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Re: TSA Pre-Check with Companion never 100%

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Additionally, I totally understand how frustrating it can be to figure this stuff out since you're basically shooting information into a black box and hoping a PreCheck ticket spits out.  If you don't mind having some money locked up in travel funds keep in mind that you can make changes and test this to see if it works before you actually need it to work.  Make adjustments to your profiles or how you book companion tickets, then have the companion pass holder make a reservation for a flight tomorrow and add you as a companion.  Then check in as you normally would and see if the changes you made resulted in your getting PreCheck.  Then cancel the reservations you just made and repeat if necessary until you do get PreCheck.  Just make sure you always cancel your reservations more than 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure or book with points which are refunded if you accidently no-show.

 

Good luck!

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: TSA Pre-Check with Companion never 100%

cherv
Explorer C

This is maddening and I am about to stop flying Southwest.  Every time my wife or I fly as a companion, the companion does not get the TSA precheck designation that we interviewed and paid for.  When we raise the issue with Southwest we are told that it's out of their control and to check with TSA. But this ONLY happens when traveling as a companion so it must be a Southwest issue. We surmise that Southwest is hassling those who have earned companion status in an effort to discourage its use.

Re: TSA Pre-Check with Companion never 100%

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

Make sure the KTN gets input when you book the companion, it may not pull over automatically from the companion's profile.

 

I know its a pain, but if you use the same computer to book each time it will be in the auto-fill for future times.

 

Otherwise when checking in the companion can call and have the KTN added if it doesn't show up and then reprint, or swing by the ticket counter to have the agent reprint at the airport although this adds ten to fifteen minutes earlier arrival.

 

Edit: let me add that I'm pretty sure they are not intentionally discouraging your use of companion pass...they want you to be hooked for life. I think it's an implementation gap that they would fix if...well, it's complicated.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: TSA Pre-Check with Companion never 100%

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Just a data point, the system can work as described with the KTN of the companion auto populating into the "Who's Flying?" section of the companion booking. Numerous reservations made and I've never had a problem with it, PreCheck everytime. I don't recall if the KTN was typed in with the companion's RR number when initially adding the companion or if it's pulled from the companion's RR profile based on solely on the RR#. And no, it's not a function of web browser auto fill for me.

 

The question I would ask Southwest is, "Is the companion's KTN provided as part of the initial naming of a companion?" Someone could also  test this by changing their companion. If it's not provided then, then you know it's relying on the companion's RR account to get the KTN. Is KTN entered correctly there? Does the designated companion's name match exactly, including middle name, the name of the companion in their RR account?

 

There are lots of places this system can fail and I understand it's incredibly frustrating, I just wanted to reassure you that it can work. 

Re: TSA Pre-Check with Companion never 100%

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@TheMiddleSeatwrote:

Someone could also  test this by changing their companion. If it's not provided then, then you know it's relying on the companion's RR account to get the KTN. Is KTN entered correctly there? Does the designated companion's name match exactly, including middle name, the name of the companion in their RR account?


I'm not touching mine while it is working fine! I didn't find any place to enter it with the companion checking earlier today in my own profile. I thought it was auto-filling, but if you are sure that it pulls from the profile then I would start there.

 

I have a couple of companion passes to add right now actually, I'll go try it and report back.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: TSA Pre-Check with Companion never 100%

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

It had been a few months for me - my apologies, it did pull automatically from somewhere, I didn't  have to use autofill.

 

So OP, definitely make sure the companion has everything lined up name-wise where you added the companion and in their own profile which must match PreCheck's records.

 

Otherwise be sure to type it in the next time if it doesn't auto-populate and maybe that's where it gets remembered from.

 

I didn't see any place to edit that information in my own profile, although maybe there was a place to enter it when orignially naming the companion.

 

Good luck...let us know how what the solution is.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: TSA Pre-Check with Companion never 100%

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

One other note, the companion's KTN does NOT auto populate in the reservation when you use the Southwest app to make the companion reservation. At least not on an iPhone. Website yes, app no.