I place the luggage I carefully packed the night before onto the X-Ray machine. My mental checklist begins, all liquids are removed, no sharp objects, all electronics and coins stored in plastic containers. As I remove my shoes, a surly Transportation Security Administration agent gestures me to go through. Although the metal detector did not beep, I am still frisked because of my loose clothing. The chilly airport floor does not compare to the cold unjust hands of the agent or their system. The TSA recently proposed a system, the Pre-Check program, which allows pre-screened individuals to proceed through the detectors without the removal of shoes or regulated objects.
The security check point encompasses the most dreadful part of my journey. I love traveling but it seems like every year there are stricter rules. Anyone who has ever been through a pat down knows they are violating. My blood boils when I see TSA agents patting down young children and the elderly. The hassles of airport security are just wrong. I hate that I can only bring a week’s worth of shampoo for a two-week trip. It sickens me to know a complete stranger has a detailed image of my body but I do not have any other option.
The Pre-Check program will cut out the unnecessary. After seeing positive results from the new program at nine airports, the TSA plans to expand the program to more airports by the end of this year. As the eighth busiest airport in the country, George Bush Intercontinental needs this program. The lines of people can decrease if more people participate. According to Farecompare.com, the average person will spend 19 minutes at IAH to go through security. Treating everybody like a common criminal is ineffective and time consuming.
The NYDailyNews.com said frequent complaints sparked the Obama Administration into taking steps toward reforming security procedures. An approved passenger would be deemed low-risk and present their passport with a barcode and simply pass through the scanners.
People worry that terrorists may slip through. However, participants are still subject to random searches. Furthermore, the majority of people invited to participate are frequent flyers and US Citizens. People who rely on air travel are being pushed to the brink in this new era of hidden fees, weight restrictions and paranoia. In a bad economy, the airlines cannot afford to lose their valuable customers.
The Pre-Check program is the resolution this country has been waiting for. Cutting unnecessary measures will not only make airports more efficient but bring back passengers that went astray. If the TSA is as thorough with their background checks as they are with their pat downs, we should not have anything to worry about and flying will be a more enjoyable affair.
