TSA Precheck heads-up--be prepared

[sam_gordon]

"Random" indicates there is a good likelihood of it going either way. If you say, "The ability to drive to the airport in less than 3 hours is pretty random", when the airport is only a 30 minute drive away, that isn't an accurate statement. A person could counter: "Ah, but you could get in a car accident and have your timing completely derailed and then it would take over 3 hours. That could possibly happen." True, but that is so unlikely that it wouldn't make sense to say that it is "random" whether or not you can get to the airport in less than 3 hours.

"Random" can also mean there was no 'method' for a selection. Let's say there are one million travelers with precheck. Ten are selected at "random" to go through the regular security line. So yes, all one million have the same chance of being "chosen". But that doesn't mean "a good likelihood".

 

[gmi3804]

That's not what the word random means. Whether the odds are 50:1 or 100,000:1, there is still a chance that you could get randomly selected to not get the benefits of Pre. Come over to FlyerTalk and you'll find lots of stories of folks that did not get Pre for a multitude of reasons, including random selection. My wife got randomly selected to have to go through the body scanner earlier this month at MSP rather than using the WTMD.

My use of random is extremely accurate. Carefully read EACarlson post, if you want to get educated.

Girls! Girls! You're both pretty!

 

[Brian Noble]

Sure, Jan.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you check in, check your boarding pass.
If it doesn't have precheck, go back through check-in, on a computer. Manually enter your precheck number.
Doing this I have never NOT had it pop up.
My then-husband, who traveled half the year for 6 years, wouldn't go back through if it didn't show up, but when I was checking him in and it didn't show up I would redo checkin and he'd get it.

So if you don't see it, redo checkin.

Note: with SW I have had to call, because their site is a pain to redo checkin. It doesn't want to go through the whole process.

 

[bumbershoot]

Of course they say it isn't guaranteed. Otherwise someone would try to sue if Pre-Check was closed for some random reason or the passenger needs extra screening due to putting disallowed materials in the carryon or otherwise looking suspicious, or the passenger himself didn't document his KTN properly when making the reservation, etc.

Agreed.

The ID needs to be linked to each reservation. You don't just "get" PreCheck without doing that. If it's linked to your profile on each airline, it should automatically be linked; I always double-check and have never had to add it.

Sometimes the system seems to ignore it. If it does, go back through and add it manually. Should change the boarding pass to reflect precheck. (and by "should" I mean it's 100% of the time for me and when I checked in my then-husband)

 

[SirDuff]

"Random" can also mean there was no 'method' for a selection. Let's say there are one million travelers with precheck. Ten are selected at "random" to go through the regular security line. So yes, all one million have the same chance of being "chosen". But that doesn't mean "a good likelihood".

That’s the only meaning of the word random. The PPs suggestion that it implies equal/almost equal likelihood is incorrect.

 

[Brian Noble]

I don't know why* but I am reminded of my undergraduate epistemology course.

[*: I do know why.]

 

[kes601]

Just as a point of fact, JetBlue has my KTN. It's in my profile. I still don't know why it didn't show up on my initial boarding pass, although based on the odd email I got from JB saying my payment hadn't been received (it was received), I suspect it was some kind of a glitch.

We made a change to a flight recently on JetBlue. It dropped our KTNs, birthdates, and genders from the reservation. I caught it and they added it back, but I think when they updated their website a few weeks back their system got even glitchier than it has been in the past.

 

[kylenne]

We made a change to a flight recently on JetBlue. It dropped our KTNs, birthdates, and genders from the reservation. I caught it and they added it back, but I think when they updated their website a few weeks back their system got even glitchier than it has been in the past.

The app has been very glitchy lately. I had to manually re-enter my partner’s KTN and TB number twice when booking even though I have her information saved to my account. I chalked it up to their systems being slammed so hard since I was booking during the Black Friday sale but I’ve had little issues off and on since then.

 

[maxiesmom]

I've had that happen too. Even though I have precheck it didn't show on my e-ticket, and I had to go thru the regular line. I noticed before we went to the airport, and called the airline. I was told even with precheck they can decide to send you thru the regular line.

 

[Gentry2004]

Add us to the list of people who have always gotten to use precheck in the almost 10 years we've had it. Additionally, our now-teenager has been given precheck along with us every time even though she is now almost 15 and we've never applied for it in her name.

 

[sam_gordon]

I wish their was a way to confirm things match up before the day before your flight. We just booked a trip with Delta Vacations (affiliated with, but different than Delta airlines).

