Issues With Global & TSA Entry In Atlanta Airport

We have both TSA and Global Entry. This is the second time in 6 months I have had an extreme Pat Down from TSA Agents in Atlanta, I show the Agent my Airline tickets and Global Entry Card and they tell me they don't care what I have. Never had this issue at JFK where TSA & Global Entry was honored and I was not patted down. I am wondering is this just a issue in Atlanta or is TSA and Global Entry not being honored in other airports also. I would appreciate your replies, thanks.

Even with TSA pre check and Global Entry you can can still get "randomly selected" for additonal screening. One other note, Global Entry is for when you return from a foreign country. TSA pre-check is good for outbound screening.

Even with TSA pre check and Global Entry you can can still get "randomly selected" for additonal screening. One other note, Global Entry is for when you return from a foreign country. TSA pre-check is good for outbound screening.

On these two occasions, did your boarding passes indicate that you have TSA Pre✓? If not, you're out of luck. As it says on the TSA website "Although members of Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI may be issued a card when approved for the program, you cannot use these cards to access the TSA Pre✓® lane."

On these two occasions, did your boarding passes indicate that you have TSA Pre✓? If not, you're out of luck. As it says on the TSA website "Although members of Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI may be issued a card when approved for the program, you cannot use these cards to access the TSA Pre✓® lane."

Precisely correct. When enrolled in Global Entry (and consequently Pre Check), it's made abundantly clear the card is neither necessary, or beneficial at airports. If your boarding pass does not say "TSA PRE", you cannot use the pre-check line, and must comply with the regular screening process.

If you're regularly not getting TSA PRE boarding passes, you're likely not including your Known Traveler Number (KTN) when making your reservations. With the airlines I fly regularly, I have included it in my profile, but on occasions where I fly an airline other than those, I look to see where to include the KTN when making the reservation.

All this being said, there are a few other caveats: 1) Some airlines don't participate in Pre Check. If you're on one of those, you not get a TSA PRE boarding pass, and will be in the regular screening. 2) Even if the airline has your KTN, a small percentage get "randomly selected" and will be in the regular screening. This can happen either by not getting a TSA PRE boarding pass, or at the airport. 3) Some airports don't have Pre Check at all, and many don't have it either at every security screening station, or at all hours.

Harris

Denver, CO

Precisely correct. When enrolled in Global Entry (and consequently Pre Check), it's made abundantly clear the card is neither necessary, or beneficial at airports. If your boarding pass does not say "TSA PRE", you cannot use the pre-check line, and must comply with the regular screening process.

 

If you're regularly not getting TSA PRE boarding passes, you're likely not including your Known Traveler Number (KTN) when making your reservations. With the airlines I fly regularly, I have included it in my profile, but on occasions where I fly an airline other than those, I look to see where to include the KTN when making the reservation.

 

All this being said, there are a few other caveats: 1) Some airlines don't participate in Pre Check. If you're on one of those, you not get a TSA PRE boarding pass, and will be in the regular screening. 2) Even if the airline has your KTN, a small percentage get "randomly selected" and will be in the regular screening. This can happen either by not getting a TSA PRE boarding pass, or at the airport. 3) Some airports don't have Pre Check at all, and many don't have it either at every security screening station, or at all hours.

 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

FYI-- I just got back from a cruise into Vancouver and they required you to have your card in the global entry lane at the airport. The gate agent told me it was also important to carry it in case your passport does not scan-- apparently this happens a lot. I too was told that I did not need to carry it, but I had it with me anyway.

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We have both TSA and Global Entry. This is the second time in 6 months I have had an extreme Pat Down from TSA Agents in Atlanta, I show the Agent my Airline tickets and Global Entry Card and they tell me they don't care what I have. Never had this issue at JFK where TSA & Global Entry was honored and I was not patted down. I am wondering is this just a issue in Atlanta or is TSA and Global Entry not being honored in other airports also. I would appreciate your replies, thanks.

If you are getting picked for "random" patdowns that many times, you need to start buying lottery tickets.

I've been flying commercially for over 40 years and have yet to be shunted aside for an extra patdown.

That's why I don't gamble or buy lottery tickets - my number just won't come up.:eek:

FYI-- I just got back from a cruise into Vancouver and they required you to have your card in the global entry lane at the airport. The gate agent told me it was also important to carry it in case your passport does not scan-- apparently this happens a lot. I too was told that I did not need to carry it, but I had it with me anyway.

 

 

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That's true, and a good point for GLOBAL ENTRY, which is US Customs, returning from a foreign country. If the kiosks are down your card is needed. However, the original question had to do with Pre Check, which is TSA when entering the terminal to fly; so I focused on that.

Harris

Denver, CO

If you are getting picked for "random" patdowns that many times, you need to start buying lottery tickets.

 

I've been flying commercially for over 40 years and have yet to be shunted aside for an extra patdown.

