DALLAS - Officials with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) today announced that four automated screening lanes are in use in Terminal A at checkpoint A-21 and Terminal D at checkpoint D-22. DFW airport is one of ten airports currently using this state-of-the-art technology, which enhances security efficiency while decreasing the amount of time it takes to screen passengers through the checkpoint.
"TSA is constantly looking for ways to enhance security by working with our partners in the aviation community to deploy new technologies and processes," said Steve Karoly, TSA acting assistant administrator for the Office of Requirements and Capabilities Analysis. “We are grateful to our partners here at DFW airport, who have committed to funding 10 total automated screening lanes by the end of the year. These state-of-the-art automated screening lanes make the screening process more effective and efficient while improving the overall passenger experience."
“As we see customer demand increasing, it’s critical that we apply new technologies and innovative solutions to improve our security process," said Ken Buchanan, executive vice president of Revenue Management at DFW airport. “We will continue to install additional automated security lanes that enhance the customer experience and make it faster and more convenient to move through the security checkpoint."
The automated screening lanes offer several new features, including:
* Stainless steel countertops designed specifically to enable several passengers to place their items in bins simultaneously;
* Automated conveyor belts that move bins into the X-ray machine tunnel and return the bins to the front of the security checkpoint;
* Automatic diversion of any carry-on bag that may contain a prohibited item; this diversion to a separate location allows other bins containing other travelers’ belongings to continue through the screening process uninterrupted;
* Bins that are 25 percent larger than a typical bin and are able to hold a roll-board bag;
* Unique Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags that are attached to each bin, allowing for additional accountability of a traveler’s carry-on property as they move throughout the security screening process;
* Cameras that capture photographic images of the contents of each bin and are linked side-by-side to the X-ray image of a carry-on bag’s contents.
TSA continues to collaborate with vendors, airlines, airports and the counter-terrorism community to expand the number of automated screening lanes in use at airports across the country. In addition to DFW, other airports that have automated screening lanes are Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, John F Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Miami International Airport, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration
