The program has been tested at five airports, including Boston's Logan International, for the last five months. Now the TSA wants to run another test at Orlando International Airport, allowing private companies to operate the program under federal supervision. The companies would be allowed to charge participants an estimated annual fee of $50 to $100 to cover their costs and turn a profit.
By charging participants, federal officials say, the government may be able to quickly roll out the program nationally at minimal cost to taxpayers.
''Passengers have indicated they would be willing to pay a fee to expedite the security process," said Ann Davis, a spokeswoman for the TSA in the Northeast.
Davis said the test in Orlando isn't set to go yet, but officials say it should launch in the next several months. The TSA has held discussions with the Greater Orlando Airport Authority and a New York company called Verified ID Pass, which is headed by Steven Brill, who launched Court TV.
AirTran Airways has announced that it intends to participate in the Orlando test.
Unlike the five ongoing tests of the Registered Traveler program, which are restricted to frequent flier customers of one airline at each airport, the pilot project in Orlando would be open to any traveler who wanted to participate. The program might have special appeal for women travelers, who have complained about the intrusiveness of secondary screenings.
A privatized Registered Traveler program is likely to attract criticism. Privacy advocates have long raised concerns about the government gathering detailed personal information about Americans, but those concerns probably would be heightened if access to that information were turned over to private companies.
The privatized program also may foster more elitist grumbling at security checkpoints. The TSA and its security procedures are funded by all taxpayers, but not all taxpayers are treated equally at the TSA's checkpoints.
