American Airlines Plans Faster Screening Lanes at Some Hubs

American Airlines Group Inc., frustrated like other carriers over long passenger screening lines at U.S. airports this year, said Tuesday that it will install automated screening lanes at four hub airports that should cut the security screening process by about 30%, according to Robert Isom, chief operating officer.

Working in partnership with the Transportation Security Administration, American also plans to deploy computed tomography technology at a TSA screening checkpoint. Currently that technology is used only to screen checked bags. If the test, due to be running in Phoenix by year end, works out, travelers would be able to leave their liquids, gels and laptops in their carry-on bags. And the TSA could deploy this technology to other passenger checkpoints nationwide.

Mr. Isom said the new screening lanes in store at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and Miami International airport will use the latest technology, which includes automated belts that draw bags into the X-ray machines and return the luggage bins back to the queue after screening is complete.

The system also diverts bags that present a potential threat without slowing down the entire line, and will affix radio frequency identification tags to every bin, along with cameras that capture photos of the outside of the bag. This ensures that the correct bag is pulled if further screening is required, he said.

"Neither initiative is a slam dunk to solve TSA woes," Mr. Isom said in an employee memo. "But they are both huge steps in the right direction."

After airlines and travelers raised concerns in the spring that people were missing their flights because of lengthy line waits, federal funding was reallocated to help the TSA rebalance its staffing and begin hiring more screening officers. This has resulted in somewhat speedier lines. But airlines and airports on their own also are funding nonsecurity tasks this summer such as bin running and queue management to enable TSA officer to focus solely on security.

American, the nation's No. 1 airline by traffic, is spending $21 million this year on helping the TSA with these nonsecurity duties. The new screening lanes and test of using CT technology at passenger checkpoints will cost another $5 million, Mr. Isom said.

At a hearing of the House Committee on Homeland Security's Transportation Security Subcommittee scheduled for Tuesday, American and the TSA were expected to discuss the joint initiative.

Write to Susan Carey at susan.carey@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 05, 2016 12:35 ET (16:35 GMT)

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