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Business Travel News

July 2007

RT: Mission Critical

By Kevin Mitchell

The Registered Traveler (RT) program, overseen by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), is emerging from its pilot phase and rolling out as RT 2.0 on a national basis with major airports at Atlanta, Denver, San Francisco and Washington DC leading the way. This column will address some key misperceptions about the RT program that remain.

Way down on TSA’s list of reasons to develop RT 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 (1) man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS), (2) attacks on congested, unsecured airport areas such as security checkpoints and (3) cargo. The mission for RT is not to enhance security vis-à-vis airplane hijacking (largely already accomplished), or to help the traveler, but it is 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, interstate electronic fast pass tolling programs, such as E-ZPass on the east coast, improve vehicle throughput for all drivers. The single variable for non-E-ZPass members is exact change. In contrast, airports process savvy business travelers as well as once-a-year-leisure travelers (the majority) who are unfamiliar with multi-variable checkpoint procedures.

The efficiency-effect of “fast lanes” is pronounced by an order of magnitude in this exceedingly more complex airport environment. RT can produce upwards of a 300% 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 RT can be infiltrated by the bad guys. Whether you are a 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 a RT member. The faster security processing is enabled, though, by (a) through-putting seasoned travelers in one lane, (b) high-touch concierge service staff that help move the process along and (c) 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. More importantly, though, top tier business travelers who use elite lines at their home airports are often without such an option when traveling to spoke cities, or other hub airports. Of particular consequence to airlines are the millions of less frequent business travelers who have 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. Finally, for a $100, anyone can become a member of a 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?

It is estimated the market for RT is 10 million business travelers (out of 40 million business travelers; 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. What’s more, 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. TSA has the right mission for RT and took the right decision to implement it through a public-private partnership.