Delta Air Lines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have joined forces to propel New York's LaGuardia Airport into the future.
Two new automated screening lanes at LaGuardia Airport debuted in Terminal C last week, and four more lanes are scheduled to open in Terminal D over the coming weeks.
The automated lanes are expected to translate to enhanced security and an improved passenger experience at LaGuardia, which is one of the busiest and most congested airports in the U.S.
Multiple divesting stations will allow several passengers to place their items on the conveyor belt at the same time. The conveyor belts will automatically send bins through the X-ray machines before returning them back to the front of the queue for other passengers to use.
The new bins in the automated lanes will be 25 percent larger than standard screening bins and are attached to a Unique Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag to track a passengers' belongings throughout the screening process.
Meanwhile, a second conveyor belt for carry-on bags will sound an alarm for a potential threat. In the event of a threat, the belt will push the bin in question to a separate area so other bins can continue through for screening.
Lastly, the automated lanes boast cameras used to photograph the contents in each bin.
"We look at this new equipment and our partnership with Delta as being able to provide enhanced security while improving the traveler's experience," said Robert Duffy, TSA's Federal Security Director at the airport, in a statement.
"The new automated screening lanes offer several features designed to improve the screening of travelers by automating many of the functions previously conducted manually, which allows travelers to move more swiftly and efficiently through the checkpoint."
Delta is the first airline to invest in automated screening lanes and is responsible for the installation of 40 lanes in airports around the country, including more than a dozen at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport so far.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Automated Security Lanes Coming to Minneapolis St. Paul Airport[/READMORE]
"These high-tech automated screening lanes are another way we're working to take care of our customers, and we're pleased to play a role in bringing them to our terminals at LaGuardia," Delta's Senior Vice President of Airport Operations-Northeast, Henry Kuykendall, said in a statement.
"We know a quicker journey through the security checkpoint will improve the entire airport experience for our New York customers who travel through our LaGuardia hub."
This past summer, Delta was approved to begin construction on a $4 billion, 37-gate facility at LaGuardia.
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