TSA’s new 3D scanners could speed up security lines
The days of being forced at airport security checkpoints to remove laptops and liquids from carry-on bags may be coming to an end.
The Transportation Security Administration announced last week that it is spending $781.2 million for hundreds of scanners that use technology employed in hospitals to examine internal organs to more quickly and thoroughly scan carry-on bags for weapons and explosives. That means you can leave your laptops, liquids and other devices in your carry-on bag before it goes through the screener, making the screening process faster.
TSA hopes to install 938 scanners — using computed tomography technology — at most major U.S. airports over the next few years. The first 38 scanners will be installed by this summer, just in time for the busy travel season.
The scanners “provide our dedicated frontline officers with one of the best tools available to screen passenger carry-on items and also improves the passenger experience by allowing passengers to keep more items in their carry-on bags during the screening process,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement.
Mary Katherine Wynn/Dreamstime
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has installed a new state-of-the-art CT scanner at the main checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport that gives officers three-dimensional views of the contents in carry-ons.
Analogic Corp., a Massachusetts-based technology company, was awarded the $781.2 million order.
The X-ray scanners currently used at most airport checkpoints can only generate a two-dimensional image of the contents of each carry-on bag, making it difficult to distinguish the items inside, especially when bags are crammed with electronics and other devices.
The new CT scanners enable TSA officers to see a 3-D image of the items in a carry-on bag. The images produced by the scanners can be rotated on three axes, making it easier for the officers to identify weapons and explosives.
“That’s the beauty of the computed tomography process,” said TSA spokesman R. Carter Langston.
Larger CT scanners have been used for several years to scan checked baggage, but until now have been too big to use in the TSA security lines.
The TSA began testing CT scanners in 2018 at airports across the country, including Los Angeles International Airport, Oakland International, San Diego International, Nevada’s Harry Reid International (formerly McCarran) and Chicago O’Hare. LAX now has six CT scanners in use throughout the airport.
According to indexes compiled for Bloomberg News, these were the best- and worst-performing destinations in Europe and the U.S. in 2021:
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The airport of the future? Clearing security without removing laptops or liquids
Florida Keys, Florida: 144.8
Gatlinburg, Tennessee: 132.4
Mobile, Alabama: 128.3
Sarasota, Florida: 122.7
Daytona Beach, Florida: 122.0
The takeaway: Florida, with its barely existing COVID-19 restrictions, captured the lion’s share of visitation within the U.S. — three of its markets rank in the national Top 5. That’s not only because people knew they could party like it was 2019. The state’s abundant beaches and golf courses offered COVID-safe relaxation for those who wanted to stay distanced and outdoors. Plus, consistently low restrictions made travelers feel insulated from the risk of last-minute cancellations or closures. Gatlinburg, Tennessee, meanwhile, succeeded, thanks to its location as the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains — part of a broader thirst for national parks.
Florida Keys, Florida: 144.8
Gatlinburg, Tennessee: 132.4
Mobile, Alabama: 128.3
Sarasota, Florida: 122.7
Daytona Beach, Florida: 122.0
The takeaway: Florida, with its barely existing COVID-19 restrictions, captured the lion’s share of visitation within the U.S. — three of its markets rank in the national Top 5. That’s not only because people knew they could party like it was 2019. The state’s abundant beaches and golf courses offered COVID-safe relaxation for those who wanted to stay distanced and outdoors. Plus, consistently low restrictions made travelers feel insulated from the risk of last-minute cancellations or closures. Gatlinburg, Tennessee, meanwhile, succeeded, thanks to its location as the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains — part of a broader thirst for national parks.
