Airport now offers security precheck

4 years ago

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Presque Isle International Airport has announced that Transportation Security Administration Precheck is now available.

According to Presque Isle’s public information officer, Kimberly Smith, TSA Precheck is a means of going through the security check more quickly at 200 different airports. Candidates for precheck status must be law-abiding citizens, U.S. nationals or lawful permanent residents.  

An online application and in-person appointment are required to obtain precheck status, which is good for five years. There is an $85 nonrefundable fee. There is no age restriction to apply.

Offenses such as treason, murder, espionage, identity fraud, arson, robbery and immigration violations may disqualify candidates for this status.  

TSA Precheck is good for flights within the United States, but may be extended to other countries by applying for Global Entry instead.  This fee is $15 more.  

For people living in Presque Isle, the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library at 39 Second Street is a TSA Precheck enrollment location. Candidates may also apply online at www.tsa.gov/precheck. An in-person appointment is also required, which takes about 10 minutes and includes a background check and fingerprinting. 

For those who receive precheck status, participating airlines will print an indicator directly on boarding passes. In addition to the indicator, eligibility is embedded in the barcode of the boarding pass. Once the boarding pass is scanned at the checkpoint, the TSA officer may refer travelers to a special lane. Travelers without a valid boarding pass cannot access the precheck lane.

For more information on TSA Precheck, visit https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/faq.