By Caribbean News Global
WASHINGTON, USA — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is prepared for sustained higher passenger volumes during the winter holiday travel season and expects airport security checkpoints to be busier this year compared to last year; while announcing today the expansion of its TSA PreCheck® program with the addition of Norse Atlantic Airways, Lynx Air, Starlux Airlines and Fiji Airways. With these additions, there are now 94 domestic and international carriers participating in the TSA PreCheck program.
TSA PreCheck is an expedited screening program enabling low-risk travellers to enjoy a secure and efficient screening experience at more than 200 U.S. airports. TSA PreCheck passengers travel with ease and may keep their shoes, belts and light jackets on and are not required to remove laptops, 3-1-1 liquids and food items from their carry-on bags. About 99 percent of TSA PreCheck passengers wait less than 10 minutes in dedicated lanes at airport checkpoints nationwide.
TSA PreCheck is available for eligible passengers when departing from a US airport or when connecting on domestic flights, after returning to the United States. Travellers who are US citizens, US nationals and US lawful permanent residents may apply for TSA PreCheck and can pick any enrollment provider based on cost, locations and additional benefits. Costs for enrollment vary by provider.
Enrolling in TSA PreCheck is easy. Visit tsa.gov/precheck and choose one of the enrollment providers, Telos or IDEMIA, complete the online application in five minutes and schedule your 10-minute in-person appointment with your chosen provider to complete the enrollment.
Once approved, travellers receive a unique “Known Traveler Number” (KTN) that, when added to an airline reservation, makes them eligible to use TSA PreCheck lanes at security checkpoints nationwide when travelling on any of the participating airlines. Most new enrollees receive a KTN within three to five days.
Teenagers aged 13-17 may now accompany TSA PreCheck enrolled parents or guardians through TSA PreCheck screening when travelling on the same reservation and when the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the teen’s boarding pass. Children 12 and under may accompany an enrolled parent or guardian in the TSA PreCheck lanes without restriction.
TSA is prepared for busy winter travel season
The official end-of-the-year holiday travel period starts Thursday, December 21, and will continue through Tuesday, January 2. The busiest days are projected to be Thursday, December 21, Friday, December. 29, and Monday, January 1, when the agency will screen more than 2.5 million passengers each day, which is a 6 percent increase from 2022.
The busiest day last year was December 29, when TSA screened nearly 2.4 million passengers.
TSA screened nearly 30 million passengers during last month’s 12-day Thanksgiving holiday period and broke the record for most passengers in a single day on November 26, screening more than 2.9 million passengers at security checkpoints nationwide.
“We are prepared to handle the busy passenger volumes this winter holiday season,” said TSA administrator David Pekoske. “TSA’s continued success during this record year for travel is a direct result of teamwork, planning and professional execution across the agency, from our frontline employees to those behind the scenes; partnerships with airports and air carriers; and innovative checkpoint technologies that improve security effectiveness, efficiency and the passenger experience.”
