TSA To Expand Expedited Screening Program

TSA officials this week announced that they are planning to expand their invitation-only expedited screening lines to more airports. The program currently allows Delta and American Airlines frequent fliers to head through faster security checkpoints that require less stringent checks, for example shoes do not need to be removed and laptops are allowed to stay in bags when being scanned.

According to the Wall Street Journal the lanes had previously only been made available to frequent Delta and American fliers and people who pay $100 to become a member of the government’s trusted traveler program which required a qualifying interview with a Customers and Border Protection agent at several airports.

The expedited program has been in existence since October 4 in Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit and Miami and will expand into Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Minneapolis.

According to one TSA official:

“The ultimate goal is to move away from one-size-fits-all.”

Unfortunately a time frame for the expanded program has not yet been announced but the TSA continues to promise improved security measures that are hopefully less intrusive for travelers.

Do you think the expedited security program provides an unfair advantage to certain travelers? Perhaps people with Afros and other big hairstyles will now be targeted less while passing through expedited security checkpoints.

[Images via Carolina K. Smith, M.D. / Shutterstock.com]