The Transportation Security Administration has announced the addition of Caribbean Airlines and RED Air to its TSA PreCheck programme, bringing the total number of participating airlines to nearly 100 and enhancing the programmes’s reach and accessibility for travellers.
TSA PreCheck offers an expedited screening experience at over 200 U.S. airports and the Lynden Pindling International Airport in the Bahamas. The programme allows low-risk travellers to keep their shoes, belts, and light jackets on, and spares them from removing items like laptops from their carry-on bags. Most passengers benefit from wait times of less than 10 minutes in dedicated lanes.
Eligible passengers, including U.S. citizens, nationals, and eligible permanent residents, can apply for TSA PreCheck by choosing an enrolment provider, such as CLEAR, IDEMIA, or Telos. Enrolment involves an online application and a 10-minute in-person visit, collecting fingerprints and checking documents. Approved travellers receive a Known Traveller Number, which they can use for future bookings to access TSA PreCheck lanes.
For families, children under 12 can accompany enrolled adults, while teens aged 13-17 can join if travelling on the same reservation and with a TSA PreCheck indicator on their boarding pass.
In addition, the latest generation of Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) is being made available at Spokane International Airport to facilitate the live biometric matching of passengers to their travel document IDs, outdating manual checks which can take up time and officers on the border front line. Instead, the newest CAT reader units have enhanced capabilities to perform like-to-like with face biometric machines in real-time and no data is stored. Moreover, the CAT machines still scan IDs and confirm flight boarding information.
If the technology detects a match between the ID photo and real traveller, they can proceed through security to board their flight.
