Mesa Gateway Airport was selected as one of only a few airports in the U.S. to allow non-ticketed individuals past security.
Gateway is one of the first 13 airports to offer Gateside by TSA Precheck, which allows non-travelers to pass through security to access restaurants, shops or to visit with friends and family.
Individuals are held to the same screening requirements and conduct as ticketed passengers.
Ryan Smith is the communications director for Gateway airport
“If you had a friend that's passing through town that you could go and you can meet them," Smith said. “If they're arriving, you can surprise them at the gate, you can go and have a lunch or have a meal right before they depart. If you've got a family member that may need a little extra time and maybe a little extra assistance.”
Smith said people can reserve Gateside passes one to three days before the flight, and availability is limited during peak times.
“We also have enough critical mass there where they can test programs and try out new things and make sure that they're working before they roll them out to very large hubs and then also really small airports,” Smith said. “They really just want to go through all these passes and all of these steps, and really make sure that a program is going to work before rolling it out nationwide.”
Smith said Gateway was chosen because of its size.
“We rarely have any waits at our checkpoints, and so you know we're able to provide this service without really affecting everyday passengers.”
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