The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched "Gateside by TSA PreCheck", a new scheme allowing eligible members to pass through airport security and reach gates, shops and restaurants without holding a plane ticket. The change marks a significant loosening of access rules that have been tightly restricted since the September 11 2001 attacks, and comes just days before the 25th anniversary of that event, allowing friends and family to once again accompany travellers to the gate or greet them on arrival.

The free programme requires TSA PreCheck members to apply online between one and three days in advance and receive approval, after which they can use their PreCheck credentials and ID to enter via a PreCheck lane rather than a boarding pass. Access lasts for one day, with the possibility of re-entering the secure area during that time, though airports can cap visitor numbers at busy periods. It will initially roll out at 13 airports, including Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas' Harry Reid and Salt Lake City, with TSA linking the shift to improvements in screening technology; reaction on social media has been mixed, with some travellers welcoming the nostalgia and others voicing concern about overcrowding at gates.