The Transportation Security Administration’s Secure Flight screening program checks your travel history online every time you fly within, to, or from the United States. Most people can understand how this system works, but sometimes it wrongly labels some people as high-risk. If you have been stopped for extra security while traveling or have been turned away for security reasons, you might want to get a complaint number so that this doesn’t happen again.
Persons who were wrongly thought to be threats to aviation security or public safety are given settlement numbers. Its goal is to make TSA checkpoints easier for these visitors. Read on to learn how to redress numbers for travel work and whether or not asking for one is a good idea for you.
What is the airline redress number?
A refund number is a unique number that lets TSA connect you with the outcome of your redress case. The TSA’s Secure Flight program uses a settlement number to make matching people to watchlists easier. This can stop people who have been wrongly matched to a watchlist in the past from being falsely matched again.
A known traveler number, which lets services like TSA PreCheck and Global Entry know that you are a member, is not the same as a redress number. A redress number won’t be given to most visitors. One will only be given to people who have filed for the Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP) from the Department of Homeland Security.
Do I require a redress number?
DHS TRIP may help you with your travel problems if you’ve been turned away or stalled for extra security checks, or if you’ve had trouble getting through checkpoints at U.S. borders.
You should get a redress number from the TSA if you’ve had problems like not being able to print a boarding pass, being denied or delayed boarding a plane, being denied or delayed entry into or exit from the U.S. at a border checkpoint, or being sent to an airport more than once for extra screening.
DHS says TRIP can help solve the following problems:
- You couldn’t print a boarding pass from the Internet or a ticket booth.
- You were either late or not allowed to get on the plane.
- The person selling you the plane tickets told you that the federal government did not permit you to travel.
- You were turned away from a U.S. Customs and Border Protection station or were sent back for more checks more than once.
- At a U.S. port of entry, CBP told you that your fingerprints need to be fixed.
- You need to change a traveler’s record. They overstayed because they forgot to file their I-94 when they left the U.S.
- You think that you were wrongly denied ESTA permission.
- You might want to apply for DHS TRIP if you often have problems like these when you travel.
Please keep in mind that TRIP is designed to fix security problems like watchlist mismatches. In addition, it’s not meant to help with customer service complaints, discrimination issues, finding lost or damaged things, or getting through security.
How can I receive a redress number?
Using the Traveler Redress Inquiry Program site, you can ask for a redress number if you think you are being wrongly stopped or screened when you fly. You will be asked a series of screening questions as part of the application process to see if getting a refund number can help you with your travel problems.
You’ll need to show proof of your name to apply. People who are citizens of the United States should show a copy of the biographical page of a valid U.S. passport or, if they don’t have one, a copy of a valid picture ID from the government.
People who are not citizens of the United States must show a copy of the biography page of a valid passport or one of several forms of government-issued identification from the United States. Some acceptable forms of identification are:
- Government identification card
- Certificate of citizenship
- Naturalization certificate
- Immigrant/non-immigrant visa
- Alien registration
- Petition or claim receipt
- I-94 admission form
- FAST card
- SENTRI card
- NEXUS card
- Border crossing card
- SEVIS card
- Passport
- Passport card
- Driver’s license
- Birth certificate (for people younger than 18.)
- Military identification card
What is a refund number used for?
If you want to escape security problems when you fly or cross U.S. borders, make sure that your redress number is linked to your airline reservations. Your redress number can be added to your frequent flyer profile, added to a ticket reservation when you book the trip, or you can ask a worker at the airport to add it to your reservation when you check-in.
Enter your redress number during the booking
Most online travel companies, airline websites, and travel agents will ask you for your redress number when you make your reservation.
For example, after giving your name, gender, and date of birth when you book a flight on Expedia, you can enter your reference number. Find the button that lets you make the “Frequent flyer, redress, and more” part of this page bigger. When you book through other online travel agencies and airline websites, you can usually find a similar choice.
Enter your redress number in your frequent flyer profile
If you are a member of a frequent flyer club, you can add your redress number to your profile as a loyalty member. For many travelers, this is the easiest way to make sure that your redress number is added to all of their reservations immediately. The steps will be different for each flight, but you can usually do this online in the same way you would add a known traveler number.
For instance, if you are a Delta SkyMiles user, you can add your account number to the “Secure Flight Info” part of your profile. In Delta.com, your Secure Flight Information is in the Passenger Details part of your profile. Also, Southwest Airlines members can put their complaint number in the “Personal Information” section of their profile under “Travel-Related Information.”
Give your redress number to an airport agent
It’s possible that you won’t be able to add your ticket number until you check-in. If you book a trip as part of a group tour and the tour company doesn’t give you your airline confirmation number, or if you booked through an online travel agency and forgot to add your redress number to your reservation, you might not have it when you get to the airport. At check-in, most airport ticket workers should be able to add your refund number to your reservation.