U.S. Travel Association calls for one free checked bag

U.S. Travel Association calls for one free checked bag

The U.S. Travel Association on Wednesday called on airlines to let passengers check one bag for free to speed up the security process.

That was just one of several suggestions made by the travel industry lobbying group as part of a year-long analysis of potential ways to improve the air travel security and reduce the burden on travelers.

Roger Dow, president of the U.S. Travel Association, said a "one-size-fits-all security screening system" is not the most effective way to handle the nation's roughly 2 million daily air travelers.

Security hassles cost the U.S. economy nearly $85 billion in consumer spending and 880,000 jobs, according to a December survey by the U.S. Travel Association and Consensus Research. Respondents said they would take two to three more trips a year if the hassle of flying could be reduced.

Continue reading for more recommendations ...

Other key recommendations of the report included:

• Improve the education and communication of security regulations for travelers.
• Standardize quantity and size rules of items that can be carried onto an airplane.
• Create a voluntary, government-run "trusted traveler" program to focus resources on the highest risk travelers and expand trusted traveler programs to qualified international passengers.
• Reduce duplicative Transportation Security Administration screening for low-risk, international arrivals between U.S. airports.
• Remove any conflicting authority at checkpoint areas by giving the TSA full rein.
• Implement risk management processes for aviation security.

The report calls on Congress to pass policy to improve the current air travel security system. Sam Gilliland, CEO of Southlake-based Sabre Holdings was a co-chairman of the U.S. Travel Association's panel of government, airline, airport, logistics and security leaders who worked on the report.