A mock-up "checkpoint of the future" could spare air travelers the hassle of TSA liquid checks, shoe removal and pat-downs, while speeding up security for almost all fliers.
Those wishing to see the system, first introduced in June, can now catch a glimpse at an aviation security conference in Amsterdam. The hi-tech set up retains the familiar lane set-up -- but the similarities end there reports the Daily Mail.
The new system has passengers walking through one of three 20-foot tunnels, marked "enhanced," "normal" or "known traveler," a reference to programs in which fliers submit personal data before flying in exchange for lighter scrutiny at checkpoints. Equipment in each tunnel would scan passengers as they walk through -- meaning no more x-ray machines, emptying of pockets or removing of shoes and jackets.
TSA chief John Pistole says his agency is generally on-board with the idea, telling the Mail, "It's an idea clearly worth consideration as technology develops. Segmenting the passenger population for different levels of security screening is exactly what we're pursuing."
The concept -- high-minded as it may be -- still faces numerous technical and financial hurdles, says the Daily Mail, which adds privacy advocates will likely protest any planned launch of the body-scanning technology at airport checkpoints in the US.
Airport Security Checkpoint Of The Future
