Editorial: Program still grounded

Monday, June 26, 2006 | 7:12 a.m.

More questions have arisen as to the value of a federal program that would allow passengers who are willing to pay an annual fee access to a speedier trip through airport security.

According to a recent story by USA Today, two leading aviation organizations - the Airports Council International and the Air Transport Association - have issued letters saying many airport checkpoint areas don't have room for a dedicated Registered Travelers lane and that the program threatens to be a financial drain that could ultimately prove a disadvantage for passengers.

The program, created to streamline security checkpoints, would allow airline passengers who have passed extensive background checks to pay $80 to $100 a year for a Registered Traveler pass, which allows them to bypass such checkpoint measures as removing coats and shoes. Participating airports would hire private companies to enroll members and produce the cards, while the Transportation Security Administration would provide the screeners for the Registered Traveler checkpoints.

But only 13 airports have applied to offer Registered Traveler programs, USA Today reports, while officials at hundreds of other airports - including Las Vegas' McCarran International - remain skeptical or have declined participation.

Recently, TSA officials told the private companies administering the program that the agency expects to charge $140 to $300 an hour for the agency's screeners who will work the Registered Traveler checkpoints. The companies say that likely could cause an increase in fees for the passes.

It is apparent that creating a special class of air traveler isn't popular among the nation's airports and won't be as quick and inexpensive as TSA has led people to believe. As we've said before, the nation's airline security isn't about convenience, and it shouldn't be for sale.