TSA Precheck issue at MCO

[DrFacilier]

My wife and I applied, paid and were approved for TSA Precheck last month. Everything went smoothly from PVD to MCO but on our way back the TSA agent wouldn't allow me to go through precheck because it wasn't printed on my boarding pass (which was printed up at online check-in at POP). Luckily the security line was fairly short so instead of walking back to Southwest I just went through regular security (pretty ticked off). I hadn't looked close enough and thought it was one of the DDs that were missing the precheck indicator.

1. Is there anything I can do to make sure this doesn't happen again? (besides check my boarding pass when I get it which I will be doing from now on)

2. A SW agent told me at the desk when we arrived that everyone in my party needed to have TSA Precheck even DD7 and DD9) for us to be allowed through but ultimately it would be up to the TSA agent. The TSA agent also said that everyone in the party needed to have the indicator on the ticket to be let through. I understand why she didn't let me in but I'm wondering what would have happened if DW DD7 and myself had the indicator but DD9 did not.

The TSA precheck site (run by Homeland Security) clearly states: "Children ages 12 and younger may use the TSA Pre✓® lane when traveling with a parent or guardian who has the indicator on their boarding pass." If my wife and I both have the indicator, my 7 and 9 year old have to be let through correct?

 

[disneyseniors]

We are 'TSA precheck too, and like you, found that some tickets are not stamped TSA prechecked.
This was explained to us at the security line that they randomly have the prechecked passengers go through the regular line.
It is apparently routine with the TSA. We travel a lot and have had to go through the regular security 2 x's.
I guess this is a security check done randomly with all TSA people. Anyway, that's how it was explained to us.

 

[goofy4tink]

The fine print says that there is no guarantee that you will get precheck every time. And I have also heard that random passengers don’t get it, even if entitled to it, for security purposes. So, I wouldn’t be disturbed at that.
But....as already noted, the TSA website says that children without precheck can, indeed, go thru that line with parents that have precheck. So, someone wasn’t trained properly.
I would have that rule printed out, in my hand, the next time!!

 

[Spunky946]

We always double check our boarding passes when we check in for our flights. If the precheck is not on them, if you call or go to the counter then the airline will fix it. We are a family of 4 and three of us have it, my son is 14 and my 10 year old always has it on hers.

You just have to check it early on and don’t go to security without it marked.

 

[LYSE]

You always have the chance of not getting it but normally when you don't it's because you need to re input your ff or known traveler I'd number.

For this reason I always check my mobile boarding pass ahead of time.

Your entire party does not need to have it, and your kids are allowed through the line with you.

 

[alliecat523]

Southwest is the worst with this. They always give it to my 14 year old and not me even when we both have it. I usually ask the ticket agent to add and reprint my BP. They always do with no problem. Southwest has told me that if I’m not logged into my account when I check in, it won’t appear. I find that strange since it works on every other airline without logging in. And my daughter is getting it but I’m not? Anyway, short answer is check the BP before security. If it’s not listed, ask the ticketing agent to add it and reprint.

Kids under 12 are allowed through with a parent.

 

[Dznypal]

we don't have the pre select but get it most of the times--were thinking of paying the extra to have it

so am I missing something that even if you pay for it you still might not get it sometimes--its random?
so whats the reasoning behind buying it

 

[georgina]

we don't have the pre select but get it most of the times--were thinking of paying the extra to have it

so am I missing something that even if you pay for it you still might not get it sometimes--its random?
so whats the reasoning behind buying it

The reason behind buying it for me is to have shorter security lines, not have to removes shoes, jackets, etc, or pull liquids or electronics out of your bag, and to go through a metal detector not the body scanner. We have Global Entry to get through customs faster, and have never not gotten the precheck on the boarding pass. Like someone above posted, it seems it can be added at the counter if not present.

