Of course, I was happy when my mother got PreCheck, but still…. For background, I booked an award ticket to Atlanta for my mother recently. I made sure her Delta.com profile was updated with full name, birthdate, etc. when her travel day arrived, I even helped her check in. We were both surprised to see TSA PRECHECK on her boarding pass. I schooled her on what not to do like remove shoes, 311 bag etc, and she flew just fine.

All was well, and why the heck shouldn’t my 70 year old harmless mother be eligible for expedited screening? Exactly. That said, PreCheck lines are growing longer and I think it has as much to do with people not knowing the rules as it does with more people actually getting in line.

So PreCheck noobies, welcome! Just remember keep your shoes on unless they have metal shanks and keep your laptops In your bags unless you travel with more than one. Light jackets are OK too. And please leave your 311 bag in your carry on as well.

-MJ, December 12, 2013