 

That's why I don't gamble or buy lottery tickets - my number just won't come up.:eek:

On the other hand, I've also been travelling for over 40 years, and until I got a TSA Precheck, I was constantly being "selected". But I had the dreaded "three strikes" against me. As a merchant seaman, my tickets were: 1. one way, 2. purchased less than two weeks before travel, and 3. purchased by a third party (the company).

Precisely correct. When enrolled in Global Entry (and consequently Pre Check), it's made abundantly clear the card is neither necessary, or beneficial at airports. If your boarding pass does not say "TSA PRE", you cannot use the pre-check line, and must comply with the regular screening process.

 

If you're regularly not getting TSA PRE boarding passes, you're likely not including your Known Traveler Number (KTN) when making your reservations. With the airlines I fly regularly, I have included it in my profile, but on occasions where I fly an airline other than those, I look to see where to include the KTN when making the reservation.

 

All this being said, there are a few other caveats: 1) Some airlines don't participate in Pre Check. If you're on one of those, you not get a TSA PRE boarding pass, and will be in the regular screening. 2) Even if the airline has your KTN, a small percentage get "randomly selected" and will be in the regular screening. This can happen either by not getting a TSA PRE boarding pass, or at the airport. 3) Some airports don't have Pre Check at all, and many don't have it either at every security screening station, or at all hours.

 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Very well said !!

We have both TSA and Global Entry. This is the second time in 6 months I have had an extreme Pat Down from TSA Agents in Atlanta, I show the Agent my Airline tickets and Global Entry Card and they tell me they don't care what I have.

Correct, because if you don't have Precheck showing on your boarding pass it doesn't matter. Make sure your known traveler number is entered into your reservation. Keep in mind you can still be randomly selected for additional screening though.

We were just talking about getting the Global Entry.

We already have reservations for November cruise.

I will call AA but just wondering if it's too late to get the info added to our current reservation once we have it?

Appreciate your comments.

Global Entry takes any where from 6 weeks to 3 months to get. You have to fill out online paperwork. They do a thorough background and criminal check and then you have to do an interview at the nearest office to you. Then it takes another 4 weeks after that to receive the card. It took me a full 4 months for the whole process.

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For TSA preCheck to apply, your airline also has to participate in the program. Many of the budget lines do not participate - I've stopped flying Frontier because the cheaper price isn't worth the long line at the Denver airport when visiting my family. Global Entry only applies when clearing immigration when coming back into the country.

Even if you do have the TSA preCheck on your boarding pass, you may still have extra screening. For example, I was wearing a pair of baggy jeans that must have bunched up in an interesting way, and got quite the search. I've also gotten the dreaded SSSS, the random pull out of a line, and every time I've flown back into the US via the pre-clearance in Vancouver, I've had to sit in secondary while they do whatever they do and re-xray my bags. (Which is only twice, but still.)

However, life is still much better with PreCheck and Global Entry. Most of the time its smooth sailing, and not having to take out all 90 million electronic items I always seem to have on me from my bag is heaven. My husband doesn't have Global Entry, and I made it through immigration and to the baggage claim in about 5 minutes. His wait was about 25 minutes. (This is at O'Hare, which isn't bad as immigration goes.)

Global Entry takes any where from 6 weeks to 3 months to get. You have to fill out online paperwork. They do a thorough background and criminal check and then you have to do an interview at the nearest office to you. Then it takes another 4 weeks after that to receive the card. It took me a full 4 months for the whole process.

 

 

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My GE application experience was/is:

Application Date: 8 May 2016

Conditional Approval: 19 May 2016

Interview Date (PHL): 22 May 2016 (Today)...

Will see how long it takes for approval notification, been told it is a matter of hours, then a week or so before card arrives in mail.

Will update once complete.

bon voyage

We were just talking about getting the Global Entry.

 

We already have reservations for November cruise.

 

I will call AA but just wondering if it's too late to get the info added to our current reservation once we have it?

 

Appreciate your comments.

It's not too late - you can add it up until just before you're flight (I believe the cutoff is 3 days prior)

Ps if you fly a lot through an airport with Clear sign up for that too, improves the time to get through precheck a ton (for example the precheck line in atl this morning was its normal Monday length which is lengthy, with clear and precheck I was through precheck in under 10 minutes)

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We were just talking about getting the Global Entry.

We already have reservations for November cruise.

I will call AA but just wondering if it's too late to get the info added to our current reservation once we have it?

Appreciate your comments.

Not too late at all. Also, you can post it to your profile on AA if you have one.

bon voyage

My GE application experience was/is:

 

Application Date: 8 May 2016

Conditional Approval: 19 May 2016

Interview Date (PHL): 22 May 2016 (Today)...

 

Will see how long it takes for approval notification, been told it is a matter of hours, then a week or so before card arrives in mail.

 

 

Will update once complete.

 

bon voyage

I had my approval via email before I made it home from the airport. They wrote my known traveler number on my paperwork at the end of the interview.

My GE application experience was/is:

 

Application Date: 8 May 2016

Conditional Approval: 19 May 2016

Interview Date (PHL): 22 May 2016 (Today)...

