Airline passengers waiting in long lines for PreCheck, not security

Airline passengers were in an uproar over massive security lines earlier this spring, but now travelers are facing a new hurdle: long wait times to sign up for an expedited screening program.

Passengers trying to enroll in the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) PreCheck program are now experiencing delays in getting in an appointment and seeing their application approved, according to The New York Times.

{mosads}The growing frustration could step up pressure on the Senate to clear a House-passed bill that would expand enrollment in PreCheck.

The PreCheck program allows passengers who have undergone background checks to move through expedited security lanes without taking off their shoes or removing electronics from their bags.

But passengers have cited numerous challenges to signing up, such as difficulties in getting an appointment, delays in getting approved and the $85 enrollment fee.

One frustrated traveler told The Hill that a glitch in the system allowed people to sign up for appointments at an enrollment center in Washington, D.C., at a time when it wasn’t open.

PreCheck enrollment numbers have spiked amid growing concern over long security lines at airports around the country. TSA officials said average daily sign-ups are 15,000 per day, which is more than double volumes at this time last year.

A spokesman for TSA acknowledged that there is an unusually high volume of PreCheck applications at busier hubs such as in Chicago and Denver, but said 84 percent of applications are completed within just a few days.

Still, the agency and MorphoTrust – the company that processes PreCheck applications – are working to handle the influx by adding staff members and enrollment centers, including over 30 new locations in the next 30 to 90 days, with more actions planned for the fall.

The TSA, which cut its staff in recent years, was heavily relying on PreCheck to help expedite the overall screening process, but not enough passengers enrolled.

The agency also ended its practice of randomly funneling passengers into the PreCheck lanes after screeners came under fire for failing to detect fake bombs and weapons in security tests last summer.

As travel began to surge this spring, the agency became overwhelmed by long checkpoint lines, leading to three-hour wait times in some cases and tens of thousands of missed flights around the country.

The crisis quickly became a national news story, prodding Congress to approve shifting a total of $62 million within TSA’s current budget to hire new staff, provide overtime to current employees and shift part-time officers to full-time status.

Officials were able to significantly improve lines by Memorial Day, but travel volumes are expected to keep growing this summer — along with enrollment in PreCheck.

Lawmakers have been seeking changes in the program to make it easier for people to sign up and keep lines under control in the long run. 

The TSA is already seeking additional vendors to help manage the PreCheck program, which could spur more competition and bring down the cost of enrollment.

A House-passed bill to expand enrollment in PreCheck would require the TSA to develop a process for approving marketing materials and partner with the private sector to further encourage enrollment.

But the legislation has remained stalled over objections from Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who wants to see the fees that the TSA collects from the program brought under congressional oversight through the annual appropriations process.

–This story was updated at 3:25 p.m.