TSA Assessing Program to Offer Airside-to-Airside Connectivity Via Motorcoach

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it has issued a short-term security program amendment to assess the security effectiveness of a program transporting by bus screened passengers, their carry-on items, and their checked baggage from the secured area of Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) and Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) into the secured area of Philadelphia International Airport.

The program enables travelers from Atlantic City and Lehigh Valley International airports to be screened by TSA at these airports and transported by bus directly to a gate inside Philadelphia International Airport’s (PHL) secure area to catch a flight to their destination without being rescreened at Philadelphia.

The program allows American Airlines customers traveling on Landline-operated motorcoaches from the Allentown/Bethlehem and Atlantic City areas to fly out of Philadelphia.

The program has been operating in a curb-to-curb manner since June 2022 and now offers airside-to-airside motorcoach operations.

How the TSA's Program Works

Customers are able to arrive at ABE or ACY, check in with American, clear security at their local airport like any other flight, and then board their coach on the secure side of the terminal.

Customers will arrive at a terminal gate at Philadelphia International Airport and proceed straight to their connecting flight without having to go back through security screening.

“This program streamlines the passenger experience and enables travelers to seamlessly travel out of a large international airport conveniently by going through our security screening process from a smaller international airport,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s federal security director for Philadelphia. “We have put in numerous security requirements for the bus operators and all airline personnel to ensure robust security protocols are followed at all times.”

Travelers arriving in PHL will continue to board their Landline coach airside and arrive directly at their local airport. Checked baggage will be directly transferred between Landline’s vehicles and American’s network.