by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:15 AM ET, Wed February 28, 2018
Miami International Airport officially opened its new federal inspection security facility for international arrivals at Concourse E, which features facial recognition technology.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday that included officials from the Miami-Dade Aviation Department and United States Customs and Border Protection, the airport revealed the first security facility in the country dedicated to providing expedited passport screening via facial recognition.
The Miami airport launched the facial recognition pilot program in November, and the facility managed to screen as many as 10 passengers per minute. In addition to speeding up the security process, it cuts down the walking distance for Concourse E and F passengers, which will reduce congestion at the busy arrivals area.
"Miami International Airport, in partnership with CBP, has introduced yet another cutting-edge enhancement that improves the international arrival experience for visitors to our community," Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez said in a statement. "Congratulations to the Miami-Dade Aviation Department and our federal partners for continuing to simplify passport screening at Florida's busiest international gateway."
"Improving customer service through technology and innovation is our highest priority at MIA," Miami-Dade Aviation director Lester Sola said. "We are proud to partner with CBP on this new technology, which has significantly reduced wait times for our international passengers."
The inspection checkpoint at Concourse E is just the latest innovation at Miami International Airport, which launched app users to seamlessly access Mobile Passport Control and CBP Forms in 2017.
The technology-driven facility also offers passport clearance via Global Entry kiosks and the Mobile Passport Control app for select flights arriving at concourses E and F.
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