeswoman. "We visited Orlando and saw the benefit and thought we can't pass up the opportunity to do this here, to be one of the first airports in the country to offer this.''

SNIP

[Dashing Dasher]

Long article - but interesting.

Would love to hear what our Fellow Traveling FReeper have to say about this... $80/year isn't bad - but is this just another shake down?

29 minutes is a ridiculous amount of time to spend on line - especially if you fly every week.

Thoughts?

[Dashing Dasher]

Ping

http://www.verifiedidpass.com/index.html

[dwntmpo]

I think it's an outstanding idea.. in fact, they could come up with a similar plan for Miami. maybe a 'registered patron' badge to wear on your shirt which allows you to move freely around the city...

[Dashing Dasher]

Why does it take so long to get through? Why am I still being asked to remove my shoes (which I don't do unless it's between taking my shoes off and going to jail).

Why should we have to pay an additional amount to get the service we should already have?

While we're at it - why are most airlines still losing money? It's not just 9/11 that hurt them - they were terminally ill before 9/11. However, 9/11 really smacked them down.

They are asking for ten fingerprints and both eyes scanned.

Lots of questions...

PS.. San Jose International Airport is now called Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport... BARF

[vrwc0915]

[vrwc0915]

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[Vigilanteman]

My plan would be cheaper and simpler-- walk over a mat bearing a likeness of Mohammed or get searched very carefully.

[OrangeBlossomSpecial]

We only need to have the sampler ladies from the grocery stores bearing weinies on a toothpick as a preboard snack. The line splits the snacking traveler from the PETA jihadists and the islamic jihadists all with a smile.

Alternatively, an eye scanner could be used to register either feelings of either delight or repulsion. These scans register after a passenger's eyes have viewed a picture of the twin towers on 9/11 on a Nick Berg beheading photo.

[Dashing Dasher]

How about the Bacon Security System.

Eat a slice of bacon - or go home.

[MineralMan]

My wife and I flew from MSP to LAX over the Thanksgiving holiday. As usual, we got to the airport early and breezed through security. No delays at all on either end.

The secret? No secret. We don't have any metal on our persons (it's stashed in the carryon), we wear slip-on shoes, have our ID and boarding passes out in our hands, and book our flights early.

I can't remember the last time either of us was wanded, patted down, or any other such thing.

MSP already has this program in place, but I cannot, for the life of me see the point in bothering with it.

[Dashing Dasher]

I travel weekly for business. I do not check baggage - I carry-on only.

I wear slip on shoes - when appropriate - but usually travel in sneakers. It's easier than trying to pack the big suckers in a carry-on. (i>SNEAKERS! Why am I being asked to remove my SNEAKERS!?

I carry ZERO restricted items and it took me 65 minutes to get through security in IAD, usually takes 20-30 minutes in OAK, DFW, JFK, the best so far was ORD - surprisingly.

Which is better - waiting 30 minutes for luggage or 30 minutes getting through security? I rather carry-on.

But, this will continue to be a problem. For the casual traveler - not too bad - but for us frequent flyers - it's a drag.

[MineralMan]

Well, I was a casual flyer on this trip, but I fly a lot on business. I cannot remember a single time in the last year that it took me more than 10 minutes to pass through security at any airport.

I do schedule flights that are not at the busiest times at airports. Midday usually works just fine, or very early morning.

I check bags, but always print out my boarding passes and check at the curb, when possible.

I have little tolerance for unnecessary delays, so I've adjusted my schedule to avoid them.

[Dashing Dasher]

I do schedule flights that are not at the busiest times at airports. Midday usually works just fine,...I've adjusted my schedule to avoid them.

A luxury many of us do not have.

I cannot remember a single time in the last year that it took me more than 10 minutes to pass through security at any airport.

Consider yourself lucky - and in the minority.

[TalonDJ]

80 bucks and all that extra checking and information? Only if they let me carry weapons afterward. It does sound like some could under this system...

[libstripper]

I can undestand $80.00 to get into the system and a renewal every few years, much like a CCW permit. However, $80.00/yr. looks a lot like a shakedown or an effort to keep all but regular business travelers from using the new system.

[Phinanceguy]

What everyone doesn't get is that most airports do not have the space for a dedicated trusted traveler checkpoint.Yes they will have them at large airports, but smaller ones you'll still have to stand in line with everyone else. If you think that TSA is going to allocate resources at every airport it isn't going to happen. As a mater of fact come January, TSA will not man exit areas anymore. The airlines/airports will now have to cover that. Thereby breaking their pledge to handle airport security.

[Dashing Dasher]

I considered that as well. Many of the smaller airports I have flown through (PHX, OAK, SJC) have horribly small security areas and are just not equipped to handle different lines for different things.

I'm thinking three or four lanes..
1. airport and airline staff
2. regular folk
3. $80 folk
4. potentially another line for 1K or Gold Platinum blah blah.

Not enough space....

[From many - one.]

Ditto plus...

all electronic stuff goes into a small plastic bag which gets dumped into one of those grey trays.

Never a problem.

Also...real time (I checked) through security lines: max 12 min.

I fly approximately once a month.

[MineralMan]

"Also...real time (I checked) through security lines: max 12 min.
"

Well, I guess it depends on the airport and the terminal you're using. I'm just not encountering the delays, myself. In fact, I can barely tell the difference between pre and post 9/11 any longer.

For a while, it was a bit of a PITA, but things have settled down a lot now. I'm a smoker, and used to never go back through security to go outside. Now, I don't think anything about it. I just go out, have my smoke, and go back through. Never seems to be a delay.

Again, though, I suppose it depends on the airport.

[narby]

I think this is the foot-in-the-door to internal passports like the old soviet union. Only they won't call them "passports", because they'll be some electronic ID. Granted, they already get our ID, but all they have is a name, and there is more than one "narby" out there.

It's going to happen someday. Whether we like it or not. Somebody will steal a tanker truck and run it into the ground floor of a big building and they'll require such ID to start and run a truck. Or they'll check personal RFIDs on interstate highways. Something.

Someday we'll all have a GPS implanted at birth running on body chemistry and broadcasting where we are. Who would object? It will virtually eliminate crime, because we'll know immediately who it was that stole our car and raped our daughter.

A brave new world. Glad I'll be dead.