Few things test a traveler’s patience like the security line. You shuffle forward, wrestle with your shoes and your bag, and wonder if there might be a better way. The Transportation Security Administration says it is working on one. According to Travel Weekly, TSA will test new high tech PreCheck lanes at seven airports over six weeks, and the agency’s leader believes the setup could double how quickly passengers get through.
It is a test, not a finished product, and there is plenty to unpack about what the lanes include and what is still unproven.
What the New Lanes Combine
The test lanes are called PreCheck mod set lanes. They bring together three pieces of technology:
- eGates, which are electronic gates at the lane.
- AIT scanners, the body scanners that have you stand briefly with your arms down.
- Technology-assisted luggage screening, meant to help check bags.
The report describes the scanner step as a brief pose with arms down.
The Big Claim
TSA Administrator David Cummins says the combination can double throughput. Throughput is simply how many people a lane can process in a given amount of time. If it really doubles, that would mean far shorter waits, or the same wait with far more passengers moving through.
It is important to be clear about what this is. The doubling is the chief’s projection about what the combination can do. It is not a result from the test, because the test has not happened yet. We will not know how the lanes perform in real airports, with real crowds and real luggage, until the six weeks are up.
Why TSA Wants This
There is a business side to this story too. According to the report, PreCheck enrollment has leveled off at about 50 million people. TSA believes faster lanes could attract an additional 20 million members.
That makes sense. A program that promises a quicker trip through security becomes far more appealing when it actually delivers one. If the lanes live up to the hope, more people may decide the membership is worth it.
A Quick Refresher on PreCheck
For anyone who has never used it, TSA PreCheck is the agency’s trusted traveler program. Members apply and enroll ahead of time, and in return they get a separate screening line that is generally quicker than the regular one. Members typically do not have to take off their shoes at the checkpoint. This test aims to make that already faster lane faster still, by changing the equipment travelers walk through and how bags are checked.
What Could Go Wrong
New technology rarely works perfectly on day one. A lane built to move people quickly still depends on travelers who know what to do, bags that are packed sensibly, and equipment that works smoothly. That is exactly what a six week test is for. It gives TSA a chance to see how the lanes handle the real flow of passengers, and it gives the public a chance to learn whether the promise holds up.
What This Means for Your Next Trip
If you are not near one of the seven test airports, you will not see these lanes any time soon, and even travelers who are may not be routed through them. The test is limited by design. But it offers a glimpse of where airport security may be heading, and a few habits will serve you well whatever happens.
- Know your program. If you fly often, ask yourself whether PreCheck is worth it for the way you travel.
- Be ready before you reach the belt. Have your ID and boarding pass out, and pack the items you will need to remove where you can reach them easily.
- Keep an eye on the news. If the test goes well, expect to hear about it, along with word of any expansion.
- Allow plenty of time anyway. A promising pilot does not change the realities of a busy travel day.
Questions Worth Asking
As with any new technology, it is smart to keep a few questions in mind while the test plays out. Will the lanes actually double the speed in real conditions? Will travelers like the new scanner process? And will faster lines convince millions more people to join PreCheck, as TSA hopes?
The answers will come only from the results, and the report makes clear that the work is still ahead. TSA is working on PreCheck improvements, and this test is the next step.
The Bottom Line
Faster screening is something nearly every traveler would welcome. Seven airports, six weeks, and a bold promise from the TSA chief make this one to watch. Keep your expectations realistic, since a projection is not a performance, but keep your hopes up too. If the lanes deliver, the days of the endless security shuffle could get a lot shorter.
More Stories You May Like
- Hibachi Chef Sees the Most Expensive Hibachi in New York and Says Too Much Butter and Burnt Scallops Are Not Worth That Price
- Cruise Fans Are Learning a Three Step App Trick They Say Lets Them Skip the Royal Caribbean Check In Line and Walk Straight Onto the Ship on Embarkation Day
- Airbnb Host Reacts to the New Checkout Rules and Says What Guests Are Really Going to Face When the Changes Take Effect
