The Trusted Traveler Program - Essay Example

Essay of my Choice This paper is about the “Trusted Traveler” Program that is making the rounds of the American airports at the moment. It studies the benefits of this program, its disadvantages as well as controversies and legal issues surrounding it. The "Trusted Traveler" Program came in to its own when it was proposed by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives which allowed the facility to frequent fliers as they could be bypassed from lengthy security lines and checks if they carried an l. D. card with them which would show that they have already undergone a federally approved background inquiry and inspection. The “Trusted Traveler" program in essence was made to facilitate the frequent flyers that could include all the business entrepreneurs, government officials and employees as well as other selected individuals who could get their easy way off as regards to airport security checks. The Trusted Traveler program is undoubtedly a good idea when we literally think about it in the first go, but it is also a source of problems on the part of the security people who are present at the airports and are responsible for everything as they are at the helm of affairs when we talk about security and its long checks. This program can have its disadvantages if say for instance a terrorist gets hold of a Trusted Traveler card, would he or she still be unstoppable. The same goes true if he or she is carrying some explosives or weapons on board, would the person be allowed to board the flight? There are serious questions that can be posed with respect to the Trusted Traveler program. The “Trusted Traveler” program is in the process of being studied thoroughly by the American Senate and would soon, hopefully is put into practice so that American flyers could get extra privileges when they think of security and ease of actions at the airport and within the flights. The reason why this program has not been approved as yet owes to the fact that there are a number of glitches and loopholes through which terrorists and criminals can run off scotch free, thus delaying the whole process. Once these problems are addressed in the broader context of the airline security and with meticulous attention paid to the ease of the passengers, this program would pretty surely be in place for one and all to enjoy and witness at the airports, in the coming times. As regards to passenger authentication, it usually entails the corroboration of passenger ID, which includes from his beginning as a passenger is transited through the airport and ends up getting seated on the airplane. While the basics for affirmation should be owned by a non-airline being, the authentication machines and the agendum for their implementation evenly stays with the airline. It is pretty risky to summarize that trust is not something given just once and then with the passage of time assumed forever rather that it is an on-going, never-ending process. The certifications must also determine whether a change takes place in the passengers singular attributes or his or her mannerisms. The “Trusted Traveler” program could work both for the ease of the flyers and the security staff but in addition to that there are some concerns, one being that it could open new flight security handicaps and burdens as well as furnish airlines with passenger information for marketing and promotion activities. On the other hand, the trusted traveler program would definitely improve the level of security at the airports by training resources on passengers about which the authorities know only a little about or who might just be a security risk at any conceived moment of time in the coming future. The single most benefit is that this program should lessen the troublesomeness of lengthy security lines and checks and re-checks as well as encourage corporate travelers to return to the respective airlines again and again more often. This Trusted Traveler program would also boost the marketing of the respective airlines as more and more people would opt for the carrier that provides them benefits no other airline matches. On the same note, travelers privacy would not get affected as people regard the same quite high on their personal priorities when they travel, especially in airlines. The "Trusted Traveler" program as discussed earlier has the facility to move selected passengers in a swift and quick manner through security checkpoints as stated by the General Accounting Office (GAO). Nevertheless, the GAO has also stated that a number of issues remain unfinished and shelved which might also include the actual eligibility criteria for this program as well as the types of background checks and screening measures that have to be used in this whole process. The passengers who would seek for the registration process would accede to undergo certain background checks and security measures. The ones who will be termed as successful ones in this whole process would obtain a one-of-a-kind card, which will enable them to be screened more quickly at the transits within the airport. This will eventually quicken the whole process of checking and screening at the airport and the frequent flyers would not have to undergo the tension and anxiety of getting checked again and again, day in day out. Former Transportation Security Administration under Secretary John Magaw has of late brought this notion to the notice of one and all that this program would make the system unprotected to "sleeper cells" that are prevalent within the terrorists’ ranks who might spend a number of years in working their way to obtain a trusted traveler rank and at the end gain advantage over rugged screening. This administration is more of the view that a registered traveler system should be adopted which would embody a somewhat genteel and civilized account of the already present automatic passengers pre-screening system. The legal matters are aplenty when it comes to the implementation of the Trusted Traveler program. First of all, there is a need to address who should actually be called a “trusted traveler” as the ones who would have the card would feel privileged and the remaining ones would sense a feeling of deprivation and would think of themselves as non-trustworthy on the part of the government and the security staff present at the airports. Secondly, as discussed earlier, terrorists would earn their way into obtaining a “trusted traveler” card and then only go about doing their “bit” (as in a terrorist activity) on board, which could be a big risk when we talk about this program at all. Finally, efforts must be made to ensure people do not feel discriminated and harassed at the airports and on the flights with the implementation of this “trusted traveler” program. This is the need of the hour and it must be looked upon at, at full consideration. Bibliography Business Travel to Decline Further In 2002; Airfare Structure Reform, Trusted Traveler Program Needed According To New Survey Business Wire 23 April 2002 Feds Study Trusted Traveler Plan, Dallas Morning News 27 Nov 2002 Marois, Denise GAO Identifies Drawbacks, Benefits of Trusted Traveler Plan Aviation Daily, 2 Dec 2002 Mowbray, Joel The Flying Elite, 19 Feb 2002 Word Count: 1,144 Read More