WASHINGTON — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said last week that it expects 55-60 automated screening lanes will be installed at some of nation’s largest airports by the end of the year to help expedite the security process to get passengers over to the most secure part of the airport quicker.
These lanes have been tested in Atlanta starting in June for Delta Air Lines passengers and American Airlines will install the equipment in Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Miami in the fall, according to USA TODAY.
The lanes allow up to five travelers to place their carry-on bags on a conveyor belt at once, which creates a more steady flow of passengers through security checkpoints.
“If you’re to the right or left of the person who is taking time, you can cycle in when you’re ready,” says TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger, who declined to say which airports the lanes will be featured at since they haven’t been announced yet.
The attacks on airports in Istanbul and Brussels have occurred in the non-secure areas where travelers have yet to go through security. By improving the flow of passengers through metal detectors and other security checkpoints, there will be fewer people at risk of such attacks.
“If you can really attend to the passenger volumes at the larger airports, you don’t have problems that cascade across the system,” Neffenger says.