 

[n2mm]

Make sure your name on your airline account is the same as your TSA precheck account. When we signed up for precheck a few years ago I did have to update my accounts with jetblue, southwest and united to make sure that middle name was included. So far no problems. Plus we always took our granddaughters with us, up until this year when we sign our newly 13 year old granddaughter up for her own precheck number. We flew in June with our 11 year old granddaughter with no problem. We fly out either DCA, IAD or BWI. Btw, my older granddaughter got questioned by TSA agents all last year when she was 12. She asked them if they wanted to see her passport several times. She’s 5’9”

 

[DrFacilier]

The thing that bothers me most is that we had just paid for TSA precheck for the convenience and on our 2nd flight it seems that I was randomly chosen to be excluded. @goofy4tink I will definitely be carrying the official TSA wording on our next trip. Thanks for the suggestion. Thanks @Spunky946 . We will definitely check before we get to the airport next time. Thanks @alliecat523 ! @Dznypal OP here. What I have gotten from this thread is the that paying for precheck carries all of the benefits I paid for. I just need to be careful to check my boarding passes for the precheck indicator in the future and rectify it with the airline before heading to security if it's not already there.

 

[FCDub]

I've had precheck for years, and there have been two times out of maybe 40 flights where I've not received it. As previously said, the chances are very slim you won't get it if all your information is filled out properly, but it's a possibility.

 

[Shanti]

we don't have the pre select but get it most of the times--were thinking of paying the extra to have it

so am I missing something that even if you pay for it you still might not get it sometimes--its random?
so whats the reasoning behind buying it

I have it and there is nothing random about it not showing up on boarding passes. It's very reliable as long as you input your TSA number into the reservations system when booking the flight. Problems crop up when people forget to do that, or sometimes when there are codeshare flights. But for normal flights with a single airline that you gave for TSA number to, you'll reliably get PreCheck.

 

[DrFacilier]

So is the general consensus here that if you are eligible for TSA precheck and it is not on your BP that you can have it rectified at the Airline check-in desk? That's the message I think I'm getting from this thread and I hope it is correct.

 

[DrFacilier]

I have it and there is nothing random about it not showing up on boarding passes. It's very reliable as long as you input your TSA number into the reservations system when booking the flight. Problems crop up when people forget to do that, or sometimes when there are codeshare flights. But for normal flights with a single airline that you gave for TSA number to, you'll reliably get PreCheck.

Thanks for sharing your viewpoint. Definitely helps with perspective.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

Was your plane ticket booked prior to receiving PreCheck? If that's the case, then you have to either manually add your TSA PreCheck number to each existing reservation OR call the airline and see if they will do it for you. You'll also need to add your new number to your airline's frequent flyer account so that going forward it should be automatically applied to your reservation.

If not, then there are certain random cases where you won't receive PreCheck despite having paid for it. There are also random cases where even having PreCheck a person may be subjected to random, secondary screening.

Your safest bet is to check in for your flight as soon as you can. Look at your boarding pass then. If it does not say TSA PreCheck, then call the airline. Call then. While it may be possible to have the situation fixed at the airport, it's way easier to have it done before you're standing in line.

 

[DrFacilier]

Was your plane ticket booked prior to receiving PreCheck? If that's the case, then you have to either manually add your TSA PreCheck number to each existing reservation OR call the airline and see if they will do it for you. You'll also need to add your new number to your airline's frequent flyer account so that going forward it should be automatically applied to your reservation.

If not, then there are certain random cases where you won't receive PreCheck despite having paid for it. There are also random cases where even having PreCheck a person may be subjected to random, secondary screening.

Your safest bet is to check in for your flight as soon as you can. Look at your boarding pass then. If it does not say TSA PreCheck, then call the airline. Call then. While it may be possible to have the situation fixed at the airport, it's way easier to have it done before you're standing in line.

The flights were booked before we had PreCheck. I called SW to have the known traveler numbers added and didn’t have an issue on the way down to MCO. Just coming back. I will definitely check from now on. Thanks!

 

[TinkTink78]

One time, my husbands birthday was wrong on the reservation, and did not match TSA pre check. After several phones calls and frustration to Southwest the night prior to flying, and numerous random "suggestions" from the customer service agents. We arrived at EWR and the agent there was able to look at his ID and identify the problem, added his pre check, and away we went.

 

[Lionsfan]

Make sure when you make your air reservation that your known traveler number is on the reservation. If that is listed when you book, you should be getting tsa precheck. The airlines do not automatically enter that number.

 

[DrFacilier]

So I think what I am hearing is that there is always a way to get precheck added to a BP if you are entitled to it and I should never have to go through regular security as long as I've corrected the error ahead of time. Does this sound right?

 

[Lionsfan]

So I think what I am hearing is that there is always a way to get precheck added to a BP if you are entitled to it and I should never have to go through regular security as long as I've corrected the error ahead of time. Does this sound right?

Yes