16 yo daughter was selected for TSA precheck

[dedex13]

We are flying out of Baltimore tomorrow and are trying to decide whether she should take advantage of the TSA precheck or if she should just stay with me. She (of course) likes the idea of an easier trip through security, but me (being the anxiety-ridden mother that I am) am not sure if I want her off by herself. Particularly since this is only her third time flying.

Am I worrying over nothing? And what does the TSA precheck mean exactly?

Plus I'm a little jealous.

 

[sam_gordon]

We are flying out of Baltimore tomorrow and are trying to decide whether she should take advantage of the TSA precheck or if she should just stay with me. She (of course) likes the idea of an easier trip through security, but me (being the anxiety-ridden mother that I am) am not sure if I want her off by herself. Particularly since this is only her third time flying.

Am I worrying over nothing? And what does the TSA precheck mean exactly?

Plus I'm a little jealous.

According to: http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/what-tsa-precheck, those utilizing Precheck don't need to remove their belt, shoes, laptop, or 3-1-1 bag.

What I don't know is if every airport has a pre-check line. My home airport is small and there's only two security lines. I don't know if one is pre-check or not.

That being said, she's 16. In a couple years she'll be on her own. Why not let her use pre-check? We don't fly much either, but I'd let my 16 year old take advantage.

Just make sure she knows where to wait for you.

 

[iheartglaciers]

In all the airports I've been to, the pre-check line is right next to the regular lines, so you'll only be separated temporarily and you'll probably be able to see her from where you are.

Sometimes they let non-pre-check people go with their pre-check family members to keep them together.

It's really convenient not having to remove your shoes or remove stuff from your bag!

 

[goofy4tink]

Well, there was last June....I had PreCheck, dd didn't. She's 20 so no big deal. I left her to deal with security on her own! Sometimes the lines are not close to each other though. At Boston Logan, the PreCheck line is way off to the left, and at MCO, it's way over to the right. So yes, you could be split up by a fair distance. But at 16, she should be fine. She'll probably be standing there, waiting for you at the end of the security lines.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

.........
Sometimes they let non-pre-check people go with their pre-check family members to keep them together.

....

They aren't supposed to do this, so don't count on it. If you want to stay together, you can go through the regular line.

OP, let your daughter go through security on her own. She's 16!

 

[tjmw2727]

I have the opposite when I fly with my 17yo dd I have pre check and she generally does not get selected. She does fine in the regular line and we meet just after security at the benches where you can put yourself back together!

The pre-check line does not require you to remove laptops or your 3-1-1 bag from your carryon and you can leave your shoes on as well as a light jacket. So I take the laptop and the 3-1-1 bag and all my dd has to deal with in the regular line is her backpack and shoes and sometimes a jacket.

If your dd is uncomfortable about separating from you then she should be able to accompany you in the regular line but I doubt you will be able to use the pre check line with her.

 

[kwdw]

We are flying out of Baltimore tomorrow and are trying to decide whether she should take advantage of the TSA precheck or if she should just stay with me. She (of course) likes the idea of an easier trip through security, but me (being the anxiety-ridden mother that I am) am not sure if I want her off by herself. Particularly since this is only her third time flying.

Am I worrying over nothing? And what does the TSA precheck mean exactly?

Plus I'm a little jealous.

If you are flying Southwest, these lines at BWI are literally touching. You'll see her the whole time and there are benches right there past security. If she has a learner's permit or drivers license, I'd let her do the pre check line. If she doesn't have an official government id, I'd keep her with you. With ID, she'll be just like an adult and should fly through the line. Without, if they question her age and not having an ID, that might fluster her.

 

[dedex13]

Thanks to everyone for the input. We are flying Southwest, so that pretty much puts the issue to bed (if the lines are next to each other anyway). She has her driver's license, so no problem with id. I worry because she's very shy and doesn't like to talk to people. Plus I get anxious whenever we fly and always get flustered going through security (so it's usually not a pleasant experience)... I think she might be secretly relieved that she'll be able to get away from me.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

DH flew with DS15, who was chosen for pre-check while DH was not. DH went ahead and sent him through pre-check since the lines were right next to each other. DS didn't have a gov't issued ID, but telling the agent his age was sufficient.

Earlier this year, I flew with my sister and two teen boys. I was chosen for pre-check but the others were not. DS19 has Asperger's and I would not want send him through security alone. Since my sister was with him, I went through pre-check and waited for them at the end. It was nice not having to take off my shoes or take anything about of my bag. If my sister was not with the boys, I would have gone through the regular line to keep DS19 from getting anxious.

 

[Nechville]

A little OT but how did you find out you were chosen for pre-check?

 

[DebbieB]

A little OT but how did you find out you were chosen for pre-check?

It's printed on your boarding pass. I had 2 roundtrips to Texas in June and I was chosen 3 out of 4 times.

 

[Nechville]

It's printed on your boarding pass. I had 2 roundtrips to Texas in June and I was chosen 3 out of 4 times.

thanks!

 

[nkereina]

I recently flew out of Atlanta and went through the regular line, but did not have to remove my shoes, coat or 311 bag. I wonder what the benefit of precheck is there, other than the shorter line.

 

[tjmw2727]

I recently flew out of Atlanta and went through the regular line, but did not have to remove my shoes, coat or 311 bag. I wonder what the benefit of precheck is there, other than the shorter line.

You probably got re routed into the pre check line without realizing it, the TSA sends non pre check passengers through the pre check line at random.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I recently flew out of Atlanta and went through the regular line, but did not have to remove my shoes, coat or 311 bag. I wonder what the benefit of precheck is there, other than the shorter line.

One benefit, which no one has mentioned, is that the TSA Pre lines don't have body scanners.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

On our recent flights, DD15 was selected for PreCheck while I was not. At first I was going to keep her with me, but ultimately decided to let her do the PreCheck.

In STL, she did it and took all of our carry-ons with her, (including my CPAP) so nothing had to be pulled out. It was so much faster for both of us.

In MCO, we did the same and she had to wait for me to get finished.

I figure joke's on them, sending the 50+ overweight woman through the body scanner instead of the cute 15 year old.

Of course, my DD15 is a seasoned traveler with probably 30+ flights under her belt. Her next goal is flying alone!

 

[n2mm]

I've gotten pre check several times and my husband does not. Not a big deal. He always seems to find me afterwards. When the grandkids are with us, we always send them with whoever might luck out with precheck on their ticket.

 

[tjmw2727]

One benefit, which no one has mentioned, is that the TSA Pre lines don't have body scanners.

Most of the time that is true but I have been sent through the full body scanner in Philly just this August and in Detroit last spring, no idea why. They were sending most but not all of the pre line through the metal detector and then a random few through the full body scanner.

 

[wilkeliza]

One benefit, which no one has mentioned, is that the TSA Pre lines don't have body scanners.

Pretty sure at MCO I was still sent through the body scanner. Same for JFK.

 

[nkereina]

You probably got re routed into the pre check line without realizing it, the TSA sends non pre check passengers through the pre check line at random.

I didn't, it was standard practice that day at the Atlanta airport. I followed the line with everyone else and one TSA officer was tasked the duty of repeating "don't remove your bags, don't remove you coats, don't remove your shoes" over and over again. Perhaps this is becoming more common at the busier airports now?