4 ms·

The article hits my immediate question >While it is unclear how many offenders use PreCheck, a trusted-traveler program that allows fliers to avoid certain sec

The article hits my immediate question >While it is unclear how many offenders use PreCheck, a trusted-traveler program that allows fliers to avoid certain security-screening nuisances and wait in shorter lines, officials are hoping the additional consequence will have an impact. PreCheck eligibility is reserved for “low-risk travelers,” the agencies said. I have to imagine the people who are paying extra and willing to fill out forms and go down in person for an interview and to be fingerprinted are not the ones being hogtied for ignoring federal law. I'm not against this, but surely this won't solve the problem.

nullc 5y ago
Tantrums on planes and opting into elite special lineskip status are both things I expect from people with particular personality disorders. I would not be shocked to find that they were highly correlated.
- olliej 5y ago
  If you fly more than a few times a year the TTP system is common sense, and generally you can stop by and enrol when you arrive at an airport while you wait for your luggage to come through. It’s not really an “elite” thing.
  - nullc 5y ago
    That's my point. It's not actually "elite" but its exactly the sort of thing that a self important narcissist would enroll in even if they only fly rarely and then go bragging to others about their special status.
    - everforward 5y ago
      I doubt it, there's really no status with it. I use one of the competitors. I don't feel special at all. Literally anyone can spend $8/month to do it, it's not even really expensive enough to be exclusive. I do it because it makes my time to get in predictable. I don't have to show up 2 hours early so the TSA can dick around and pretend to be effective. I don't feel special. I do sometimes feel guilty for having it easier, but I can't fix the TSA, and my suffering doesn't make anyone better off.
    - olliej 5y ago
      It’s not a status thing - people who want status fly business class :) But if you travel more than a few times a year having a 10 minute vs buffering for a multi-hour[1] line starts having significant value. You also don’t get nudie scanned or take your shoes off for no reason :) [1] I once missed a flight because of a 2 hour TSA line which had only two of the ten available conveyors running and only one person checking passports. When a tsa agent saw me getting frustrated she literally said “this is your fault for not being here on time”.
salawat 5y ago
...I find it odd that anyone thinks that just because you've given your fingerprints and been interviewed once, this somehow makes you a low-risk traveler. Think about it. 9/11 hijackers wouldn't have given one lick about getting fingerprinted. What are they going to do? Arrest you AFTER you've taken over the plane, but before you crash it? Frankly, I'd be willing to make a case that anyone sufficiently motivated to jump through the hoops to get excluded has a higher risk profile than anyone who doesn't. But no... Can't call out the absurd. Gotta get in that security theatre after all.

nullc 5y ago

Tantrums on planes and opting into elite special lineskip status are both things I expect from people with particular personality disorders. I would not be shocked to find that they were highly correlated.

olliej 5y ago
If you fly more than a few times a year the TTP system is common sense, and generally you can stop by and enrol when you arrive at an airport while you wait for your luggage to come through. It’s not really an “elite” thing.
- nullc 5y ago
  That's my point. It's not actually "elite" but its exactly the sort of thing that a self important narcissist would enroll in even if they only fly rarely and then go bragging to others about their special status.
  - everforward 5y ago
    I doubt it, there's really no status with it. I use one of the competitors. I don't feel special at all. Literally anyone can spend $8/month to do it, it's not even really expensive enough to be exclusive. I do it because it makes my time to get in predictable. I don't have to show up 2 hours early so the TSA can dick around and pretend to be effective. I don't feel special. I do sometimes feel guilty for having it easier, but I can't fix the TSA, and my suffering doesn't make anyone better off.
  - olliej 5y ago
    It’s not a status thing - people who want status fly business class :) But if you travel more than a few times a year having a 10 minute vs buffering for a multi-hour[1] line starts having significant value. You also don’t get nudie scanned or take your shoes off for no reason :) [1] I once missed a flight because of a 2 hour TSA line which had only two of the ten available conveyors running and only one person checking passports. When a tsa agent saw me getting frustrated she literally said “this is your fault for not being here on time”.

salawat 5y ago

...I find it odd that anyone thinks that just because you've given your fingerprints and been interviewed once, this somehow makes you a low-risk traveler. Think about it. 9/11 hijackers wouldn't have given one lick about getting fingerprinted. What are they going to do? Arrest you AFTER you've taken over the plane, but before you crash it? Frankly, I'd be willing to make a case that anyone sufficiently motivated to jump through the hoops to get excluded has a higher risk profile than anyone who doesn't. But no... Can't call out the absurd. Gotta get in that security theatre after all.