US wants to cut security wait for air travellers

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration plans to move forward with a pre-screening plan nationally that would let certain airline passengers avoid extra security at airports, a top homeland security official said today.

Kip Hawley, administrator of the United States (US) Transportation Security Administration, told a House of Representatives hearing that the long-delayed voluntary Registered Traveller programme - designed mainly for business travellers and other frequent fliers - could get off the ground next June.

The programme will charge a fee and passengers who participate will undergo biometric screening and submit other information that would be stored on a Registered Traveller card. The TSA plans to tell airlines in January what data will be necessary.

A pilot programme began more than a year ago at five airports and ended on September 30, the end of the last federal fiscal year. The test programme continues at a sixth airport, in Orlando, Florida.

Roughly 20,000 people signed on for the six programmes, officials said. Registered participants would still undergo basic screening but would bypass secondary pat-downs and other security steps.

Frequent complaints by airlines and passengers about long security lines at airports prompted Congress to order TSA in 2002 to look at a registered Traveller programme. Lawmakers have been pressing the agency on its plans.

Dozens of airports support the plan although benefits would vary, depending on the size of the airport, the number of available security stations and personnel and flight schedules.

- REUTERS