GoKawiilTSA pilots gate-access passes for non-travelers at select airports
The Transportation Security Administration has launched a program allowing certain people without boarding passes to clear security checkpoints so they can accompany or meet passengers at the departure gate. This practice was common before the September 11, 2001 attacks but was eliminated afterward as airport security tightened nationwide. The new initiative marks a limited return of that pre-9/11 gate access for specific individuals.