On Thursday, February 24, the United States and The Bahamas jointly announced the first U.S. Transportation Security Administration TSA PreCheck® lane ever to be established outside of the United States, at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) in Nassau, The Bahamas. TSA PreCheck will make The Bahamas an even more attractive destination for Americans, who comprise over 80 percent of all inbound tourists, providing a boost to the Bahamian economy.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the LPIA U.S. Preclearance screening checkpoint, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments, and Aviation, the Honourable Chester Cooper, hosted TSA Regional Director, Karen Hanlon, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Usha Pitts, and other key stakeholders in the tourism, aviation, and transportation sectors, to celebrate the momentous occasion. TSA PreCheck will further enhance the already impressive services provided at LPIA, the fourth busiest airport in the Caribbean.
With tourism continuing to be the lifeblood of the Bahamian economy, this enhancement comes at a particularly opportune time for The Bahamas. Eligible travelers who register for TSA PreCheck will be able to further streamline their processing through security screening on their way to outbound flights from LPIA on participating airlines.
When added to the presence of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility, travel through LPIA will become even more efficient and convenient. TSA Precheck will facilitate the work of airport security personnel and translate to shorter wait times for all passengers.
“This has been an excellent partnership throughout the trial period at Lynden Pindling International Airport, and it serves as a model for further extending TSA PreCheck. Permanently opening this TSA PreCheck lane for travelers who join the risk-based program is a credit to the Government of The Bahamas and the commitment of the officers who are maintaining the highest standards of transportation security,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske.
U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Usha Pitts noted that TSA PreCheck will help further bolster tourism and economic recovery in The Bahamas by making LPIA an even more attractive travel option for U.S. travelers who qualify for the expedited travel program.
Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable Chester Cooper added that recent positive travel numbers to The Bahamas “do not only speak to the pent up demand for our destination and the resilience of our product, but more so speaks clearly as to the strength of the United States as our key source market and our partner during this most critical period in our economic rebound and recovery as a country.”
TSA and the Airport Authority initiated the TSA PreCheck pilot program on August 4, 2021. The test phase helped to ensure security personnel at LPIA were fully versed in the procedures and protocols for TSA PreCheck.
The implementation of TSA PreCheck at LPIA represents yet another unique facet of the enduring U.S.-Bahamas relationship, and the United States’ commitment to continuing to facilitate and bolster travel between our two countries.
Learn more about TSA PreCheck at https://www.tsa.gov/precheck
Photo: US Embassy Nassau
