Travel industry praises planned launch of Registered Traveler program
Travel program to aleviate long screening process
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said yesterday that it would launch its long-anticipated Registered Traveler program by 20 June 2006. The travel industry welcomed the announcement, and the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) praised it. The Registered Traveler program will provide expedited air travel security screening to travelers who volunteer for government background checks. The program will involve the private sector in managing the issuance of cards for Registered Traveler participants. TSA’s plan calls for a period of public comment on how it will partner with the private sector.
Whether or not the TSA will be able to launch the program by next June is a good question. The program has been plagued by false starts and mismanagement, and TSA has come under harsh congressional criticism for the way it has handled the program’s implementation to date.
NBTA represents over 2,500 corporate and government travel managers and travel service providers, who collectively manage and direct more than $170 billion of expenditures within the business travel industry.
