The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) launched a program that allows those without a plane ticket to go through security and see their loved ones to the gate. The program, thought by some to be comparable to the pre-September 11, is now offered at some participating airports.
Under the new Gateside program, some TSA PreCheck members can access the “special authorization” to “meet family members at their gate, join a friend on a long layover for lunch or dinner, visit airport dining and shopping locations, or greet service members returning from deployment,” TSA explained.
“We came up with a program that doesn’t compromise security at all — it’s just a part of the known passenger process,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “We hope that it will help the passenger experience.”
“It’s not just kids, it’s adults. It’s our wives, it’s our parents, elderly parents, our grandparents that we want to pick up at the gate,” he said. “So we started to look at how we do this better and still keep everybody safe.”
- Participating airports include, as listed by TSA:
Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) in Arizona - John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) in Ohio
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) in Michigan
- Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) in Kansas
- Indianapolis International Airport (IND) in Indiana
- Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Nevada
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California
- Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Arkansas
- Will Rogers International Airport (OKC) in Oklahoma
- Eppley Airfield (OMA) in Nebraska
- San Diego International Airport (SAN) in California
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) in Utah
