Op-Ed: Registered Traveler Program Rising, Despite Remaining Misconceptions

The Registered Traveler program, overseen by the Transportation Security Administration, is emerging from its pilot phase and rolling out as RT 2.0 nationally with major airports at Atlanta, Denver, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., leading the way. Even now, however, some key misperceptions about the Registered Traveler program remain.

Way down on TSA's list of reasons to develop Registered Traveler was greater convenience for travelers. At the top was prevention of suicide bombers targeting unsecured airport areas overflowing with travelers. Last month, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that at Hartsfield-Jackson International, "wait times to clear security stretched to close to two hours. At its peak, the line stretched well outside the terminal onto the sidewalks." At LAX Terminal 1, on almost a daily basis, lines stretch outside along the curb. This is what keeps airport security directors up at night. The sobering reality is that the top threats to the aviation system are man-portable air-defense systems and attacks on congested, unsecured airport areas such as security checkpoints and cargo. The mission for RT is not to enhance security vis-à-vis airplane hijacking (largely already accomplished), or to help the traveler, but to expeditiously move vulnerable passengers into secure areas by making scarce airport space and TSA screeners far more productive. Because of smarter use of real estate, East Coast interstate electronic fast-pass tolling program E-ZPass improves vehicle throughput for all drivers.

RT can produce upwards of a 300 percent throughput improvement for RT lanes over regular security lines moving all passengers away from unsecured areas more quickly. The results at TSA's Orlando Airport pilot program have validated the effectiveness of the program.

While not the goal from a TSA perspective, RT provides business travelers with a predictable experience regarding the time it takes to be processed through security. This could mean 45 extra minutes with a customer because of confidence in the predictability of the process. This benefit alone justifies the fee for the RT program for many business travelers (about $100 per year).

Some observers, though, wonder if the bad guys can infiltrate RT. Whether you are an RT member with a CIA security clearance, or a regular traveler, you receive the full security regime. What's more, randomness in procedures—a global security best practice—will continue in RT lanes. There is simply no advantage to a bad guy in becoming an RT member. The faster security processing is enabled, though, by through-putting seasoned travelers in one lane, high-touch concierge service staff that help move the process along and less random screening.

Still, others ask why RT is necessary if airline elite lines are already in place. RT lanes can be faster by 15 to 20 minutes during peak times. Business travelers who use elite lines at their home airports are often without such an option at other airports. Of consequence to airlines are the millions of less-frequent business travelers who reduced air travel since 9/11 because of inconvenience and unpredictability.

Recapturing just a small percentage of this high-yield traffic can mean billions of dollars in airline profits and market capitalization levels for an industry still struggling to return domestic operations to profitability. For $100, anyone can become a member of an RT program and benefit from expedited security processing, not just the most frequent business travelers or those who can afford to purchase a first class ticket. Well, if egalitarianism is important, why not have the government provide RT to all travelers?

Industry estimates show about 10 million business travelers in the market for RT services (out of 40 million business travelers and 100 million overall travelers). The cost of providing RT services to these 10 million is projected to be $500 million annually. If all 100 million were provided RT services, costs would total $5 billion. Were the government to provide RT for all travelers, this $5 billion would be invoiced to airlines that would be unable to recoup the cost through ticket increases. It would cost government significantly more than $5 billion to operate such a program.

Some areas of government have historically been challenged in implementing workable technologies on time and within budget, especially having to do with the airline industry. In contrast, the private sector has the necessary incentives and fiscal discipline to successfully innovate new technologies for RT lanes. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has the right mission for RT and took the right decision to implement it through a public-private partnership.

Mitchell previously supported Verified Identity Pass and now advises FLO Corp., both Registered Traveler service providers.