ALEXANDRIA, Va. – November 4 -- The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and the airport-driven Registered Traveler Interoperability Consortium (RTIC) applaud TSA’s announcement at yesterday’s hearing before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection and Cybersecurity of a date-certain plan to move the Registered Traveler program forward to wide scale implementation at airports throughout the country.  The RTIC is a group of nearly 60 airports that are working to define and establish the mutual and common business practices and technical standards that will complement federal standards and help push forward a national Registered Traveler program.

“Airports are very encouraged by the leadership that DHS Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley has demonstrated for this program and believe that deadlines for tasks to accomplish, and RT startup, are just what is needed,” AAAE President Chip Barclay said.

The RTIC is committed to working closely with TSA to meet the agency’s self imposed January 20, 2006 deadline through the agency’s pledge to: use a public-private partnership model, build off of existing security networks through utilization of the Transportation Security Clearinghouse, establish a sustainable, biometrically enabled and interoperable system, and establish a program where travelers will receive screening benefits through in-depth background checks.

Over 60 airports and 20 leading technology providers are working through the RTIC to establish common business rules and technical standards to create a permanent, interoperable and vendor-neutral Registered Traveler Program which will bring increased passenger screening consistency, efficiency and improved security procedures to air travelers in the United States.

The RTIC represents a significant attempt by a large group in the airport community to partner with TSA in making the promise of RT a reality as quickly as possible.    “Undoubtedly, the best path forward is one in which federal resources and standards are combined with the knowledge, expertise and creativity of airports, airlines, and aviation-oriented businesses,” Barclay said.  “Both AAAE and RTIC look forward to working with TSA on this goal,” he continued.

More information on the RTIC is available online at http://www.rtconsortium.com/.             

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