3 ms·

My favorite part about the TSA is that you can pay about $80, fill out some forms and show a couple of pieces of identification and now you can bypass most of t

My favorite part about the TSA is that you can pay about $80, fill out some forms and show a couple of pieces of identification and now you can bypass most of their security. It's just a money making scheme; being able to pay money to bypass most of their security shows their security doesn't do anything useful (otherwise why would you be able to pay to bypass it?).

jamestnz 11y ago
The TSA Precheck program, you mean? At $80-100 a throw, I'm not sure it's a very good money-making scheme. For starters, when someone enrols in the precheck program, they must undergo both a background check and an in-person interview... how much of the $80 fee do you suppose that leaves? And even once approved, you're still subject to metal-detector scans upon boarding, you just get to skip the whole shoes-belt-laptop game. Oh and they can still "randomly" subject you to those checks if they want to. So I don't really agree that it's some crude "anyone can just pay and receive carte blanche access at the airport" scheme. Here's another good one: for nationals of APEC member countries, there's the APEC Travel Card[2]. Frequent travellers can pay for one of these cards, and they gain access to dedicated expedited immigration queues (or, in the absence of a dedicated APEC queue at your airport, you get to use the pilot/aircrew lane). The card costs $150 and is good for 3 years. For business travellers making multiple flights per week, access to programs like these is a godsend (I used to fly internationally at least once per week for work). I do agree with you that all the "security theatre" stuff is a transparent sham, but the existence of programs like precheck isn't proof of that. [1] http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2012/02/29/tsa-pre-check-TM-begins-john-f-kennedy-international-airport http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2012/02/29/tsa-pre-check-T... [2] http://travel.apec.org/abtc-summary.html http://travel.apec.org/abtc-summary.html
- BinaryIdiot 11y ago
  > At $80-100 a throw, I'm not sure it's a very good money-making scheme. For starters, when someone enrols in the precheck program, they must undergo both a background check and an in-person interview... how much of the $80 fee do you suppose that leaves? So I haven't gone through it but several people I know have and all of them report that they fill out forms, show identification and that's it. The "interview" is always a very short questionnaire and background checks are incredibly cheap to do nowadays. > And even once approved, you're still subject to metal-detector scans upon boarding, you just get to skip the whole shoes-belt-laptop game. Oh and they can still "randomly" subject you to those checks if they want to. The metal-detector scan is incredibly fast, no one is ever in that line and you don't have to remove your laptops, shoes and other related equipment. You just go through and you're done 99% of the time. > So I don't really agree that it's some crude "anyone can just pay and receive carte blanche access at the airport" scheme. I don't agree with that either hence why I never said it so I'm not sure why you bring it up.
  - DamnYuppie 11y ago
    The interview is very short as is the paperwork. They run you through a back ground check as well which isn't something that you would actually see.
- simoncion 11y ago
  > ...how much of the $80 fee do you suppose that leaves? "According to this TSA report [0], $14.50 of that [$85] fee pays for the FBI to run a criminal-records check, and the other $70.50 (83%) goes to the TSA for administration." (Via [1]) [0] http://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/stakeholders_PDF/fee_development_report_-_final_11_19_13.pdf http://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/stak... [1] http://www.loweringthebar.net/2014/03/tsa-confuses-perfume-bottle-grenade.html http://www.loweringthebar.net/2014/03/tsa-confuses-perfume-b...
peteretep 11y ago
> It's just a money making scheme For whom? Where's the money going?
- BinaryIdiot 11y ago
  TSA makes money which is used to pay for more equipment and other contractors, etc. It's how all government money travels.
rhino369 11y ago
1) Precheck still sends you through the metal detector / scanner and still X-rays all your stuff. It's probably 99% as effective in that that regard. 2) The background check they do probably makes it more secure than a normal screening. What the chances that a cornfed, midwestern woman who likes baseball, cherrypie, and is crazy 'bout Elvis tries to hijack a flight? In fact that sort of scrutiny is how Israel does their airport security. The reason America doesn't is because giving the fifth degree to [muslims/political radicals/other ethnic groups] is illegal and unpopular. A terrorist wouldn't apply to precheck.
- simoncion 11y ago
  > A terrorist wouldn't apply to precheck. I strongly disagreement with your statement. See: http://www.loweringthebar.net/2015/03/notorious-felon-and-terrorist-has-no-trouble.html http://www.loweringthebar.net/2015/03/notorious-felon-and-te...
- BinaryIdiot 11y ago
  > A terrorist wouldn't apply to precheck. Why wouldn't they? A large majority of terrorists end up having no prior record. It's not like a background check goes and talks to family or friends, checks references, etc (a SSBI will but a regular background check does not). A regular background check is almost entirely useless.

