Steven Brill, author, writer and CEO of
Verified Identity Pass, spoke to Travel Weekly business editor Dan
Luzadder concerning heightened airport security and the roll-out of
registered-traveler programs.
Q:
Where do things stand with registered traveler programs with
tighter airport security?
A:
It is usually a situation like [the foiled London plot] that
heightens attention to screening people at security bottlenecks.
This kind of thing creates challenges for risk management. And
anything that does that also drives home the argument for
registered-traveler programs. If screeners have a minute to spend
on security for each person, they might want to spend 40% of that
on the pre-screened traveler so they can spend 60% on the person
who is not prescreened. That has always been the idea behind
Verified Identity Pass.
Q:
Where do things stand on the rollout of registered-traveler
lanes?
A:
We have construction crews ready to begin work at airports in San
Jose, Cincinnati and Indianapolis, and we are about to name
another. [After this interview, British Airways announced plans
to implement the program at New Yorks Kennedy Airport. See "BA to offer Registered Traveler program at Kennedy
Airport.] We are just waiting for the
Transportation Security Administration to finish dotting all of the
is on the approvals. Los Angeles and Denver have put processes in
place to select registered-traveler service providers. They are set
to do that early this fall.
Q:
The airlines have expressed opposition to registered-traveler
programs. Have security concerns changed anything?
A:
To clarify, the airlines have not opposed this. The Air Transport
Association has opposed it. There is a big difference. I believe we
are going to see some major airlines saying shortly that they are
going to partner with us. I think the opposition is going to
evaporate, not because of London but because the airlines have
stood by while more than 20,000 of their customers have embraced
the program. As we have said, if airlines partner with us, they
will earn revenue and gratitude from their customers. It is an odd
thing for the principal vendors to be against something that
frequent flyers and airports avidly want.
Q:
Although you are officially operating only at Orlando, what has
been your experience with renewals?
A:
We have just gone through the first round of renewals at Orlando,
and we have had over a 90% renewal rate. We have also gotten
reasons for those that did not renew, and it was because people
have moved or changed jobs and are not traveling as much. So, even
though the passes are not usable yet at other airports, the
customer satisfaction has blown the doors off our
expectations.
Q:
With that response, why arent things further along?
A:
We are frustrated because the TSA has not finished all of the
paperwork. It has finished 99.5% of all that it needs to do, but it
is just now going through the final approval process. We believe
the delays are a matter of days now, not weeks or months. I believe
the initial airports will be taking enrollments within the next two
weeks. Denver put out its RFP in June. Even if we are not selected
as the provider, we will begin to sell cards that will be usable in
Denver. We will also begin selling cards through companies that
have marketing agreements with us [such as hotels]. I believe
Denver wants to get the program in place in September, which would
mean a rollout sometime in October.
To
contact reporter Dan Luzadder, send e-mail to [email protected].