WestJet goes mobile with TSA PreCheck program

Airline also launches electronic boarding passes for U.S. flights

CALGARY, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - WestJet today announced that eligible guests departing from U.S. airports will now be able to receive the TSA PreCheck designation using web, mobile and kiosk check-in. Until now, only eligible guests who received their boarding passes at WestJet counters could take advantage of the program, which offers a less-intrusive search when departing from U.S. airports.

"This next step is very important for our guests, particularly those who make use of one of our many self-serve options," said Ed Baklor, WestJet Senior Vice-President, Guest Experience. "The ability to check in, add your known traveller number and have your TSA PreCheck designation embedded in the barcode of your electronic boarding pass will make the security experience much more efficient, especially for business travellers and other frequent flyers." 

To be eligible, guests must be registered with TSA PreCheck (tsa.gov), one of four U.S. Department of Homeland Security Trusted Traveller programs. When using one of the program's dedicated security lanes, TSA PreCheck members can leave their shoes, belt, or light jacket on while passing through the scanner. Laptops and liquids can remain in carry-on baggage.

Travellers eligible for TSA PreCheck include:

• Canadian citizens who are members of NEXUS
• U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents who are members of NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry, or TSA PreCheck

Effective today, WestJet will also be able to issue electronic boarding passes for eligible guests departing from any Canadian airport, with the exception of Calgary, to any U.S. or international destination served by WestJet. Guests flying from Calgary to U.S. or international destinations will receive electronic boarding passes when the airport's new international terminal opens October 31, 2016. Guests flying from any U.S. destination served by WestJet, as well as select international destinations served by WestJet, will also be able to receive electronic boarding passes.

About WestJet

We are proud to be Canada's highest-rated airline for customer service, powered by an award-winning culture of care and recognized as one of the country's top employers. We offer scheduled service to 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Through our regional airline, WestJet Encore, and with partnerships with airlines representing every major region of the world, we offer our guests more than 150 destinations in more than 20 countries. Leveraging WestJet's extensive network, flight schedule and remarkable guest experience, WestJet Vacations delivers affordable, flexible travel experiences with a variety of accommodation options for every guest. Members of our WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Our members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of WestJet flights and vacations packages on any day, at any time, to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods  ̶  even on seat sales. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.  

Recent recognition includes:

2015/2011/2010/2008/2007/2006/2005 Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture (Waterstone Human Capital)
2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)
2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense magazine)
2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in the Canada's Choice ranking (RewardsCanada.ca)
2014 Interbrand Canada's Best Canadian Brands (Rank #20)
2014 Brands of the Year (Strategy magazine)
2014 Canada's Most Preferred Airline (Ipsos)
2014 Value Airline of the Year (Air Transport World magazine)
2014/2013/2012 Canada's Most Attractive Employer (Randstad)
2014/2013/2012/2011 Highest equity score: airline, vacation package supplier brands (Harris/Decima EquiTrend Study)

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SOURCE WestJet