TSA Changing Rules About Who’s Allowed Through Security
Since 9/11, the TSA has made airport security stricter than we've ever seen - for good reason. Now, a few airports are going back to the way things used to be and changing who's allowed through security.
Remember when someone was coming home from a long trip and you used to be able to meet them at the gate? You held a sign with their name and depending on the reason and length they were gone, you could surprise them with flowers or balloons? Since the tragic events of September 11th, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has made rules of who and what gets through the gates stricter than ever. Now, we're seeing some airports starting to ease up on some of those rules.
In early May, Tampa International Airport became the second in the country to allow non-ticketed parties through the security gates (the other being Pittsburgh International). The way it works is that 24 hours before they intend to go through the gate, they must apply for the TPA All-Access Pass, according to Uproxx. With that pass, non-ticketed parties will be allowed, without a boarding pass, to go through security to eat, drink, and wait for incoming flights. Pittsburgh has something similar, called myPITpass. Seattle-Tacoma had a similar trial program that recently ended and they're currently deciding whether or not to bring the program back.
Currently, for all commercial flights, you're allowed to escort someone who is a minor or disabled to the gate and/or pick them up when they land. It'll be interesting to see if these airports are just the first in bringing security back to what we remember from before.