The weighty effects of that day 12 years ago still linger in society today. We shudder at the thought of a day like 9/11 happening again, and with good reason. Apart from making history in one of the most destructive ways possible, 9/11 hit America with the hard truth of its negligence and forced us to adopt countless measures to prevent a similar tragedy with the tightening of airport security.

For an airplane passenger, security is something to dread and despise. Because of the Transport Security Administration, passengers are required to several hours before their flight — 3 hours for international flights and 2 for domestic flights. After a long wait in the check-in and security lines, passengers board a flight that can take hours to reach its destination, a number that swells for international passengers who face customs and immigrations.

It is true, however, that the security aspect of this system is in desperate need for improvement. It simply is not efficient to remove one’s belt, jackets, shoes, electronics and liquids for a few moments only to have to redress and repack on the other side.

But the TSA, to its credit, has recognized these issues and begun to address them. With the new TSA Pre-check, frequent business travelers receive key benefits that minimize waiting time. TSA Pre-check approved passengers pass through a dedicated screening that does not require them to take off their jacket, shoes or belt and allows passengers to keep their carry-ons intact. This allows not only for a much smoother but more efficient security process.

Something that TSA has yet to implement is a more objective system for immigrations and customs. It is not efficient to wait hours for a small nod by an airport official. Although TSA Pre-check approved passengers have a dedicated lane, they still endure the same procedure as normal lanes. In the odd chance that traffic in that dedicated lane is higher than usual, these approved passengers still have to wait.

Without implementing a new system, TSA is passing up a perfect opportunity to advance the level of security in America.