Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport unveils terminal guest pass program for non-flyers
By Andrea Nakano
For the first time since 9/11, people who are not flying will be able to go past security at Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport and into the terminals.
A new guest program unveiled at OAK this week allows people to take their loved ones to the gate or browse new stores inside the terminals.
Dennette Dwyer wishes she knew about the OAK Guest Pass program so she could help her daughter at the gate. Dwyer remembers the countless send-offs of family members as they got ready to board the plane.
“Being a flight attendant years ago and having that opportunity to see people go to the gate and meet the people,” she said. “Then, after 9/11, of course, it stopped. So, I think it’d be great.”
While this will help families reunite as soon as they get off the plane, one of the other goals is to help more than a dozen new vendors that are now at the airport.
“A lot of our vendors and retail are local small businesses, who work with our concessionaires to bring their goods into the airport,” airport spokesperson Kaley Stanton said. “They would directly benefit from this. From having a little more foot traffic and having views on their merchandise.”
According to Stantz, it’s a fairly simple process to get a guest pass.
“All visitors need to do is go online, submit an application, and they get a confirmation that will allow them to get through the TSA checkpoint,” she said.
People will then have to go through all the security measures just like passengers. While many are excited about the new program, some are concerned about the information they have to provide to get a pass.
“It does worry, I think it’s a little too much,” passenger Hilda Gastelum said. “They even take a picture every time you travel. I think that’s too much.”
OAK says the information collected will be subject to the terms and conditions of the TSA Privacy Act, which can be found online. Dwyer, though, says she wouldn’t hesitate to sign up for a guest pass next time she’s at the airport.
“They have all of our information anyway,” Dwyer said. “I mean, really. I have a passport. There’s not much more they can know about me.”
