IND Delays Introduction of Registered Traveller

[tonyw]

http://www.a2a.aero/news/story.html?storyID=373

Indianapolis Airporthas delayed the introduction of a Registered Traveler program past the planned June 20 launch. According to the Indianapolis Star, airport officials are waiting for the Transportation Security Administration to issues its final guidelines for the program, an issue facing a dozen or so airports also waiting to introduce the program.


In related news, the Air Transport Association on June 1 sent a letter to airport directors urging them not to endorse the trusted traveler program. "The reasons for our opposition are straightforward; as currently designed, the program will unnecessarily drain limited TSA resources and detract from the agency's ability to craft more comprehensive programs benefiting all travelers," wrote James May, ATA's president and CEO.

Okay, the first one, I understand, the second one, I do not. It's the old 80/20 rule, where you're going to get 80 percent of your revenue from 20 percent of your customers.

And those 20 percent will be the ones paying for and getting cleared in a registered traveller program. You get to reduce the hassles for those who pay most of the freight, so why wouldn't you want to move forward with this?

The once or twice a year Aunt Bessies ain't gonna be ponying up for the registered traveller program, while the twice a month business travellers will. Why not push for something that makes your best customers happy?

 

[Chris_Ford]

Can you post more info on what the registered travel program is and how it will keep us safer? What prevention is there from Ahmed Terrorist, Jr. from joining?

 

[BobDDuck]

From what I have seen of it the background check is pretty good. Well, it's done by the FBI so draw your own conclusions. DCA was implementing iris scanners to use with the program, but I think they have backed off that for now. As far as I know you will still have to go through a metal detector but it will be a streamlined process (laptop can stay in the bag etc). Sounds perfect for flight crews right? Oh wait, we can't join.

 

[tonyw]

Can you post more info on what the registered travel program is and how it will keep us safer? What prevention is there from Ahmed Terrorist, Jr. from joining?

No, because the TSA isn't disclosing what is in the screening.

But do you really think that the current screening program will prevent a terrorist from doing something?

You can have all the screening in the world of the passengers and their baggage, but guess what doesn't get screened?

The cargo.

Al Qaeda knows this. They're smart and determined.

You figure it out.

 

[Chris_Ford]

But it seems like the "preferred pax" system would make it even easier...

Time to get some El Al screening in the house, IMO.

 

[SteveC]

Time to get some El Al screening in the house, IMO.

I've been through El Al's screening before, and I believe the hype about it being the best in the world. Problem is that it is very labor intensive (i.e. lots of screeners needed), and the screeners must be well above average intelligence, implying an above average wage to entice the appropriate demographic. Do you see that happening here in the States, land of the low-bid / Walmart mentality?

[caution, thread derailment ahead]
For that matter, do you really see the potential payback in spending the kind of money required to institute El Al type security here? I wonder if anybody would care to do a cost/benefit analysis ('dollars spent' versus 'lives saved') comparing 'stopping terrorist attacks' to 'stopping drunk driving'? (No fair factoring in public paranoia or political agendas. )

[grinning, ducking, and running]

 

[tonyw]

But it seems like the "preferred pax" system would make it even easier...

Not really. If you can put a bomb in the cargo hold and know it's not going to be screened, why bother to try to go through passenger security?

You don't even have to find a jihadist, just a bomb builder.