LAX debuts new automated screening lanes
Just in time for the manic holiday travel period, Los Angeles Airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal has rolled out the first five automated screening lanes.
The new Transportation Security Administration screening lanes are the first step in an ongoing $12.3m project to upgrade a total of 14 lanes.
It enables up to five passengers to place items in trays at once without waiting on the first person to complete the process.
Passengers then proceed to line up at the body scanner or metal detector.
"Our goal is to seek out innovative solutions and processes that will increase security effectiveness while improving the passenger experience. Because automated security lanes automate some of the processes previously carried out by TSA officers, passengers can move more swiftly through the checkpoint without compromising security," said Keith Jeffries, the TSA’s federal security director at LAX.
Trays are 25% larger than those in standard screening lanes and each has unique radio frequency identification (RFID) tags installed.
A camera then takes a photo of all items in each bin, which is cross referenced to the x-ray image of a bag’s contents.
"Los Angeles World Airports is pleased to bring this enhancement to our passengers, as we continue to make LAX a gold-standard airport. We are also happy that so many of our airline partners are on board with the decision to upgrade these lanes, and we thank the TSA for its partnership in making this upgrade possible," said Aura Moore, chief information officer at airport operator LAWA.
When the installation program is completed next spring up to 3,220 passengers can be screened per hour at the checkpoint, an increase of nearly 1,000 more than current capacity.
LAX predicts about 2.38 million passengers will pass through the airport for the duration of the Thanksgiving holiday period.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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