
TSA announces huge change to security checks in 10 major airports across the US
The administration shared that it would be adding a new expedited lane and discounts 'to enhance the travel experience for members of the U.S. military community,' per PR Newswire.
Gold Star families - those who have lost a loved one in military service - will also now have TSA PreCheck fees waived.
Additionally, TSA will now offer a $25 discount on TSA PreCheck enrollment for spouses of military and uniformed service members.
The change will go into affect at some airports on Tuesday, July 1, and is part of the 'Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease' initiative.
Ahead of the changes, Ha Nguyen McNeill, TSA's Acting Administrator, explained how they will make it easier for the military community to travel efficiently.
'This Independence Day and beyond, TSA reaffirms its commitment to ease travel for the military community through its TSA PreCheck program by providing it free to Gold Star families, discounting it for military spouses and creating expedited lanes for service members,' she said, according to the publication.
'By expanding access, easing enrollment, and partnering with our TSA PreCheck enrollment providers and industry partners, we strive to honor those who serve and the families who stand beside them.'
To make things as accessible as possible, TSA PreCheck is hosting mobile enrollment events near major US military locations.
The new lanes will be implemented at 10 American airports in cities including: San Antonio, Texas, Anchorage, Alaska, Atlanta, Georgia, Austin, Texas, Colorado Springs, Colorado, El Paso, Texas, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Nashville, Tennessee, San Diego, California, and Seattle, Washington.
In other airport news, TSA was recently forced to issue a hilarious statement about which ID cards qualify as official identification while traveling.
It came after a user on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted a picture of a bright yellow Waffle House customer card with the caption, 'TSA might want REAL ID, but I have the realest ID.'
It read 'Matthew Cappucci, Meteorologist,' with an American flag in the right corner.
The post amassed over 2.2 million views and thousands of replies - including one from the official TSA account.
'Respectfully, no… Waffle House IDs will not suffice as a Real ID alternative (sorry),' the organization's comical response read.
People all across the globe were entertained by the post and TSA's involvement.
'How does one even acquire this?' one user asked.
'You didn't have to flex on us like this,' a different person wrote, while another said, 'Where do I get my Waffle House identification?'
Cappucci followed up his post by writing: 'One of my greatest life accomplishments is being one of the only 90 people in this world that Waffle House follows.'
TSA has also responded to travelers who attempted to use their Costco cards as valid ID at the airport.
US travelers are now required to have a federally approved REAL ID or passport to board a domestic flight, with a standard driver's license no longer cutting it.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes Club World Cup has made Chelsea squad tighter
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes Chelsea will be stronger as a squad having embraced the challenge at the Club World Cup. The Blues are through to the quarter-finals of the tournament in the United States and face Brazilian side Palmeiras in Philadelphia on Friday night (2am Saturday BST). Forward Joao Pedro could make his debut having completed his reported £60million move from Brighton and joined up with the squad this week. Pedro will link up with fellow summer signing Liam Delap and, while other clubs have been on holiday, Dewsbury-Hall feels it has been beneficial to integrate the new faces immediately. The 26-year-old told the club's website: 'It's been a different experience and you have to be grateful because not everyone gets to play in these sorts of tournaments. 'It's a little strange when you see players from other teams back for pre-season and we're still playing the previous season, but it's something that you have to take as a privilege because not everyone gets to play in something like this. 'It brings everyone closer together and the new lads that have come in have been able to settle in a lot quicker. 'It's a nice environment and we've got a nice dressing room. Everyone mingles, we go out and do things – shopping, food, beach. So it's been good.' Chelsea, now 11 months into their 2024-25 campaign, have had a rocky path to the last eight having suffered a heavy defeat to Flamengo in the group stage and come through an extraordinary last-16 encounter with Benfica. That game in Charlotte featured a two-hour stoppage for a thunderstorm and the Blues eventually needed extra time before seeing off the Portuguese side. Dewsbury-Hall said: 'Obviously, the further you go, the closer you are to getting to the final. 'The feeling in the camp is to take it game by game and then, before you know it, we could be in a great position.' Chelsea's summer spending does not appear to be over with a deal for Borussia Dortmund's English winger Jamie Gittens reportedly close. The Palmeiras clash will also see them get a closer look at Estevao, the 18-year-old winger who agreed to join them last year and will do so after the tournament. Chelsea beat the Brazilian side 2-1 after extra time when they met in the final of the Club World Cup, under its old format, in 2023. Dewsbury-Hall said: 'Nobody is overlooking Palmeiras and we have seen South American teams in this tournament have been really strong. 'It's a challenge I'm looking forward to, and the lads are also looking forward to. So we will make sure we're all ready for it.'


