The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and United Airlines have jointly launched new automated security screening lanes at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) Terminal C in the US.
The new automated screening lanes incorporate technology that enhances security effectiveness while decreasing the time passengers spend in security screening by up to 30%.
The new lanes enable up to five customers to fill their individual bins simultaneously and move through the screening process quicker, even if TSA agents need to perform additional screening on a customer further up the queue. The lanes also use a parallel conveyor system that automatically returns empty bins to the front of the queue.
In addition to the new automated screening lanes at Newark, United and TSA opened automated screening lanes in Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport earlier this month.
The new automated screening lanes offer several features designed to improve screening by automating many of the functions previously conducted manually.
These include:
- Stainless steel countertops to enable several passengers to place their items in bins simultaneously
- Automated conveyor belts that draw bins into the X-ray machine
- Carry-on bags that trigger an alarm warning of a potential threat
- Property bins that are 25 percent larger than the bins in standard screening lanes
- Unique Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags attached to each bin to allow for additional accountability of a passenger’s items as they transit throughout the security process
- Cameras that capture photographic images of the contents of each bin
N.B. Image credit: Newark Airport
