In a bid to enhance airport security checkpoints and streamline the screening process, The Department of Homeland Security is introducing the Screening at Speed Program.
Created by the Science and Technology Directorate, the Screening at Speed Program is a self-service screening system.
Starting in January, the program is set to pilot at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The program’s innovative approach aims to accommodate the rising number of air travelers, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
“Like self-ordering kiosks at fast food and sit-down restaurants, self-service screening allows passengers in the Trusted Traveler Program to complete the security screening process on their own,” said Screening at Speed Program Manager Dr. John Fortune.
“Travelers will use passenger and carry-on screening systems at individual consoles or screening lanes themselves, reducing the number of pat-downs and bag inspections TSOs need to perform and freeing their time to be reallocated to the busier aspects of screening operations. The feedback we’ve already received during testing from both mock passengers and TSOs has been incredibly positive.”
With a focus on sustainable changes, the program aims to enhance screening efficiency while ensuring a positive passenger experience.
Specifically catering to precheck passengers, the self-service screening initiative seeks to minimize the need for assistance from Transportation Security Officers (TSOs), contributing to a more streamlined and convenient screening process.