The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
‘Beaches will be open': How cities are keeping July 4 swimmers safe from a ‘Jaws' nightmare
Ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, state and local officials are ramping up protections for beachgoers to stave off any potential 'Jaws' situations. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that authorities were deploying dozens of drones in an effort to prevent any such life-threatening shark encounters. A 20-year-old woman has already been bitten this summer, sustaining minor lacerations to her foot, according to ABC 7. 'We are continuing to strengthen our shark surveillance capabilities and safety tactics at these beaches to help protect these treasured summertime traditions. I encourage all beachgoers to stay safe, stay alert and always follow the direction of lifeguards and park staff,' Hochul said in a statement. The Empire State has added six drones of its fleet, with nearly 30 in operation. The drones help park staff and police to actively patrol the beachfront, looking for sharks and schools of fish that may attract them closer to the shoreline. On the ground and in boats, lifeguards scan and patrol the waters. New Yorkers are advised to stay in areas where their feet can touch the bottom of the ocean, in addition to avoiding murky water, areas with schools of fish, and swimming at dawn, dusk, and during the evening. Down the East Coast, other incidents have been reported in South Carolina and Florida, although officials there have not stepped up surveillance. Three young girls were transported to hospitals, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries, according to The Hilton Head Sun. In Florida, 9-year-old Leah Lendel nearly lost her hand after she was bitten while snorkeling near Boca Grande. 'I didn't see anything — I was snorkeling and went up to breathe,' she recalled. 'Something hard bit me and tried to take me away." Florida is consistently the state with the most unprovoked shark bites. A tally by Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File recorded 14 last year, none of which were fatal. The northeastern Volusia County was responsible for more than half. However, the total was lower than Florida's five-year annual average of 19 incidents, and the national and international tallies were lower than in previous years. There was one death in the U.S. in 2024 from a shark attack. There are a number of reasons which lead sharks to bite humans. Some sharks have bad vision and can mistake people for seals. Research in April found that shark bites may be 'survival instinct.' Swimmers may also just be in the wrong place at the wrong time when sharks are following prey. Ways to reduce the risk of a bite include staying close to shore, swimming with a friend, avoiding wearing jewelry and not splashing around too much. Still, the chances of actually being bitten remain slim. People are more likely to die in an incident involving a champagne cork or be struck by lightning than to die from a shark attack. Whereas humans kill some 100 million sharks every year. 'There's many more things people need to worry about before they worry about sharks. So go to the ocean, listen to beach safety. People do what the lifeguards say get out of the water when they say it's not safe to swim and enjoy it when it is safe,' International Shark Attack File Director Dr. Gavin Naylor told WBRC.


The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Shocking reason you should never tie ribbon on your suitcase to help identify it – it may not even make the flight
FLIGHT experts are warning travelers not to use a popular bag-tracking method, as it may cause more harm than good. Experts are urging flyers not to tie a ribbon around the handles of their suitcases. 1 A baggage handler, who goes by the name John, warned that tying a ribbon on the handle may cause issues with the bag being scanned. 'Ribbons that people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall,' he told RSVP Live. 'If the bag can't be scanned automatically, it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn't make it to the flight.' The handler also told flyers to take off old stickers on the bag and place your suitcase wheels up for less damage. As for snacks, John told travelers not to pack marzipan in their bags. 'Don't ever pack Marzipan in your luggage,' he said. 'It has the same density as some explosives, so your bag will be removed and you'll be called from the plane for a bag search.' Another flying expert warned passengers about the type of suitcase they choose to check in. Emilie, a flight attendant of 16 years, told retailer House of Fraiser that travelers should never check a hard-covered suitcase. "Passengers tend to think that hard-shell suitcases are more resistant than fabric ones, but it's actually the opposite. Four countries Americans can fly to without needing a passport – and popular vacation choice where no visa is needed "Hardcovers can get easily broken by the pressure of the other bags once they're all packed together in the hold." The flight attendant added, "To avoid damage to your bag, I always recommend choosing a fabric suitcase as these are actually more durable. "Picking one in a bright colour can help you spot your bag more quickly during baggage delivery. Just avoid white as it won't stay that colour for long!" She also recommends going for a two-wheeled suitcase over a four-wheeled one. What to do if you luggage is lost, delayed, or damaged IT is an awful experience when your baggage does not appear on the carousel. However, travelers can take steps to get their bags back. What if baggage is delayed? If your bag doesn't show up at your destination, make sure to speak to the nearest airline representative. Airlines have a system that tracks where bags are and can see whether luggage has ever left an airport. After getting as much information as possible from the representative, passengers can file a claim. Once the bag is located, airlines will either deliver it straight to a flier's door or send it to the nearest airport. What if baggage is lost? Fliers should stay in close contact with airlines throughout the search for their bags. Sometimes, airlines will tell lucky passengers their bags are gone for good. Most airlines will declare a bag lost between five and fourteen days after the flight, but this can vary. Airlines are responsible for compensating travelers for lost bags' contents as long as it doesn't surpass maximum liability limits. Airlines must also reimburse any fees that fliers paid out for a bag to be transported if it was found. What if a bag is damaged? Airlines are also required to pay back customers for bags' contents that were damaged during flight. However, the airline won't take responsibility for items that were destroyed because the luggage was improperly packed. Most airlines also won't reimburse cash, electronics, fragile items, and perishables. Anyone who has a bag damaged during flight should file a claim and discuss whether they can get a refund. "[Four-wheeled suitcases] are never as durable or reliable as a two-wheel spinner and I'd always avoid them." One TikToker, who goes by the username @allycase1, warned travelers to be aware of a common luggage tag faux pas. In the video, the flight attendant shows a luggage tag with contact information written on it. 'Always make sure that your luggage tag has the contact information facing the other side,' she said in the video. 'I see so many people with their luggage tag and their information displayed for everyone to see. 'Their name, their address, their phone number, their email. That is way too much information for just anyone to have.' She recommends just flipping personal information to the other side so its not out on display. 'In the event that your bag is ever lost, whoever has your bag is going to take out the tag and flip it to the other side.'