TSA, American Airlines jointly testing new innovative airport security technology

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and American Airlines (AA) will install new screening technology at select American Airlines hubs nationwide this fall.

The new technology includes automated security screening lanes and computed tomography (CT) scanners. The automated lanes incorporate technology and screening station modifications that enhance security effectiveness while decreasing the time travelers spend in security screening by approximately 30 percent.

The TSA expects to install the lanes in Chicago (O’Hare), Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Miami.

Advanced equipment and techniques on the lanes include automated belts that draw bags into x-ray machines, directing suspicious bags into a separate area to avoid delays; the deployment of 25 percent larger bins for more effective storage; the use of radio frequency identification tags for additional accountability of items; and the use of specialized cameras for bag imaging.

American Airlines said that it also plans to deploy CT scanners at a Phoenix TSA screening checkpoint as a pilot program set to begin at the end of the year.

“Our foremost priority is the security of the traveling public,” Peter Neffenger, administrator at the TSA, said. “To ensure that we remain up-to-date in an evolving threat environment, TSA continues to test and deploy state-of-the-art technologies. This collaboration with American Airlines is an important step in enhancing the traveler experience while maintaining effective security.”