Have you ever arrived at the airport to catch your flight — only to have a long line at the security checkpoint greet you even though you have elite level status in at least one frequent flier loyalty program? Are there times where the Pre✓ program offered by the Transportation Security Administration of the United States is not always helpful in expediting your passage through the airport security checkpoint?
Now at one airport, you can enter your flight number on the official Internet web site of the airport and receive a text message with a reserved time for a designated checkpoint. You then arrive at your assigned time window and use the text message as a ticket to enter the priority line.
Thousands of passengers have already used this new system — known as the SecurXpress service — at the international airport which serves Montréal…
…and the service is offered free of charge.
FlyerTalk members seem to have responded positively to this idea, with at least one FlyerTalk member hoping that this system arrives at the international airport located closest to him.
This program initially seems like a good idea to me — and it is supposedly expected to appear at other airports this year. However, could the SecurXpress service offered by airports potentially rival one of the benefits of having elite level status in frequent flier loyalty programs offered by airlines?
What do you think?