How a remote airport terminal could help move along TSA security screenings
Massachusetts Port Authority says it is testing a straight-to-gate pilot program at Logan International Airport this summer, in hopes of expediting passenger entry with a new offsite remote terminal.
The move follows historically high airport security wait times this spring resulting from a partial government shutdown that led to widespread TSA agent callouts and staffing shortages.
Starting June 1, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways passengers traveling on flights between 5:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. will be eligible to pass through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at the Logan Airport Remote Terminal in Framingham, 25 miles from the airport, and get bussed directly to their gates, according to Massachusetts Port Authority, or Massport.
The new system, a collaboration between Massport and TSA, is designed to ease traffic and lines at airport security.
Travelers hoping to use the new remote terminal can reserve a spot online for just $9 as early as 90 days and up until 90 minutes before departure, with kids able to ride the connecting bus free with a ticketed family member.
Due to limited seating, officials recommend booking a spot sooner than later.
At the remote terminal, passengers will go through the same screening process they would at Logan Airport, complete with airport security equipment and TSA officers.
Both the terminal and dedicated secure busses to Boston Logan are operated by a third-party contractor, The Landline Company, and will bypass airport checkpoints to get customers directly to their flights.
Delta has previously offered similar operations -- specifically private security screenings -- for Delta One business class customers at a limited number of airports including New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, according to its website.
Boston will be the first straight-to-gate service in the country that is open to all fare classes on both domestic and international flights for those traveling with Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways during designated times.
"The Remote Terminal pilot program is part of Massport's broader vision to reimagine the travel experience and make the passenger journey more seamless, connected, and efficient," Massport CEO Rich Davey said in a press release. "Passengers in and around Metro West now have a new, low-stress way to reach Boston Logan."
Davey added that Massport's aim is to make this kind of stress-free process a reality for everyone.
According to Massport, there are plans to extend the service to other airlines in the future.
To use the Logan Airport Remote Terminal at Framingham, travelers can visit a dedicated page on the Massport website, purchase straight-to-gate bus tickets and fill in their flight details accordingly.
The system will recommend a bus for travelers that is scheduled to arrive at the airport at least 45 minutes before their flight departs.
Logan Express Framingham bus tickets are also available on the same site to book a return trip, which picks up passengers curbside at all Boston Logan terminals.
