ATLANTA — Nearly 25 years after the September 11 attacks changed airport security forever, a new TSA program is giving some families something that largely disappeared after 9/11 -- the chance to go through security and spend more time with loved ones before a flight.
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For military families, that extra time can be especially meaningful.
Jacob Montanez was among a group of men arriving in Georgia on Wednesday to begin nine weeks of Army basic training.
“I think it’s wonderful. You get to spend time with your family before you go. Some people are leaving for a year, five months, six months,” Montanez said.
Van Maloney said his wife would have appreciated having more time with him before he left.
“She would have enjoyed to have a little more time with me,” Maloney said.
That extra time is exactly what a new TSA program is designed to give families.
It’s called Gateside by TSA PreCheck.
At 13 airports across the country, eligible TSA PreCheck members can apply ahead of time to go through security even without a plane ticket and accompany someone to the gate.
The free program could also help parents traveling with young children.
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Elizabeth Veras, a mother of young children, said another adult being able to come through security with the family could make a big difference.
“They’re small and it would be very helpful if we were to get walked and helped with the process,” Veras said.
Applicants must sign up online one to three days before their planned airport visit. The application must be approved, and the pass is valid only for that day.
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Visitors who are approved still have to go through TSA security screening before entering the secure area of the airport.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is not currently among the participating airports, but TSA says the program is expected to expand in the coming months.
The program comes as the nation prepares to mark 25 years since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — attacks that led to sweeping changes in airport and airplane security and largely ended the days when friends and family could routinely accompany passengers all the way to their gates.
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