Simple Flying
Joanna Bailey
Las Vegas McCarran is home to the first and only Innovation Checkpoint, and features some unique facilities to improve and enhance the passenger screening process. The technologies are tested out in real-life situations, with data collected to inform future investments. The facility gives us a glimpse into some of the work being done to make our travel lives easier in the future.
Contactless journeys are a key focus for many airports now, and the Innovation Checkpoint is testing out some of the latest developments in this field. One such component is its Credential Authentication Technology (CAT), which allows passengers to insert their photo ID into the unit instead of handing it to a TSA officer. The CAT is linked to a secure flight database, and is capable of detecting fraudulent documents, and effectively clears the person for travel without any human intervention.
The Innovation Checkpoint is the only one in the US to have four automated screening lanes, all of which are integrated with tomography X-ray scanners. This enables the uninterrupted movement of carry on baggage, and could see us saying goodbye to unpacking of laptops and liquids. It also automates the movement of bins from the back to the front of the checkpoint.
