Travelers are set for a major shock as it has emerged that TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are set to be suspended from 6:00 am ET on Sunday due to a lapse in federal funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
While the Trump administration has yet to officially confirm the news, multiple sources have stated that both of these popular time-saving tools for travelers will be suspended early on February 22.
The news has drawn condemnation from the U.S. airline and travel industries, with aviation lobby group Airlines 4 America, which represents major carriers like American Airlines, Delta, and United, saying that travellers are being “used as a political football.”
“The announcement was issued with extremely short notice to travelers, giving them little time to plan accordingly, which is especially troubling at this time of record air travel,” slammed A4A chief executive Chris Sununu.
“It’s past time for Congress to get to the table and get a deal done that ensures TSA can fully operate and their frontline employees can be paid for the important work they do to keep our skies secure,” Sununu added.
The U.S. Travel Association also criticized the news, saying that the suspension of TSA PreCheck and Global Entry was “extremely disappointing.”
“We are disgusted that over the last 90 days, Democrats and Republicans have used air traffic controllers, TSA, CBP, and the entire travel experience as a means to achieve political ends,” the strongly worded letter from the group continued.
“Travelers should be prioritized, not leveraged. Travel is the gateway to the American economy, and Americans should not have their mobility, security, or travel experience diminished because elected leaders fail to resolve their differences.”
The suspension of both programs will cast renewed doubt on the ability of the U.S. to host the FIFA World Cup, which is due to take place in June and July.
The effect of these program suspensions will affect both departing passengers on all flights and arriving passengers on international flights:
- TSA Precheck: Passengers who have paid for TSA PreCheck will now need to use standard TSA airport security screening lanes. ensuring that they remove light jackets and belts, as well as electronics and liquids from bags, at airports where next-generation CT scanners have not been rolled out.
- Global Entry: Expedited processing lanes will be out of action, which could make wait times to clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection a lot longer, especially at major airports.
Unfortunately, since the news broke late on Saturday night, neither DHS nor Secretary Kristi Noem has commented on the suspension of TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
Perhaps the one silver lining for TSA PreCheck travellers is that Noem unilaterally lifted the ‘shoes off’ policy at regular security screening lanes last summer in an effort to reduce wait times.
