New technology at Pittsburgh International Airport to increase efficiency at TSA checkpoint
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- New technology at the Pittsburgh International Airport will increase efficiency at checkpoints and help agents identify fraudulent documents, the TSA says.
The TSA unveiled the latest generation of Credential Authentication Technology on Wednesday. The technology is used to scan a traveler's photo ID and confirm their identity and flight details, and the TSA says the new units are equipped with a camera to capture a real-time photo of the traveler.
The TSA said the new technology compares the traveler's photo on the ID against the in-person, real-time photo, which is later deleted. Once a match is confirmed, a TSA officer verifies that the traveler can go through the checkpoint without ever exchanging a boarding pass.
"Identity verification of every traveler prior to flying is a key step in the security screening process," Karen Keys-Turner, TSA's federal security director for the airport, said in a news release. "This technology enhances detection capabilities for identifying fraudulent IDs such as driver's licenses and passports at a checkpoint and it increases efficiency by automatically verifying a passenger's identification. We just want to ensure that you are who you say you are."
The system also confirms the passenger's flight status by verifying they're ticketed to fly out of the airport on that same day, the TSA says.
Even with the technology, travelers still need to check in with their airline and bring their boarding pass to the gate. And the TSA says people who don't want to participate in the facial matching process can opt out in favor of an alternative ID verification process.