jamestnz 11y ago

The TSA Precheck program, you mean? At $80-100 a throw, I'm not sure it's a very good money-making scheme. For starters, when someone enrols in the precheck program, they must undergo both a background check and an in-person interview... how much of the $80 fee do you suppose that leaves? And even once approved, you're still subject to metal-detector scans upon boarding, you just get to skip the whole shoes-belt-laptop game. Oh and they can still "randomly" subject you to those checks if they want to. So I don't really agree that it's some crude "anyone can just pay and receive carte blanche access at the airport" scheme. Here's another good one: for nationals of APEC member countries, there's the APEC Travel Card[2]. Frequent travellers can pay for one of these cards, and they gain access to dedicated expedited immigration queues (or, in the absence of a dedicated APEC queue at your airport, you get to use the pilot/aircrew lane). The card costs $150 and is good for 3 years. For business travellers making multiple flights per week, access to programs like these is a godsend (I used to fly internationally at least once per week for work). I do agree with you that all the "security theatre" stuff is a transparent sham, but the existence of programs like precheck isn't proof of that. [1] http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2012/02/29/tsa-pre-check-TM-begins-john-f-kennedy-international-airport http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2012/02/29/tsa-pre-check-T... [2] http://travel.apec.org/abtc-summary.html http://travel.apec.org/abtc-summary.html

BinaryIdiot 11y ago
> At $80-100 a throw, I'm not sure it's a very good money-making scheme. For starters, when someone enrols in the precheck program, they must undergo both a background check and an in-person interview... how much of the $80 fee do you suppose that leaves? So I haven't gone through it but several people I know have and all of them report that they fill out forms, show identification and that's it. The "interview" is always a very short questionnaire and background checks are incredibly cheap to do nowadays. > And even once approved, you're still subject to metal-detector scans upon boarding, you just get to skip the whole shoes-belt-laptop game. Oh and they can still "randomly" subject you to those checks if they want to. The metal-detector scan is incredibly fast, no one is ever in that line and you don't have to remove your laptops, shoes and other related equipment. You just go through and you're done 99% of the time. > So I don't really agree that it's some crude "anyone can just pay and receive carte blanche access at the airport" scheme. I don't agree with that either hence why I never said it so I'm not sure why you bring it up.
- DamnYuppie 11y ago
  The interview is very short as is the paperwork. They run you through a back ground check as well which isn't something that you would actually see.
simoncion 11y ago
> ...how much of the $80 fee do you suppose that leaves? "According to this TSA report [0], $14.50 of that [$85] fee pays for the FBI to run a criminal-records check, and the other $70.50 (83%) goes to the TSA for administration." (Via [1]) [0] http://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/stakeholders_PDF/fee_development_report_-_final_11_19_13.pdf http://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/stak... [1] http://www.loweringthebar.net/2014/03/tsa-confuses-perfume-bottle-grenade.html http://www.loweringthebar.net/2014/03/tsa-confuses-perfume-b...

peteretep 11y ago

> It's just a money making scheme For whom? Where's the money going?

BinaryIdiot 11y ago
TSA makes money which is used to pay for more equipment and other contractors, etc. It's how all government money travels.

rhino369 11y ago

1) Precheck still sends you through the metal detector / scanner and still X-rays all your stuff. It's probably 99% as effective in that that regard. 2) The background check they do probably makes it more secure than a normal screening. What the chances that a cornfed, midwestern woman who likes baseball, cherrypie, and is crazy 'bout Elvis tries to hijack a flight? In fact that sort of scrutiny is how Israel does their airport security. The reason America doesn't is because giving the fifth degree to [muslims/political radicals/other ethnic groups] is illegal and unpopular. A terrorist wouldn't apply to precheck.

simoncion 11y ago
> A terrorist wouldn't apply to precheck. I strongly disagreement with your statement. See: http://www.loweringthebar.net/2015/03/notorious-felon-and-terrorist-has-no-trouble.html http://www.loweringthebar.net/2015/03/notorious-felon-and-te...
BinaryIdiot 11y ago
> A terrorist wouldn't apply to precheck. Why wouldn't they? A large majority of terrorists end up having no prior record. It's not like a background check goes and talks to family or friends, checks references, etc (a SSBI will but a regular background check does not). A regular background check is almost entirely useless.