Exploring The Registered Traveler Pilot Program

To help combat incidents of unsafe airline travel, various airports introduced The Registered Traveler Pilot Program in 2005. First added as a pilot project, the program now appears in various airport terminals throughout the United States.

The program will present an additional cost to travelers, but airlines claim that extra security is well-worth the investment. As a result, passengers will pay a fee to join the program, which will then require them to have a background check conducted. If the traveler is accepted into the program, they will be given a smartcard to use at the airport. This smartcard will contain all of their relevant information and allow them to get through the process faster and more easily.

To encourage passengers to join the program, a dedicated lane will be available to cardholders. This lane will allow travelers to pass through the checkpoints quicker than regular passengers, in addition to a few other perks. Smartcard users will not have to remove their jackets and footwear to be scanned and changes may be made to laptop regulations as well.

In order to join the program, a passenger must have reached the age of majority in the United States. With parental consent, youth between the ages of 12 and 18 can also apply for a smartcard, to help simplify family travel. As an additional security measure, the Transportation Security Administration department will use regular screening practices for the cardholders and may subject them to a second screening, if necessary. This will help to deter potential criminal activity by subjecting questionable passengers to the same practices as everyone else.

While the smartcard technology will not stop a passenger and their baggage from being scanned, it may just speed up the overall process. With a list of details about a particular passenger stored on the card, airlines will be able to pass travelers through at a faster rate. No one wants to be held up at the airport for an excessive amount of time and, hopefully, the smartcard will help to lessen that possibility. Smoother security measure make for better vacations, which is something we can all appreciate.