SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - The next time you're at Salt Lake City International Airport you won't see any Delta, Frontier or SkyWest pilots going through the TSA lines. That’s because they now have a security check point of their own. It’s called Known Crewmember.
Steve Lott, Vice President of Communications for Airlines for America explained,” It allows the TSA to verify the employment status of the flight crew and it essentially gives pilots their own checkpoint."
The TSA agent will verify the pilot is a current employee in good standing. Since they've already been given back ground checks and have been vetted by the airlines the Transportation Security Administration says pilots don't pose much of a risk.
"Pilots represent a very small risk in terms of security perspective,” said Lott. “If we can't trust the people in the cockpit flying the planes who can we trust."
Passengers we spoke with today agree.
Robbin Bonham said, "Distrusting them? No not really I think they're professional and I wouldn't worry about that.">
The new, Known Crewmember check point means pilots get to get to their flight faster and passengers don't have to worry about crew members clogging up their TSA line.
"Well it makes sense to me,” said Bonham. “It's streamline and I think that would be a good thing."
Salt Lake City International Airport joins 10 other U.S. airports to implement the Known Crewmember screening program.