When I gave them my FF miles, the info "didn't transfer over". OK, no big deal, give them the names. When I got the receipts, the names are sammr gordon and <first>mrs <last>. I know names are important to match between tickets and ktn, so I called them back and they said it will be fine. I hate having to wait and see.

 

[bumbershoot]

I wish their was a way to confirm things match up before the day before your flight. We just booked a trip with Delta Vacations (affiliated with, but different than Delta airlines).

When I gave them my FF miles, the info "didn't transfer over". OK, no big deal, give them the names. When I got the receipts, the names are sammr gordon and <first>mrs <last>. I know names are important to match between tickets and ktn, so I called them back and they said it will be fine. I hate having to wait and see.

That's just how it works sometimes. United ALWAYS had my then-husband's "Mr" in the middle of everything. Even for international travel it was never an issue. The agents know it's a variation of normal.

 

[sam_gordon]

That's just how it works sometimes. United ALWAYS had my then-husband's "Mr" in the middle of everything. Even for international travel it was never an issue. The agents know it's a variation of normal.

It's not the agents I'm concerned about... it's the computer that puts "TSA-Pre" on the BP.

 

[paults]

My wife and I had the TSA-pre on a few of our trips back when it first started years ago (don't remember when). We never even signed up for it because we didn't know anything about it.
Now on Oct 2022 I booked Spirit to MCO from Philly. When I printed my boarding pass it had TSA-Pre on it. I never had a KTN from years ago and I still don't. No idea why my BP gets the TSA-PRE on it.

 

[EACarlson]

My wife and I had the TSA-pre on a few of our trips back when it first started years ago (don't remember when). We never even signed up for it because we didn't know anything about it.
Now on Oct 2022 I booked Spirit to MCO from Philly. When I printed my boarding pass it had TSA-Pre on it. I never had a KTN from years ago and I still don't. No idea why my BP gets the TSA-PRE on it.

There is an algorithm that gives Pre to those that score below a certain number on the threat assessment. Age, background checks done in the past, flying history, how far out the ticket was booked, RT vs one way all factor in. My mother is 62 year old school teacher that gets Pre about half the time without paying for it. The program was pretty much stopped for a couple years when Pre numbers grew faster than TSA was prepared for. There are only a certain number of people at each airport each day that get Pre, if there are leftovers they give it those that score low on the algorithm.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Just back from WDW and my JetBlue boarding pass didn't note that I have TSA Precheck. I didn't notice this, but the person at the TSA Precheck counter did, so I couldn't go through. However, if I had known my KTN (Known Traveler Number), they would've been able to verify my status.

In the future, I will have my KTN with me.

I ended up going back to the kiosks and getting a JetBlue employee to help me. He was able to look up my number and also printed me out a new boarding pass that noted TSA Pre on it. I was very early for my flight, so the delay wasn't a big deal.

Just a heads-up to have your KTN with you in case this happens.

Also, When you online check in with jetblue from the app, you can input your KTN, even if you forgot when booking the ticket.

You can also save it to your jetblue true blue account so you never need to input it again

 

[gmi3804]

I once got the to the airport with my boarding…. Wait - NO ONE CARES!

 

[aokeefe]

There is an algorithm that gives Pre to those that score below a certain number on the threat assessment. Age, background checks done in the past, flying history, how far out the ticket was booked, RT vs one way all factor in. My mother is 62 year old school teacher that gets Pre about half the time without paying for it. The program was pretty much stopped for a couple years when Pre numbers grew faster than TSA was prepared for. There are only a certain number of people at each airport each day that get Pre, if there are leftovers they give it those that score low on the algorithm.

Very interesting! My parents also always get PreCheck and I could never figure out why they do. (70+, retired school teachers, alway use a travel agent and usually do tours so I thought maybe that was it). Thanks for the info!

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Just back from WDW and my JetBlue boarding pass didn't note that I have TSA Precheck. I didn't notice this, but the person at the TSA Precheck counter did, so I couldn't go through. However, if I had known my KTN (Known Traveler Number), they would've been able to verify my status.

In the future, I will have my KTN with me.

I ended up going back to the kiosks and getting a JetBlue employee to help me. He was able to look up my number and also printed me out a new boarding pass that noted TSA Pre on it. I was very early for my flight, so the delay wasn't a big deal.

Just a heads-up to have your KTN with you in case this happens.

I keep all 4 of ours in a locked note on my phone. Always have. Never know when one of the flights I booked doesn’t populate it like it should.