U.S.
DIY self-screening unveiled at Vegas airport as spring travel ramps up
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New technology is now on full display at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. The Transportation Security Administration unveiled new passenger self-screening lanes Wednesday, March 6, as plans to test it in other undisclosed cities are being made, according to The Associated Press.
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The TSA said the new self-screening lanes are designed to cut down wait times for passengers. The new lanes feature a glass “body scanning booth” that has a screen inside with instructions on how passengers can pass themselves and their luggage through the screening process. The new system means no pat-downs are required, and minimal help is needed from TSA officers. TSA officials said that the self-screening lanes also help them reallocate officers to busier aspects of the checkpoint.
“We’re also looking at how we can reallocate officers to busier aspects of the checkpoint,” said Christina Peach, who works for the TSA. “We’re hoping that the system is going to inform a lot of those decisions.”
On its website, the TSA said that passengers should expect wait times of up to 30 minutes or less for standard lines. For PreCheck lanes, the website said that passengers should expect 10 minutes or less.
Currently, the new self-screening lanes are only for PreCheck customers in Las Vegas, and the technology is available only in English.
According to Airport Council International, Harry Reid International Airport was rated as the 10th busiest airport in the world in 2023. The data also shows that 39.75 million people traveled through the airport last year. So, Harry Reid International Airport officials are prepared for any potential problems the new self-screening lanes may encounter.
“There’s a checkpoint directly above us with 13 lanes where passengers are able to be processed, so we’re not really interrupting the local operations,” Peach said.
The new pre-flight screening process also comes as the TSA is predicting spring break travel to be up 6% from last year. According to the agency the busiest travel period will be between March 7 and March 25.
[KARAH RUCKER]
YOU’VE HEARD OF SELF CHECKOUT AT GROCERY STORES.
HOW ABOUT SELF-SCREENING AT AIRPORTS?
IT’S A NEW THING AT HARRY REID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN LAS VEGAS, AS SPRING BREAK TRAVEL KICKS OFF.
THE NEW SELF-SCREENING LANES ARE DESIGNED TO CUT DOWN WAIT TIMES.
AN INSTRUCTIONAL SCREEN IN A GLASS “BODY SCANNING BOOTH” SHOWS PASSENGERS HOW TO PASS THEMSELVES AND THEIR LUGGAGE THROUGH, NO TSA OFFICERS NEEDED.
THAT MEANS NO PAT DOWNS, AND YOU CAN KEEP YOUR SHOES ON.
TSA OFFICIALS SAY THE NEW SYSTEM WILL ALSO FREE UP RESOURCES.
[CHRISTINA PEACH]
WE’RE ALSO LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE REALLOCATE OFFICERS TO THE BUSIER ASPECTS OF THE CHECKPOINT. WE’RE HOPING THAT THE SYSTEM IS GOING TO INFORM A LOT OF THOSE DECISIONS.
THE TSA SAYS PASSENGERS SHOULD EXPECT WAIT TIMES OF 30 MINUTES OR LESS FOR STANDARD LANES. FOR PRECHECK LANES, IT’S 10 MINUTES OR LESS.
RIGHT NOW, THE NEW LANES ARE ONLY FOR PRECHECK CUSTOMERS IN VEGAS.
THE NEW PREFLIGHT-SCREENING PROCESS COMES AS THE TSA IS PREDICTING SPRING BREAK TRAVEL TO BE UP SIX PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR.
WITH A PEAK EXPECTED BETWEEN MARCH 7TH AND MARCH 25TH.
IN 2023, AIRPORT COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL RANKED HARRY REID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS THE 10TH BUSIEST IN THE WORLD.
NEARLY 40 MILLION PASSENGERS PASSED THROUGH.
SO, THEY HAVE SOME CONTINGENCIES IF SELF-SCREENING DOESN’T GO AS PLANNED.
[CHRISTINA PEACH]
THERE’S A CHECKPOINT DIRECTLY ABOVE US WITH 13 LANES WHERE PASSENGERS ARE ABLE TO BE PROCESSED, SO WE’RE NOT INTERRUPTING THE LOCAL OPERATIONS.
[KARAH RUCKER]
RIGHT NOW, THE NEW LANES ARE ONLY IN VEGAS.
BUT THE TSA SAYS THERE ARE PLANS TO EXPAND TESTING.
THOUGH, SPECIFIC LOCATIONS HAVE NOT BEEN NAMED.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this data
Left 31%
Center 54%
Right 14%
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37 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
37
Leaning Left
11
Center
19
Leaning Right
5
Last Updated
9 months ago
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