16 yo daughter was selected for TSA precheck

[houseofduck]

At MCO, they tried to send us to the full body scanner line with pre-check. We just went to the other line (regular metal detector) instead.

 

[jetskigrl]

DD16 was selected for precheck on our last flight too but she elected to just stay with us. The lines were close to one another but none were very long at the time so it didn't make much difference. She was able to keep her shoes on though and just showed her boarding pass to the TSA agent before going through the scanner.

 

[disneylove69]

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.

Certain age groups do not have to remove shoes. My friend does not meet the age but since her hair is grey sometimes they think she is old and tell her now shoe removal. I am at the other side

 

[sam_gordon]

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?

So no one in that line had to remove anything? It sounds like they opened a second pre-check line (even if they didn't label it as such).

 

[richmo]

I'd let her decide. She's certainly old enough. It'll give her a chance to feel like a VIP. If she's OK with it, let her do it.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

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

The norm is no body scanner; metal detector only. Maybe you looked suspicious,

 

[wilkeliza]

The norm is no body scanner; metal detector only. Maybe you looked suspicious,

Haha. Nope but everyone was going through them at both airports.

MCO and JFK are two airports that will do random pulls from the regular line so I wonder if that has to do with it.

 

[CJsMom]

Glad to find this post! I just checked in online and my 13 year old got "TSA Precheck" on his boarding pass. He's only flown once in his life, and that was to Disney in 2007, so I think I'm going to keep him with us in the regular line. That was actually my question - is it ok to go through the regular line if you were randomly selected for precheck? Or will they insist he go through the Precheck line? And if they insist, because he's a minor, can I go with him?

The funny thing is, the last time we took the kids to Disney in 2007, I wasn't able to check him in online because his name matched a name on the Do Not Fly list. I was doing the same thing that I'm doing now - posting on this forum to see if anyone knew what we could expect at the airport (extra screening, whatever)! It ended up being no big deal at all, once they saw he was a 7 year old kid, they sent us right through. I wonder if that has anything to do with him getting Precheck today?

 

[gwynne]

Glad to find this post! I just checked in online and my 13 year old got "TSA Precheck" on his boarding pass. He's only flown once in his life, and that was to Disney in 2007, so I think I'm going to keep him with us in the regular line. That was actually my question - is it ok to go through the regular line if you were randomly selected for precheck? Or will they insist he go through the Precheck line? And if they insist, because he's a minor, can I go with him?

The funny thing is, the last time we took the kids to Disney in 2007, I wasn't able to check him in online because his name matched a name on the Do Not Fly list. I was doing the same thing that I'm doing now - posting on this forum to see if anyone knew what we could expect at the airport (extra screening, whatever)! It ended up being no big deal at all, once they saw he was a 7 year old kid, they sent us right through. I wonder if that has anything to do with him getting Precheck today?

Probably the best is to be flexible. He can go through the very easy pre-check line by himself. You *may* be offered to go with him, but I wouldn't count on it.
Or, if you prefer he not go through pre-check solo, your other option is to just keep him with you, go through the usual line.
They aren't going to insist he go through pre-check line. He can get in line with you.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I agree; just have him go through the regular security line with you.

 

[CJsMom]

Thanks for the quick responses. I'm sure he could handle going through by himself (he'd probably think it was great), but it's good to know we have the option of keeping him with us.

 

[Tozzie]

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

That is false, some have scanners some dont i have had pre check both ways

 

[jtowntoflorida]

That is false, some have scanners some dont i have had pre check both ways

If you're "randomly selected" they'll send you through the body scanner, but it's rare. I got selected the last time I flew. It really wasn't that big of a deal and only slowed me down by about a minute, if that.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

That is false, some have scanners some dont i have had pre check both ways

Normally you don't have to go through the scanners in the Pre check line. Please read the whole thread; this has already been discussed extensively.

 

[Tozzie]

Normally you don't have to go through the scanners in the Pre check line. Please read the whole thread; this has already been discussed extensively.

Unless you are a moderator dont instruct me on what to read and not read you made a factually incorrect statement as you often do and I reponded to it so check your facts before hand.

 

[DebbieB]

I got selected both ways on my Orlando trip last month. Not sure how they select or how many but there was no line in Orlando. I know you can pay to join pre-check, I think they randomly select people with the hopes they will buy the membership.

http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck-application-program

It seems strange that there are stringent requirements to join and they just randomly allow people to do it without any of the requirements.

 

[n2mm]

I get this often. Keep in mind that children under 12 can go with the precheck person. I just flew last weekend and got precheck. My husband, daughter, son in law and granddaughters did not. Decided to ask just to see if anything changed. The tsa agent said the grandkids could go with me if they were under 12. Not sure why I get it most of the time. 8 flights this year and only didn't get it 1 time and I was booked on frontier airline that time.

 

[CPT Tripss]

I got selected both ways on my Orlando trip last month. Not sure how they select or how many but there was no line in Orlando. I know you can pay to join pre-check, I think they randomly select people with the hopes they will buy the membership.

http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck-application-program

It seems strange that there are stringent requirements to join and they just randomly allow people to do it without any of the requirements.

The TSA requirements for pre check - http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/eligibility-requirements - are not really stringent. The data all flyers must provide under the "secure flight" program enable the same data search. Just more theater, not more security.

 

[nacho113]

Every time we fly either my DW or myself gets TSA precheck but never both at the same time. We've tried having one of us go through the precheck line while the other goes through the regular line but we have found it's more of a hassle than anything. One of us is through first and waiting around on the other side for awhile. You have no one to chat with in the line etc. and you don't get to your gate any faster since you're waiting for the other person.
In the end we just both go through the regular line now if one of us gets TSA precheck.

Similarly, I have a Nexus/Global Entry card since I travel a lot on business, my DW does not. The Nexus line is super fast, but when I'm travelling with my DW I just use the regular lines otherwise I'm waiting 10-15 minutes on the other side for my DW to get through the regular line.
One of these days I guess we should get a card for her too.

 

[wilkeliza]

Normally you don't have to go through the scanners in the Pre check line. Please read the whole thread; this has already been discussed extensively.

I am almost 100% positive every time I've done precheck you got through the scanner the only difference is that shoes and light jackets stay on, 311 bag does not have to be removed and lap tops don't have to be removed. I've gotten it at Orlando International and JFK. Sometimes there is a hand swap as well and sometimes not but always through the body scanner.