Government background screening for faster airport security lines garners support

According to the most recent American Consumer Satisfaction Index survey, respondents ranked airlines at the very bottom, below typically under-appreciated industries such as fast food and the U.S Postal Service, the Los Angeles Times reports. In an attempt to boost the airline sector's reputation and speed up security lines, the Transportation Security Administration has backed a concept through which willing passengers would pay a fee in return for a faster-paced line. A survey of more than 1,000 Americans by the U.S. Travel Association revealed that 45 percent would be very or somewhat likely to pay a $150 fee in return for a government pre-screening, the news source notes. When narrowed down to frequent leisure travelers, that number jumps to 61 percent, and among frequent business travelers, 75 percent said they would support the idea. WLS-TV adds that the TSA intends to test the pre-background screening idea on a trial basis later this year. However, there is no guarantee this concept will succeed. The TSA provided a similar service seven years ago where passengers paid as much as $200 for a fingerprint and iris scan, but the idea never caught on, the L.A. Times reports.