Delta Air Lines paid for and installed a pair of “innovation lanes” at its hometown airport in Atlanta. The lanes are much better designed than the standard security checkpoints found at airports around the US, and the airline hopes it can double the throughput thanks to some clever ideas.
Rather than having TSA agents use hand-pushed carts to bring empty trays from the exit back to the entrance of the line, the new lanes use an automated conveyor belt system. And instead of having travelers stack up behind one another to drop off their belongings to be scanned, there are five different “divestment points” so faster travelers can drop off their bags and move on without waiting for a slower person in front of them.
Finally, the automated bin system can route bins that set off screening alarms to a separate area for inspection, again freeing up TSA agents to focus on screening rather than the logistics of moving baggage around.
Delta says it spent more than $1 million on the system, which it thought up and deployed in less than two months. No word if it will be rolled out to more airports, but anything that can help get travelers through the TSA’s security lines faster will be well received by the airlines and the public.
The Verge
