{"id":22658,"date":"2013-10-15T09:25:32","date_gmt":"2013-10-15T15:25:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/?p=22658"},"modified":"2013-10-15T20:58:44","modified_gmt":"2013-10-16T02:58:44","slug":"small-miracles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/?p=22658","title":{"rendered":"Small Miracles"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fall \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Samhain Moon<\/p>\n

\"tpc_fp_banner_page\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Trip over. \u00a0A key reason I dislike our state security apparatus (in addition to the primary one of there being a state security apparatus at all) is its unpredictability and its inscrutability.<\/p>\n

My friend Tom Crane, who flies many thousands of miles a year, a pro at the airport dance, observed quite a while back that smaller airports are more restrictive because they see exceptions infrequently and don’t know how to respond to them. \u00a0The airport at Lihue, Kauai gave me an early instance of this when they detained me to investigate my DVD player which had already transited, without comment, mainland security.<\/p>\n

In Atlanta last night I experienced pre-check screening. \u00a0My eligibility for this surprise, a pleasant one (which was a surprise in itself), came at the TSA kiosk for security. \u00a0The woman said, “Pre-check screening.” \u00a0And pointed. \u00a0No explanation. \u00a0She pointed toward a roped off section. \u00a0A TSA officer opened it for me, provided a cryptic explanation and pointed me toward another roped off area. \u00a0No one was there to open it so I had to move the stanchion myself and go around.<\/p>\n

In a second line. \u00a0Checked again. \u00a0The TSA person here looked at my i.d. and my boarding pass, blew out her cheeks for whatever reason and passed me through. \u00a0At this point I encountered a miracle. \u00a0I passed through security with shoes on, belt on, all objects in my backpack and went through an old style metal detector. \u00a0No buzzes, no scans, no dirty looks. \u00a0Just straightforward, go on through. \u00a0Thanks. \u00a0Whoa.<\/p>\n

After my experience in Charlotte on Saturday, this highlights the unpredictability of the whole process. \u00a0Here’s a note from the TSA website about precheck screening.* \u00a0If you read it, you’ll note it says something about pre-flight volunteering. \u00a0Nope. \u00a0Did not. \u00a0A mystery.<\/p>\n

Here’s a link<\/a> about the program and how to access it.<\/p>\n

*TSA Pre\u2713\u2122 How it Works<\/p>\n

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TSA Pre\u2713\u2122 is a pre-screening initiative that makes risk assessments on passengers who voluntarily participate prior to their arrival at the airport checkpoint.<\/span><\/div>\n
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TSA Pre\u2713\u2122 includes U.S. citizens who are select frequent travelers of participating airlines or members of existing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler programs including Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI programs. Canadian citizens who are members of NEXUS are also qualified to participate in TSA Pre\u2713\u2122. In addition, passengers 12 and younger are allowed through TSA Pre\u2713\u2122 lanes\u00a0when traveling with eligible\u00a0parent or guardian.<\/p>\n

Eligible participants use dedicated TSA Pre\u2713\u2122 lanes at\u00a0participating airports<\/a>\u00a0for screening benefits which could include no longer removing the following items:<\/p>\n