SITA has announced the formation of a Secure Journeys Working Group whose intention is to address today’s airport security threats in the USA and to work towards creating a secure and efficient passenger experience throughout the airport.
The launch of Secure Journeys is in response to the current security climate and recent attacks on non-secure areas of the airport, including the Brussels airport bombing and Fort Lauderdale airport shooting. Members of the working group cite these incidents as examples that demonstrate the need to rethink the approach to getting passengers through the airport quickly and safely.
Secure Journeys is an evolution and expansion of SITA’s Border Automation User Group which was formed in 2015 to facilitate implementation of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Automated Passport Control program.
The newly extended group will address growing challenges, including:
- Moving passengers and baggage more rapidly through non-secure areas of the airport, such as check-in and baggage claim areas
- Reducing and effectively managing security wait times to reduce lines of people in non-secure areas
- Incorporating biometrics for passenger screening authentication
- Addressing ways in which identity management solutions can be used along with data analytics to reduce the growing concerns around the insider threat
SITA says the value of Secure Journeys is its ability to bring together experts and representatives from across the air transport spectrum to provide input and recommendations based on their unique perspective and experience.