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![TSA agent Kimberly Hughes explains the system last month at Chicago's Midway International Airport.]()
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![http://i.usatoday.net/_common/_images/clear.gif]()
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TSA agent Kimberly Hughes explains the system last month
at Chicago's Midway International Airport.
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WASHINGTON
— At least 40 airports are flocking to adopt a screening program that
offers relaxed security lanes for families and fast lanes for expert
travelers, the government said Monday.
The idea to segregate passengers was launched at two airports in
February by the Transportation Security Administration.
It quickly gathered interest and is now offered at 21 airports,
including Los Angeles International, Seattle-Tacoma and Boston's Logan.
Another 20 airports plan to use the "self-select"
program this summer. New York's Kennedy and LaGuardia will start this month,
the TSA said.
"We can't keep up with the demand," said Earl Morris,
the TSA security chief in Salt Lake City who leads a team helping airports
start the program.
The self-select program sets up "family" lanes at
checkpoints aimed at parents with children. Also available are
"expert" lanes for veteran travelers, and "casual" lanes
for people who fly a few times a year.
Screening is the same in each lane. The program is voluntary,
though TSA screeners often direct passengers to lanes that seem appropriate
for them.
"It really gives those passengers the ability to take their
time and not have a business traveler breathing down their neck," said
Brigitte Goersch, head of security at Orlando International Airport, which
launched the program in May.
Airports embrace the program because they "are willing to
do anything that looks like it can improve efficiency at the
checkpoint," said Airports Council International security chief Charles
Chambers.
Expert lanes are handling an average of 21% more passengers per
hour, Morris said. Family lanes are running slightly slower than regular
lanes.
Josh Holmberg of Denver didn't mind using family lanes with his
wife and two children, ages 18 months and 3, at the Denver and Salt Lake City
airports. "The process is much more relaxed," he said.
Reagan Allen said the program made the normally jammed
checkpoint at Portland International Airport in Oregon "a lot
smoother" when he flew home to Austin on Friday.
But Hunter Wolfe of Salt Lake City said he's been in expert
lanes behind families and novice travelers who have to be told to remove
shoes and jewelry. "It slows down the whole process," Wolfe said.
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