By Leslie Miller
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The government expects to learn this summer whether frequent fliers will embrace the chance to avoid extra security inspections at airports by submitting to background checks in advance.

A trial program begins this month in Minneapolis, followed by further testing at airports in Boston, Los Angeles, Houston and Washington, Transportation Security Administration officials said Wednesday.

Some aviation industry officials predict an enthusiastic reaction from business travelers.

"More and more travelers will look to this voluntary program as a hassle-free way to get through government airport security lines," said Doug Wills, spokesman for the Air Transport Association, an airline industry group.

Others say frequent fliers are unlikely to sacrifice their personal privacy and note that the wait to pass through checkpoints at most airports is not too long.

The chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, Kevin Mitchell, said his members are more aware of privacy issues since airlines disclosed they have shared passenger data with the government. And under this program, law enforcement and intelligence agencies can use, without the knowledge of registered travelers, the information they provided.

"The only benefit to the traveler appears to be a shorter line," Mitchell said.

The TSA said the experiments will not sacrifice security for speed, said David Stone, the agency's acting chief. Frequent fliers who travel at least once a week in selected markets can participate at no charge.

They must give the government their name, address, phone number, birth date and "biometric identifier," including fingerprint and iris scan. That information will be matched against law enforcement and intelligence databases such as the terrorist watch list. Officials also will check passengers for outstanding criminal warrants.

Participants can pass through a special lane at airport checkpoints, although they cannot bypass the metal detector and screens for carry-on bags.

Registered travelers would avoid the more intensive secondary screening if they have not set off any security devices.