CHICAGO, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- The U.S. Transportation Security Administration Tuesday began the Known Crewmember program at Chicago's O'Hare airport, eliminating some screening procedures.
In a joint test with the Air Line Pilots Association International union and the Air Transport Association of America, TSA officials verified pilots' identities with photos and airline data. The pilots then passed through security in Terminals 1-3 without the customary body-scan imaging and pat-downs, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The program is intended to accelerate screening for each flight while directing security resources toward high-risk passengers, the newspaper said.
"This enhanced screening process recognizes the extensive background checks pilots receive," Lee Moak, president of the pilots union, said in a statement.
Critics of the program say its lack of biometric identification leaves it vulnerable to terrorists posing as pilots. The TSA plans to deploy it in Miami in September.
