Airline group proposes security upgrade

Dec. 20, 2010
The concept, unveiled last week by IATA, proposes a set of three tunnels that are equipped with sensors, X-ray machines, cameras or other security equipment.

An airline trade group is proposing a new type of security checkpoint that could speed clearance for travelers deemed low-risk.

The concept, unveiled last week by the International Air Transport Association, proposes a set of three tunnels (or enclosed pathways) that are equipped with sensors, X-ray machines, cameras or other security equipment.

Travelers will be assigned to a tunnel that reflects their security status -- "Known Travelers," "Normal Security" or "Enhanced Security" -- depending on the biometric and other personal information airlines and government authorities have about them.

"With today's terror threats, we need to be able to find bad people, not just bad objects," IATA CEO Giovanni Bisignani told reporters last week in Geneva.

In the envisioned checkpoint of the future, passengers would identify themselves with a fingerprint, biometric passport or mobile phone boarding pass. Those walking through the Known Travelers tunnel would be subject to minimal inspection, while the other tunnels would require more stringent checks. All three tunnels would have metal detectors.

By combining biometrics, passenger data and stand-off screening for explosives, such as sensors, the tunnels could allow some passengers to walk from curb to aircraft "uninterrupted," said Kenneth Dunlap, IATA's director of security, in a presentation to reporters.

The idea is similar to Global Entry, a trusted-traveler program run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at U.S. airports.

Launched in 2008, Global Entry promises quicker U.S. Customs clearance at automated kiosks for travelers who are considered low terrorism risks. Members must undergo a government background check, submit fingerprints and pay a one-time fee of $100.

Airports Council International-North America, an airport trade group, declined to comment specifically on IATA's latest proposal. It's "open to working with the (Transportation Security Administration) to develop a trusted-traveler program that ensures both the appropriate level of security and efficient passenger processing," says Chris Bidwell, vice president of security and facilitation for the ACI-NA. "We are still reviewing the IATA proposal."

Briefly ...

*Southwest Airlines will beef up its presence at Newark Liberty for summer 2011, adding four non-stop routes. Starting June 5, the carrier will offer three daily flights to Baltimore/Washington, three to Denver, two to Houston Hobby and two to Phoenix.

Southwest is not yet flying to Newark but plans to launch service there on March 27 with six daily flights to Chicago Midway and two to St. Louis. Once the June flights begin, Southwest will operate 18 daily departures from the New Jersey airport.

*The magnetic stripe boarding pass has been dumped into the dustbin of aviation history.

Airlines worldwide, which issue more than 2 billion boarding passes a year, have completed converting to bar-coded boarding passes after a five-year campaign, IATA announced last week.

Magnetic stripe passes are more expensive and less efficient than bar codes, and the conversion will save the industry up to $1.5 billion a year, IATA estimates. The bar-coded pass also allows airlines to issue a single, printed boarding pass for multiple flights, convenient for passengers with connections.

Boarding passes are still evolving as the industry plans to gradually eliminate paper passes in favor of electronic versions e-mailed to smartphones.

*Virgin America inaugurated its first route to Mexico last week, beginning non-stop service to Los Cabos from its San Francisco hub. It will add flights to Cancun, with service from Los Angeles beginning Jan. 19 and from San Francisco on Jan. 20.