Trusted Traveler Program urged by U.S. Travel Association

Following the recent public outcry on ultra-invasive airport security measures, the U.S. Travel Association has issued a recommendation to federal government to create a "trusted traveller" scheme.

The program would see air travel security become less intrusive and more efficient. While the U.S. Travel Association is in charge of developing the scheme, it will ultimately be run by the TSA (Transportation Security Administration.)

Initial proposals suggest that regular travellers who voluntarily supply sensitive information (such as biographical and biometric data) should have the option of completing less stringent security checks on future journeys. Essentially, along with background screening the Transportation Security Administration would be able to classify certain travellers as 'low-risk', thereby being able to relax procedures.

Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association has also suggested that the new measures would enable security resources to be better allocated, and the program "should be the centrepiece of an enhanced air travel security process."

Prior to the proposals, the Dept. of Homeland Security issued an announcement that every air traveller is subject to a scheme called 'Secure Flight' in which all passengers are checked against a terrorism watch list without exception.

Dow has stated that the 'trusted traveller'&euro: scheme would be more suitable since only a very small minority of air passengers pose a security risk. "A trusted traveller program would allow us to focus more security where it is most needed, while reducing unnecessary hassles for the majority of low risk travellers. Surely the United States can find a way to implement such a common sense approach."

The program aims to allow most pre-screening of travellers to occur before they even arrive at the airport, and could potentially reduce delays as passengers are processed through security with greater efficiency.

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