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Airport Goodbyes Return to the Gate with New TSA PreCheck Program — but Not in Birmingham
The free pilot lets approved travelers meet or send off loved ones at gates and access terminal dining and shops, TSA said.
The Transportation Security Administration launched the 'Gateside' program, allowing non-ticketed visitors to pass through security at more than a dozen airports and walk loved ones to departure gates.
For more than two decades, airport security checkpoints have marked the place where families say goodbye, a separation that followed terrorist attacks in Sept. 2001.
Visitors must hold TSA PreCheck eligibility and apply for a pass one to three days before their visit, with approved individuals undergoing security screening before reaching gates.
Catherine Largent, a frequent traveler through Dallas, noted the program helps reduce airport overwhelm; Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport lacks the service, but families hope for expansion soon.
The TSA plans to add more airports as the program rolls out nationwide, with Chris Cramer saying he is "excited that you take away some of those safety concerns.