V-Flyer

Just been browsing the DIBB and there is some discussion about the times taken to transit security (ex-MCO) due, in part, to the ongoing work being undertaken at the airport. A couple of posters has suggested that Virgin Atlantic are .... 'participating in the TSA pre service' and that pax are having this annotated on their boarding cards, therefore allowing access to the TSA Pre security lanes. Does anyone know about this?

https://www.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/tr ... v_trav_tsa

Started a few months ago - you get it with Global Entry as well but think you can apply via the link above

David

Having done a dozen sectors into and around the US in the last 2 weeks, I can confirm that TSA Pre (and Global Entry) are DEFINITELY WORTH IT.. and will save you HOURS of stress and queueing.

Agreed. Definitely worth it if you plan to visit the US more than once or twice a year.

However to get Global Entry & TSA Pre you have to be interviewed and, at the moment, there are no facilities for that in the UK. There were a year or so ago, but not right now. So you’d have to set up an interview slot next time you visit the US.

Yep, another ‘Global Entry and TSA Pre’ is worth every penny/cent from me as well

Global Entry arrival airport interviews are now available in some areas. It’s a newish system which is still rolling out. You basically just have your interview once you clear all the standard arrival formalities, details can be found here. SFO is one of the airports on the list.

There was at least an hour of queue built up at Boston last time I came into there on VS, and with my Global Entry, I was through in about a minute.

TSA Pre on the way back at Washington was very fast too. No need to take shoes or belt off, just through a normal metal detector (not the big hands up job) and that was it.

They did interviews based in the US Embassy in London from about September last year till around April this year. We did ours then, though it took me 24 days to be cleared, but my other half took 8 days. I've a common name.

Even with our reduced visits to the US with the currency and brexit/trump madness, it has definitely still been worth it.

If you have a trip planned in the next three months, you can apply and have the interview in a US airport when you're over there. I believe you can book an appointment, and keep postponing it, if you're not booked yet, but plan to...

GE was granted around 10 minutes after my interview, when I had a Known Traveller Number...

To benefit from TSA Pre you need to be part of a participating program, like Global Entry that included TSA Pre enrolment. Sometimes you may be lucky; some non-members get given the perk, less than it used to be, this is a good bit of marketing, the TSA is hoping it increases sign-ups.

GE has been my best travel investment, with TSA Pre included. I think its worth many more times than they charge.

Global entry is easy, no queues for machines, no queue to hand over receipt and dedicated lane for exiting through customs.

TSA Pre is wonderful, leave everything in bag, don't take shoes or jackets off, just walk through metal detector, can't wait for BA to finally sign up!

I'd say if you are doing more than 2 or 3 trips a year, GE/TSA-pre is worth it for sure. Its a bit of a faff going for an appointment, as they can be difficult to schedule. But some occasionally come up at the embassy in London which is always a joyous place to be...

Now I travel HBO on most routes and its a total breeze, the slowest thing in the whole process now is waiting for a taxi/uber!

Got TSA pre on my boarding card randomly last month and breezed through the queues at MCO

We had "TSA Pre" put on our boarding cards a week or so ago at MCO and we were through really quickly....once we had found the correct queue!

We did not have to take anything off or take anything out of our carry on. The "ordinary" queue was showing a wait time of 25 - 29 mins!

Not wanting to be a Debbie Downer, but having lived in the US for 5 years, TSA PRE is not what is once was. For example at JFK which is of course the terminal VS use, the line can often be longer than the Upper Class line, it's always a gamble. In general TSA is a total shit show wherever you fly from..... other than the smaller airports when it's a pleasure. Some will let you leave your laptops, tablets in the bag, some won't - totally depends on state law.

Global Entry is an entirely different story - totally worth it, if you're doing a weekender in the US, don't pack simple liquids over 100ml and travel with a carry on... you are off aircraft and in a cab within 10 mins. I'm speaking about any US airport.

Global entry is the best thing ever.
Availed of TSA Pre at Sarasota and it was excellent

Apparently there's some sort of interview on arrival for Global Entry, which will solve the problem of interviews. Only a few places does this so far though...

Oddly, just printed our boarding passes for tomorrow and out of the four of us my 14 year old daughter has 'TSA PRECHECK' on her boarding pass, the rest of us don't?!?!

Odd?

alibeau wrote:Oddly, just printed our boarding passes for tomorrow and out of the four of us my 14 year old daughter has 'TSA PRECHECK' on her boarding pass, the rest of us don't?!?!

Odd?

It is, and it happened to my wife and daughter (on same PNR), 15 y.o. got it, wife didn't, very odd.

Flying tomorrow VS7 Man to Mco.

Boarding passes show priority/tsa pre check.

No Tsa at Man but does this mean we can use the priority security lane? Not that it seems to make much difference.

stevebrass wrote:Flying tomorrow VS7 Man to Mco.

Boarding passes show priority/tsa pre check.

No Tsa at Man but does this mean we can use the priority security lane? Not that it seems to make much difference.

At MAN you get to use the priority security lane - NB: priority, not the pay-extra Fast Track lane. The priority lane at MAN is normally a waste of time though, as all the wheelchair / special needs passengers get sent down this lane & they take longer to screen. In my experience the normal security queue at MAN T2 is faster if travelling off-peak as it feeds into multiple screening lanes, whereas the priority lane just goes to one screening lane.