 

Will see how long it takes for approval notification, been told it is a matter of hours, then a week or so before card arrives in mail. ...

I thought we were given our number at the in person interview? (my memory could be wrong...if we didn't get it at interview, we received it online before we received actual cards in mail)

I thought we were given our number at the in person interview? (my memory could be wrong...if we didn't get it at interview, we received it online before we received actual cards in mail)

The KTN is on the application when making application. One cannot use it until final approval is received.

bon voyage

The KTN is on the application when making application. One cannot use it until final approval is received.

 

bon voyage

That's right - I managed to forget to bring my application where she would have pointed out the number, so that's why she had to write down for me.

Not cruise related - but GE related.....

We just returned from a trip to Peru and entered the US in MIA. The line for the GOES kiosk was non-existent with 4 kiosks available. We waltzed up, scanned passports then got our photo and fingerprints. Took the slip to the GE agent who barely looked at us or the slip and waved us through. All told...MAYBE 5-10 minutes!

Best money I've ever spent!

Having a KTN and TSA Pre-Check can shortly get you into a shorter security line. But you are still going to be screened via metal detector or the more sophisticated detectors. Once you go through that initial screening you are still subject to additional random screening. But you can also be subject to additional screening for other reasons such as if they see something strange on the scan. Or, if you have had joint replacement you might get lots of additional screening. We have had Global Entry (and a KTN) for years, but DW has also had a total knee replacement. If she must go through the metal detector...in many cases she does trip that device...and gets subject to additional screening. Having Global Entry does nothing to prevent this screen. And by the way, I once learned a hard lesson. On one trip I wore a neat pair of lightweight Khaki trousers that had many zippers (for the legs and multiple pockets. I was directed though a metal detector which must have lit up like a pinball machine. The poor TSA agent then tried to screen me with the metal detecting wand which beeped at every zipper. He finally had to do a full pat down and told me that he had a similar pair of pants...and would never wear them to go through security. We both had a good laugh and those trousers have remained in my home closest ever since.

Hank

OP did your boarding pass say precheck on it?

On the other hand, I've also been travelling for over 40 years, and until I got a TSA Precheck, I was constantly being "selected". But I had the dreaded "three strikes" against me. As a merchant seaman, my tickets were: 1. one way, 2. purchased less than two weeks before travel, and 3. purchased by a third party (the company).

How do you feel those three strikes were being communicated by the person looking at your ticket for a millisecond before sending you through, to the random agent in whatever line you choose that is generally physically behind the first agent's back who has been busy since then?

Back when we carried boarding passes all the way through security I can see it, but it's been ages since we did that, so no matter what they might doodle on the boarding pass *no one else is seeing it* once I've walked past the agent who doodled.

Dh travels with your #s 2 and 3 often since '09, and previously he appeared to be one-way (your #1) because he didn't have the clout to tell the corporate TA to just use one airline, and even before precheck *while carrying scads of electronics* (and a letter stating "I'm a product tester, if you need to check these prototypes please can we go to a private room"), he was never called for pat downs.

Checks AT the gate, yes, he even gets those now (as in last month) but that's more likely due to how he looks (ethnic but looks like a different ethnicity than what he is) than anything else.

We were just talking about getting the Global Entry.

 

We already have reservations for November cruise.

 

I will call AA but just wondering if it's too late to get the info added to our current reservation once we have it?

 

Appreciate your comments.

If you get it in time, add it.

United in particular is very bad about pulling dh's ktn from his profile to go into his boarding pass. I've gone back and edited his checkin in the united app as he's getting to the airport to manually enter the number, and his pass has gone from normal to precheck.

Global Entry takes any where from 6 weeks to 3 months to get. You have to fill out online paperwork. They do a thorough background and criminal check and then you have to do an interview at the nearest office to you. Then it takes another 4 weeks after that to receive the card. It took me a full 4 months for the whole process.

 

 

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Wow. Took me less time to get NEXUS and that's notoriously longer than GE tends to be!

It's not too late - you can add it up until just before you're flight (I believe the cutoff is 3 days prior)

 

Not my experience. See above. I've manually added it to dh's online checkin close as two hours prior to flights and it will change he boardingnpass to reflect precheck.

I had my approval via email before I made it home from the airport. They wrote my known traveler number on my paperwork at the end of the interview.

Same with nexus.

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Correct, because if you don't have Precheck showing on your boarding pass it doesn't matter. Make sure your known traveler number is entered into your reservation. Keep in mind you can still be randomly selected for additional screening though.

I am the original poster, thank - you for all your replies. Just wanted to tell you my facts if I didn't make myself clear; yes my airline tickets showed TSA approval on my boarding pass and yes I also make sure my known traveler number is entered on my reservation, and I follow all the rules on which lines I am allowed to stand on. I was just curious if my fellow CC posters have been patted down at the Atlanta airport more than other airports. I am also aware when you use Global Entry when returning from overseas. I always appreciate your replies.