In the not-too-distant future, the way you’re screened by TSA for your next flight could look VERY different!
Flying in and out of airports and keeping up with flight changes and delays while traveling is hard enough to deal with but sometimes frustrations can be added by delays caused by security screenings at TSA. There are a few programs offered to help balance this through CLEAR and TSA PreCheck, however, new testing will be underway soon that could change how (and how quickly) you get through TSA’s screening process.
Starting in January 2024, select travelers at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas will launch testing the airport’s new self-service screening system from TSA, according to the Washington Post. The setup of this self-screening area will resemble a supermarket self-checkout, allowing passengers to scan their identification and belongings.
Jeffrey C. Price, a professor of aviation and aerospace at Metropolitan State University of Denver says the ultimate goal of the new setup is to streamline the check-in process. “You go in and you show your ID. It scans you, it scans your bags, you leave your little kiosk and off you go to the plane.”
Travelers with PreCheck piloting this program will now be able to pick up some of the responsibilities that are normally reserved for TSA officers at security screenings like checking your bags for prohibited items and scanning your IDs.
John Fortune, a program manager for the Screening at Speed program in the DHS Science and Technology Directorate, hopes that self-screening will allow travelers to visit the checkpoints at their own pace. He also hopes the new system will reduce the frequency of pat-downs and manual bag checks, allowing time for TSA officers to attend to other security needs.
The new self-service screening will combine several technologies –the bag inspection portion will feature an automated screening lane system, utilize computed tomography (CT) machines, and the machine’s 3D imaging will display a vivid view of a bag’s interior allowing passengers to leave their electronics and liquids inside their bags during the screening process. As for the body scan, you will be allowed to pass through an e-gate where the panel detector system will allow you to keep your arms by your side instead of raising them as is the current system for this check.
If all goes well with this testing, TSA plans to install roughly 2,500 checkpoint lanes and CT scanners by about 2040. However, critics of the advancement to streamline the process have pointed out valid arguments. Some have argued that seasoned travelers will easily adopt the new technologies and process changes, however, those who might not be as familiar may struggle to catch on. Those experiencing confusion could slow the flow by requiring officers to step in to explain the process. They’ve also argued that in-person instruction appears to be more effective than short instructional videos.
Price also stated, “There’s going to be a massive learning curve with this, except it’s not just going to be a learning curve with the screener personnel,” adding, “It’s going to be a learning curve with all the passengers.”
Another foreseeable stumbling could lie in just how expensive this technology is. In April 2023, TSA announced plans to procure three orders for CT scanners totaling $1.3 billion. In 2021, it designated $198 million for the equipment but the following year, it bolstered to a whopping $781 million.
TSA plans to initially roll out self-service scanning in a few lanes at the Vegas airport, and its debut is expected to coincide with the Consumer Technology Association’s CES convention also held in Vegas. This upcoming year’s event is scheduled to take place between January 7th- 12, 2024.
Make sure you stay tuned with us at AllEars.net for the latest in updated changes and news for your travel plans.
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Would you take advantage of an opportunity to screen yourself? Give us your reasons why or why not in the comments below.
Yes, due to the fact it’s a much stress-free progress, and I’m not patted down every other time I go to the aiprot.