Framingham 'remote terminal' allows Logan passengers to check in 20 miles away

Some passengers traveling through Logan Airport can now check in for flights and go through security at a remote terminal in Framingham.

Massport officials say the pilot program is the first of its kind in the country, allowing travelers to complete federal safety screenings at a location that's outside the main airport.

More than 100 passengers used the service on opening day Monday morning, according to a Massport spokesman, and 1,500 tickets have been booked so far. The program is for Delta and JetBlue customers only.

The modular building that houses the terminal looks like a cross between a traditional bus terminal and an airport check-in counter.

“ Once you check in your bags, you'll be able to also get your boarding passes and then proceed to our TSA screening lane,” said Peter Howe, Massport's deputy director of roadway management, during a recent tour of the facility. The remote terminal also will offer TSA PreCheck accommodations.

From Framingham, travelers will take a secure bus that will ferry them the 20 or so miles to Logan and drop them off at terminals A and C, bypassing security checkpoints at the airport. The shuttle costs $9; Children under 18 ride for free with a ticketed family member.

”You're going to be inside the terminal," Howe said. "So you're going to be within the gates, be able to go to the bathroom, grab a drink, and go sit right down at your gate. It’s going to be more seamless and convenient."

Howe said the goal of the program is to help reduce roadway congestion to and from the airport, as well as on Logan roadways.

The buses have capacity for 55 passengers and leave hourly from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m. They are operated by The Landline Company, a motorcoach operator that provides secure travel for passengers from smaller, regional airports to larger hubs.

“This is what we do,” said David Sunde, Landline’s chief executive.  "We've done secure to secure, tarmac-to-tarmac transfers for years, tens, hundreds of thousands of times. So I think that part we're really comfortable with.

“The biggest difference is just the building itself,” he said of the remote terminal, “I know Massport's put a lot of time and energy into making sure the building security footprint is strong.”

Massport staff said TSA will be on site conducting the screenings, and state police also will have a presence at the remote terminal.

The $2.5 million program is being funded by using ground access fees, like rideshare fees, collected by Massport. The pilot program is set to run through Aug. 31, with the possibility to extend if it's successful.

JetBlue’s vice president of airport experience, Daniel Blake, said the airline sees the program as a way to “innovate the customer experience,” by offering a “frictionless" point to get customers to the airport.

“We’re hopeful that this is something that will be successful," he said.

In a statement, a TSA spokesperson said the initiative "enhances convenience and security for travelers while supporting TSA’s efforts to modernize airport screening.”

"The program includes strict security requirements for bus operators and airline personnel, ensuring robust protocols currently in place at the nation’s airports now," the statement said.

Tickets for the remote terminal can be purchased using Massport’s Logan Express website.