Travelers Breeze Through Security Without TSA PreCheck
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- As you head to the airport to pick up loved ones or travel yourself you may notice something called TSA Pre-check lines.
You pay eighty-five dollars for a background check and fingerprints. Once approved you can step through security faster without having to take belts, coats, or shoes off. Except we found many people in the pre-check lanes actually have never had a background check or fingerprints. The TSA explained to us there is nothing to be alarmed about.
If you have TSA precheck, chances are you like it.
"I love this. It's really good." Raphael De Aoli, a traveler told CBS4.
He travels a lot and the lane allows him to zip through.
Precheck is the fast lane at the airport. No taking off your shoes, or belts, or coats. The laptop stays in the bag.
Cecil Butler, another traveler, was waiting in line at Miami International Airport in the general lanes.
What's it like for him?
"Tedious," he said.
Click here to watch David Sutta's report.
A majority of Americans are just like Butler, flying without precheck. Yet at Miami International Airport (MIA) CBS4's David Sutta found there is a chance you could end up in the precheck lines.
CBS4 crews saw it first hand. Passengers being directed into the precheck lanes despite never having a background check or fingerprints.
"It's not fair. Because you paid $85 to do something then you have, they bump you in with everybody else. So that's not fair," Butler said.
The general public being steered into a fast track lane for security could be alarming in a post 9-11 world.
The checkpoints are there to stop terrorists and weapons from getting through.
From knives, to grenades, the TSA showed Sutta some of the haul discovered at their checkpoints at MIA.
When questioned about how they could let anyone into the precheck lanes, the TSA explained it's not exactly what it looks like.
In a statement they wrote "At MIA, TSA conducts real-time threat assessments with Passenger Screening Canine (PSC) teams and Behavior Detection Officers (BDOs). TSA uses this during specific time periods and/or locations throughout the day or week, depending on relative queue length in the TSA Pre✓™ lane and/or the standard screening checkpoint lanes. TSA also increases the use of Explosives Trace Detection (ETD) machines when TSA Pre✓™ is in operation."
And Sutta saw that test in clear view. Anyone without precheck status, directed into a precheck lane had to take the test. Only when they passed were they allowed to move on.
Does that make Butler feel a little better?
"A little bit better," he said.
Some of those in the TSA precheck program though were not thrilled.
"It makes it worse for sure and I think you have seen a lot more people also being prechecked so it makes it slower," De Aoli said.
On average 4,000 people a day sign up for TSA precheck across the country.
In South Florida, you can do it very easily at MIA and a location in Fort Lauderdale. For more information on that, click here.
The TS A also provided statistics about their program.
As of November 13, 2014, TSA has enrolled more than 700,000 in the TSA Pre✓™ application program. The program began in December 2013.
In 2013, 98.65 percent of passengers experienced wait times under 20 minutes.
With additional passengers utilizing TSA Pre✓™, wait times have been reduced even with increased passenger volume. Additionally, complaints are down over 25 percent.
TSA has approximately 2,200 lanes nationwide. Around 400 of those are TSA Pre✓™ lanes.
In a standard lane, TSA can process on average 160 passengers per hour. In a TSA Pre✓™ lane, TSA can process more than 250 passengers per hour. The goal/average for TSA Pre✓™ is less than a 5 minute wait.
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