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The airport of the future? Clearing security without removing laptops or liquids
San Francisco: 34.0
San Jose/Santa Cruz, California: 41.2
Washington, D.C.: 49.4
Seattle: 52.6
Boston: 52.8
The takeaway: The San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley continue to see more employees working remotely than any other major urban region —not surprising, given its natural reliance on the technology sector. Distancing also translates into a sharp decline in business travelers, probably the primary culprit behind the two lowest numbers. Washington suffered a double whammy in that it couldn’t serve as a hub for international diplomacy until U.S. borders reopened in November — but also lost out on domestic visitors as its museums and cultural institutions were closed half the year. New York, not officially on the list, was the sixth-worst performing market — just slightly behind Boston — though the reopening of International travel delivered a much-needed spike in visitors to the Big Apple in the fall.
San Francisco: 34.0
San Jose/Santa Cruz, California: 41.2
Washington, D.C.: 49.4
Seattle: 52.6
Boston: 52.8
The takeaway: The San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley continue to see more employees working remotely than any other major urban region —not surprising, given its natural reliance on the technology sector. Distancing also translates into a sharp decline in business travelers, probably the primary culprit behind the two lowest numbers. Washington suffered a double whammy in that it couldn’t serve as a hub for international diplomacy until U.S. borders reopened in November — but also lost out on domestic visitors as its museums and cultural institutions were closed half the year. New York, not officially on the list, was the sixth-worst performing market — just slightly behind Boston — though the reopening of International travel delivered a much-needed spike in visitors to the Big Apple in the fall.
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The airport of the future? Clearing security without removing laptops or liquids
Turkish Riviera: 192.8
Sochi, Russia: 170.2
Turkey Provincial (Ankara and surroundings): 117.0
Italy Central (including Rome, Perugia and Assisi): 115.2
Istanbul: 112.8
The takeaway: Turkey was quick to reopen its borders, establishing itself as a haven for regional European travelers, as well as international arrivals, back in 2020. That gave it a prominent advantage through 2021: Turkey’s coast, countryside, and capital—through which international air passengers often transit—all rank among Europe’s top five. Other parts of Europe, defined by STR as either major destinations or broader regions, succeeded based on their ability to provide easily accessible outdoor recreation.
Turkish Riviera: 192.8
Sochi, Russia: 170.2
Turkey Provincial (Ankara and surroundings): 117.0
Italy Central (including Rome, Perugia and Assisi): 115.2
Istanbul: 112.8
The takeaway: Turkey was quick to reopen its borders, establishing itself as a haven for regional European travelers, as well as international arrivals, back in 2020. That gave it a prominent advantage through 2021: Turkey’s coast, countryside, and capital—through which international air passengers often transit—all rank among Europe’s top five. Other parts of Europe, defined by STR as either major destinations or broader regions, succeeded based on their ability to provide easily accessible outdoor recreation.
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The airport of the future? Clearing security without removing laptops or liquids
Amsterdam: 21.5
Prague: 22.6
Lisbon: 26.7
Brussels: 29.1
Helsinki: 29.1
The takeaway: Cities were hard-hit in Europe across the board. Although they’re not on this list, Paris, London and Rome all indexed below 50% of 2019 RevPAR figures. Amsterdam may not be too concerned over its status as the Continent’s poorest performer; the city has been trying to recalibrate its oversaturated and unsustainable tourism economy for years, so the reset was welcome. Lisbon, however, is a surprise. With an economy more heavily dependent on tourism than some of the other listed cities, Portugal’s capital took a greater hit from grinding border closures and was unable to make up its cumulative deficit, even after U.S. and European visitors began making their way back in June.
Amsterdam: 21.5
Prague: 22.6
Lisbon: 26.7
Brussels: 29.1
Helsinki: 29.1
The takeaway: Cities were hard-hit in Europe across the board. Although they’re not on this list, Paris, London and Rome all indexed below 50% of 2019 RevPAR figures. Amsterdam may not be too concerned over its status as the Continent’s poorest performer; the city has been trying to recalibrate its oversaturated and unsustainable tourism economy for years, so the reset was welcome. Lisbon, however, is a surprise. With an economy more heavily dependent on tourism than some of the other listed cities, Portugal’s capital took a greater hit from grinding border closures and was unable to make up its cumulative deficit, even after U.S. and European visitors began making their way back in June.
