The Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA) and the Air Transport Association of America (ATA) began operating the first test site for the Known Crewmember program at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Known Crewmember, a new enhanced security-screening program for airline crew members, positively verifies a pilot's identity and employment status, strengthening aviation security and shortening screening lines for passengers.

The Known Crewmember program enables Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to positively verify the identity and employment status of airline flight crew members. As a result, airline pilots, who already undergo thorough criminal background and employment checks as a condition of their employment, will be subject to a more efficient security-screening process.

The trial phase for the first three Known Crewmember access points began at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Four more access points are slated to open at Miami International Airport later this month, with additional sites scheduled to begin operating later this year at airports including Boston Logan International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.