New program allows approved visitors past security at Mesa Gateway Airport

People enrolled in TSA PreCheck can now apply to accompany travelers to their gates or meet arriving passengers beyond security at Mesa Gateway Airport — even without an airline ticket. The new Gateside by TSA PreCheck program could be especially helpful for children, older adults and others who may need assistance getting to or from their gates, according to airport spokesman Ryan Smith. "If you have an elderly parent or a younger kid that you want to travel with or to pass through and accompany all the way to the gate, you'll have that ability," Smith told KTAR News 92.3 FM Wednesday. "If you want to be there and waiting for a family member that may need a little extra assistance or you just want to spend a little extra time with that person before they fly out, you have that ability." Get the full story by KTAR News reporter Serena O'Sullivan on KTAR.com.