DFW Airport is experimenting with a “fast pass” model, everyone can schedule an appointment up to seven days in advance
Whenever you have to travel with a plane, you know that you are about to spend some decent time in the lines at the airports.
But this might soon change at the DFW Airport as the airport officials are currently testing a so-called “fast pass” model that let you skip the security check queues.
The trial run allows passengers to make an appointment online, meet a liaison at the checkpoint and then skip the line right up to the screening area.
As of now, the program is only available at one terminal and one gate. The airport officials announced that this option is available at the Terminal D gate 18 checkpoint. The experimental model is free of charge for everyone while in testing period and all the passengers that are about to roll into the program will receive $5 food vouchers.
DFW Airport officials say the vouchers are in place in order to stimulate people to join the program in the testing period.
The testing of the model has been rolled out last week and the system allows to make an appointment up to 7 days in advance.
“People want reliability, dependability and predictability, and this is one of those services that provide them with that,” said Ken Buchanan, DFW Airport’s executive vice president of revenue management and customer experience.
DFW’s program is run by the airport and still requires passengers to take off shoes and belts. But it does let them skip waiting in line. DFW isn’t the first airport to test advanced reservations for TSA lines. SeaTac International and Montréal–Trudeau International Airport in Canada have tested similar ideas, Dallas Morning News reported.
Airport officials will be more than happy to extend this program to other checkpoints too and make it permanent if it delivers the wanted results.