V-Flyer

Support for Tiered Risk System for Passenger Screening Grows

Several industry organizations are working on proposals that would change passenger screening at airport security checkpoints. They suggest a tiered risk system that would divide passengers into three groups – trusted, regular, or risky – with screening techniques based on a risk profile.

A tiered risk system is favoured to make the airport screening process more efficient.

A trusted traveler programme would involve undergoing voluntary background checks to be admitted to a “trusted” security lane the next time you travel, similar to the existing Global Entry program, submitting fingerprint scans at kiosk stations.

The tiered risk system for passenger screening has global and governmental support including the TSA. ICAO, a UN body, is considering recommending the trusted traveler program to member states.

Finally some common sense

As with a lot of schemes - the concept is excellent.
The proof will be in the execution.

Who decides if a passenger is trusted?

One person's Terrorist is another person's hero!

Nick

Nottingham Nick wrote:
Who decides if a passenger is trusted?

Indeed and you could build up a 'trusted' profile quite quickly. Remember some of the most trusted staff have often been responsible for the assassination of high profile people.

What they need to do is to make the current processes more efficient (larger areas for pax to prepare for screening then collect items etc, staff to help pax get ready etc etc) rather than find ways aronnd the current system - which is what they are really doing.

And how do you identify these pax at the security check-point in order to filter them? All it would take is one person to complain about someone not being scanned 'properly' and there would be uproar.

Why is it that the pax that fly the most are most vocal about 'excessive' security yet in my (limited) experience are some of the least prepared?

You know, the problem with these schemes is that they sound like common sense but they are flawed, and the flaws can result in catasrophes.

'As a' frequent-ish traveller, I like the idea of it, but it won't change my LHR experience, and, critically, it won't make me feel safer.

Why? Well there's one very widely known case of a woman, with no 'previous', who befriended a dodgy type, and he put a bomb in her bag. Would such a person in the future, totally risk free according to the assessment, face lesser scrutiny? As the saying goes, give a terrorist a plan, and they'll find a foil.

I'd believe it if I ever saw it. I can't see the US doing anything that would make lives any easier, doesn't seem to be their remit, does it?!

Nottingham Nick wrote:Who decides if a passenger is trusted?
One person's Terrorist is another person's hero!
Nick

EXACTLY