WestJet Passengers to Enjoy TSA PreCheck

WestJet announced that its passengers are now able to use TSA PreCheck security lanes when flying out of U.S. airports. It is the second foreign airline to be authorized by the TSA for the expedited service.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled in Global Entry, Nexus, Sentri, or the TSA PreCheck program, as well as Canadian citizens who are members of Nexus are eligible, although it will be necessary to get a boarding pass from a ticket counter until the airline rolls out for PreCheck encoded boarding passes next year.

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 Transportation Security Administration expanded the PreCheck trusted traveler program to include non-U.S. airlines in April 2014.  The first such airline to participate was Air Canada. With the addition of WestJet, a total of 13 airlines now offer their passengers access to PreCheck, including Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, OneJet, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country, United Airlines, US Airways, and Virgin America.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)