TSA Pre-Check rolls out in Las Vegas

by Lisa Simeone on December 15, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ho, ho, ho, just in time for the holidays, the TSA is making a list and checking it twice.

And if you’re well-off, and fly First Class, and fly a lot, and fly with certain airlines, out of certain airports, at certain gates, and are a U.S. citizen who’s already a member of existing U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler programs including Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI, and pay an extra fee, and don’t mind giving more personal info for the TSA to store in its databases, you can get on that list and might – might – be ushered more quickly through the checkpoint.

See – no hoops to jump through at all!

As the TSA trumpets in its latest press release, TSA Pre✓™ (yes, don’t forget that nifty little trademark symbol!) is expanding to Las Vegas.

Party on.

But, as with so much in life, there are no guarantees:

If TSA determines a passenger is eligible for expedited screening through the TSA Pre vetting process, information will be embedded in the barcode of the passenger’s boarding pass. TSA will read the barcode at the checkpoint and the passenger may be referred to a lane where they will undergo expedited screening, which could include no longer removing the following items; Shoes, 3-1-1 compliant bag from carry-on, Laptop from bag, Light outerwear/jacket and Belt.

TSA will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening.

So after you fork over extra money (and good luck finding out how much in TSA’s voluminous verbiage on this new program) and sign up, you might breeze on by the rest of the hoi polloi, who, alas, being too stupid or too poor or too in-the-wrong-lane-at-the-wrong-time-at-the-wrong gate or who just don’t fly very often, will still have to go through the same scope-and-grope procedures as ever.

But what’s a little Divide-and-Conquer among friends? Just get me to my gate on time!

Tagged as: frequent flyers, las vegas, Security, TSA, tsa pre check