Discuss Screening Procedures and Trusted Traveler Program

Alexandria, VA (December 23, 2010) – Yesterday, the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), the voice of the global business travel industry, met with John Pistole, the administrator of the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss NBTA’s position on topics related to safety and security procedures.

“We had a constructive, wide ranging and positive dialogue with Administrator Pistole during which we were able to discuss the critical role of a smoothly functioning and secure business travel system for the overall economy,” said Mike McCormick, Executive Director and COO, National Business Travel Association. “NBTA will continue to focus on how best to work with the TSA to ensure safety while making the security process as efficient as possible for business travelers.”

NBTA recognizes that security is the single most important role of the TSA. It reiterated its support for the security measures the TSA has introduced over the last several weeks. However, as members of the NBTA community have reported discrepancies in deployment of TSA security measures at airports across the country, NBTA reiterated that TSA must maintain open lines of communications so that the traveling public can report on inconsistencies in security implementations.

NBTA has also been a longtime supporter of the Trusted Traveler program that allows business travelers and other high frequency travelers to pass through airport security more quickly and efficiently after passing a rigorous background check. In a recent survey, 71% of NBTA members expressed interest in creating a system where a traveler would be willing to pay for and undergo a one-time in-depth security check.  NBTA expressed willingness to work with TSA to develop a program that benefits enrollees, but meet the security concerns TSA.

Recognizing the importance of a well-informed traveling public, NBTA also expressed willingness to continue to proactively distribute information from the TSA to the traveling public, as NBTA did prior to the Thanksgiving travel rush.

Mr. McCormick concluded, “NBTA has the utmost respect for Administrator Pistole and the TSA, and yesterday’s meeting only reinforced that view. I was impressed with the administrator’s concern for the business traveler and desire to work with NBTA. We plan to continue our dialogue with TSA over the months to come so we can work together to ensure the proper systems are in place to enhance security while minimizing challenges for the business traveler.”

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and corporate meetings organization. NBTA and its regional affiliates – NBTA Australia / New Zealand, the Brazilian Business Travel Association (ABGEV), NBTA Canada, NBTA Europe, NBTA Mexico, and NBTA USA – serve a network of more than 17,000 business travel professionals around the globe with industry-leading events, networking, education & professional development, research, news & information, and advocacy. NBTA members, numbering more than 5,000 in 30 nations, are corporate and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers. They collectively manage and direct more than US$340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually on behalf of more than 13 million business travelers within their organizations. For more information, visit www.nbta.org