Gateside by TSA Precheck

mminhduong243 about 3 hours ago 41 commentsRead Article on tsa.gov

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Discussion (41 Comments)Read Original on HackerNews

Mobius01•about 2 hours ago

Instead of rolling back the ineffective and draconian security measures to pre-2001, they simply decided to monetize it. That tracks for this administration.

anonymousiam•14 minutes ago

This new service is provided free to people who already have TSA Precheck. What I would like to know is if it's also available to those who have Global Entry. I let my TSA Precheck lapse after getting Global Entry because I saw no benefit to keeping it.

cryptonector•4 minutes ago

It was monetized quite a while back.

bigstrat2003•about 1 hour ago

How, exactly, is it this administration's fault? They didn't create Precheck (which dates back to the Obama admin iirc), and this new facet of Precheck is explicitly stated to not cost extra. So I don't see how you can possibly blame the current administration for monetizing the security regime. At most they are continuing a bad policy that others started.

And to be clear, I think that Precheck is a stupid-ass program. If the security measures are truly necessary, then you shouldn't exempt anyone from them. And if they aren't necessary, then they should be abolished. Precheck always struck me as a tacit admission that the TSA is security theater while trying to make some extra money for the government. But again, that isn't some kind of sin unique to the Trump admin the way you implied.

lokar•about 1 hour ago

All of the post 9-11 measures other then:

- securing the cockpit

- training staff to resist hijacking

- ensuring checked bags have boarded passengers

Are worthless theater.

But, if you don’t accept that, and believe that more physical passenger screening is important, adjusting the level of screening based on a per-passenger threat assessment seems reasonable.

lokar•6 minutes ago

I should add, two other items that I think were added in this time period, which are not security related, but IMO are good are:

- seriously, you need to follow the instructions of the staff on board

- don't get (very) drunk before or after boarding, don't bring and drink your own alcohol

AlotOfReading•14 minutes ago

How is ensuring checked bags have boarded passengers not also theater? Airlines openly sell unattended cargo space on passenger flights and it's screened the same way as checked luggage.

grishka•about 1 hour ago

> ensuring checked bags have boarded passengers

You mean you used to be able to just send a bag without flying yourself, and have someone else pick it up at the destination airport? Was this something that people did intentionally or did it happen accidentally?

twoodfin•about 1 hour ago

No selective HUMINT is worthwhile?

Mobius01•about 1 hour ago

I didn’t blame the administration for starting Pre-Check: I’m faulting them for not ending it, instead adding another feature to it. The new gate access is free - for TSA Pre-Check enrollees. Meaning this will increase demand for the service. They could have done the population a (rare) solid and found a way to phase out the security theater.

bigstrat2003•22 minutes ago

You said:

> they simply decided to monetize it. That tracks for this administration.

But this administration didn't cause the monetization. I am fine with criticizing them for not ending the TSA - I too think they should end it. But your post implied some kind of corruption angle, one that is specifically due to this administration. And I don't think that criticism holds true. One must criticize them for only the things they've actually done, imo.

geetee•about 1 hour ago

It's free?

edoceo•22 minutes ago

TSA Pre-Check itself has an admin fee of $150 IIRC

fallinghawks•about 1 hour ago

As long as you have TSA precheck or a known traveler number, which costs money.

hkchad•about 1 hour ago

Lots of people get TKN's with their work, for free.

wilburx3•44 minutes ago

You have to book it ahead of time?! What goober designed a system like this?

samename•37 minutes ago

I imagine lack of a same day booking option makes this a nonstarter for most

acwan93•16 minutes ago

I read somewhere that Pittsburgh airport was trying to do something like this cause the stores gateside were not available anywhere else.

In any case, like with airport lounges, it seems like “everyone” has some form of credit card that gives them Precheck/Global Entry for free, further dividing the commercial air experience.

passive•42 minutes ago

Seems cool, and makes sense, but does seem like it's mostly going to be annoying.

It's available at a limited number of airports, and you have to apply 1-3 days in advance each time. Also could be annoying to travellers who have to compete with you for line, seat, or bathroom space.

But maybe more revenue from visitors means better staffing and resources for airports!

firesteelrain•44 minutes ago

This is great.

But airports are super busy and crowded these days. Imagine all the extra people if everyone took advantage of this

I don’t remember how it looked back in the day when you didn’t need Gateside.

unsnap_biceps•23 minutes ago

It's obnoxious enough to go through security and meet someone at their gate that for major airports, it was only done for picking up kids or old folks. It's not going to move the needle on how crowded it feels.

for smaller airports, it won't matter, my local airport has four gates, the terminal is maybe 300 feet end to end, so everyone currently waits outside of security, but it's like 10-20 folks. the few that make it to the gate won't matter at all.

chrishas35•36 minutes ago

TUL (and probably plenty others) has free visitor passes, no precheck required

satvikpendem•42 minutes ago

This is funny to see because this is exactly how it was before 9/11.

MuffinFlavored•about 1 hour ago

Downside: Finding a seat at an already crowded gate just got harder.

Upside: loved ones get to hang out with loved ones for longer.

zulux•about 2 hours ago

Getting back to some of what we had before [redacted] came to America.

pstuart•about 1 hour ago

I just had to pay to renew my TSA PreCheck. Because why? They already know my threat risk (zero), and in paying them again nothing changed except they took more money from me.

xyzelement•about 1 hour ago

Allegedly there's an actual re-evaluation during the renewal. For example if you start showing up on terrorist watchlists your next renewal might not go through.

I think this is kinda true because my wife was involved in a customs incident and then was unable to renew pre check for a bunch of years, thought that was never given as a reason.

crooked-v•1 minute ago

Of course, them doing it like that makes the security theater even more obvious, since they don't bother doing anything about it until renewal time.

flyingshelf•32 minutes ago

Mind sharing what the incident was? Carrying too many valuables?

the_sleaze_•18 minutes ago

smuggling cheese and dried sausage?

FireBeyond•29 minutes ago

Leaving aside that the vast majority of people on such lists are nothing of the sort, your presence on them is evaluated if not every time you book a flight, but every time you check in for one.

Otherwise that's a pretty gaping loophole. "Get Precheck and then go to terrorist training camp, you're safe for a few years".

(All of this is notwithstanding the fact that all of this is absolute garbage security theater, and I say that as someone with Pre and Clear.

Urgo•about 1 hour ago

Just like being "verified" is a monthly subscription on twitter/meta too. They are not verifying you each month.

In before we have to start renewing our birth certificates each year too.