Rise in TSA PreCheck Applications Means Long Wait to Skip Wait at Security Checkpoint Lines

While the Transportation Security Administration has long promoted its PreCheck trusted traveler program as a way to avoid the wait at the nation’s security checkpoints, the delays in signing up for the program are leaving thousands standing on line waiting for their applications to be finalized.

The number of people paying $85 to enroll in the program has more than tripled in recent months, the agency said, amidst greater publicity about the program. The increase in interest has been a dual-edged sword as the agency has been unable to process the new applications in a timely fashion, resulting in delays of several weeks to several months according to a report in the New York Times.

Passengers at a PreCheck security checkpoint don’t have to remove certain items of clothing, such as shoes, belts, and light outerwear, and can leave laptops and liquids in their carry-on luggage.

The TSA said it was adding staff to handle the flood of applications, as is its contractor, MorphoTrust, which manages the process.

“We are adding as much capacity as quickly as possible,” John Sammon, the TSA’s chief marketing officer, told the paper.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)