The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas was yesterday said to have gained “a competitive advantage” through an aviation security “first” that will serve as a model for the US government’s international roll-out plans.

Karen Hanlon, western hemisphere regional director for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), said the success of the PreCheck pilot initiative over a 90-day period last year had encouraged the federal agency’s belief that it can be introduced in other countries.

Speaking after The Bahamas became the first destination outside the US to launch PreCheck, which facilitates the Trusted Traveller initiative, Ms Hanlon said some 75,000 persons passed through its security measures before departing Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) between August 4 and November 4, 2021.

“I was in here in November to meet with the Government and give them feedback on the pilot programme,” she said. “It was an interesting conversation to have to tell them that the pilot was so successful that we have to extend.”

The same recommendation was made to TSA administrator, Admiral David Pekoske, and Ms Hanlon added: “This is where this discussion came up. It’s been so successful in The Bahamas why can’t we do it elsewhere? We’ve seen some really strong PreCheck numbers go through, and they will only go up. It was a very successful pilot.”

PreCheck, and the Trusted Traveller initiative, allow members of certain frequent flyer initiatives, as well as participants in Global Entry, Nexus, Sentri and the US military, plus cadets, to receive accelerated and more seamless security screening before they board their flights.

Ms Hanlon said its addition to LPIA, with some 1.8m new applicants seeking to enroll in PreCheck last month alone, will boost The Bahamas’ tourism dependent economy by making departure smoother and more hassle-free for many US travellers. This, in turn, will aid perceptions and last impressions of the destination.

“There’s also the significant economic benefits to tourism. I would say it’s a competitive advantage,” she added. “I can tell you that a lot of countries are interested in TSA PreCheck. We’re looking to expand TSA PreCheck to other countries.” The facility is currently present at 200 US airports, and is used by 81 US and international airlines. It has expanded from just four locations, and two airlines, when it was launched in 2011.

Ms Hanlon said PreCheck will lead to using biometrics, and facial recognition, to identify travellers instead of fingerprints. The current facility will move Trusted Traveller members, who currently number 27m, through LPIA and the US pre-clearance facility much more swiftly.

Confirming that The Bahamas’ proximity to the US, as well as the number of American travellers and the existing pre-clearance facility, made it a natural choice for the first PreCheck facility outside federal borders, Ms Hanlon said the roll-out evolved from a relationship that was based on “trust and respect and our mutual interest in strengthening aviation security” in innovative, flexible ways.

PreCheck evolved from the 2013 Memorandum of Cooperation between the US and Bahamas on matters related to civil aviation security, and Ms Hanlon praised Dwaine Murray, the TSA representative for this nation and the wider Caribbean, for seeing the project through to fruition.

Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister, yesterday said PreCheck will “improve operational efficiency and create a safer and more enhanced passenger experience” at LPIA for departing US travellers.

“This considerable milestone speaks positively to the benefits of two countries working together to reinforce and prioritise matters of mutual global aviation security, safety and travellers’ efficiencies,” the deputy prime minister said.

“We recognise that both our countries enjoy a long-standing relationship in reciprocity that sees mutual commercial, national security and economic benefits due to our proximity and the fact that we share a border.”