fRENO, Nev. (KOLO) -Let’s face it. For most of us the moments we dread most about air travel are here on the ground before we leave. Navigating the TSA screening. Long lines. Removing items from our carry-ons, getting scanned just like our baggage.
It’s long been an expected part of air travel, necessary to keep us safe, That doesn’t mean it couldn’t be improved.
And, just in time for pent-up travel demand to hit, the TSA has made some changes that just might make things easier, even move quicker.
You’ll encounter the first when you get to the head of the line. The officer there is now equipped with Credential Authentication Technology or CAT. Instead of handing him or her your boarding pass, you’ll hand him your driver’s license or passport. They’ll scan it and immediately check it through a national database.
“And that is able to read the basic biographical information of the traveler, confirm their ticket for travel that day and prompt the officer as to what kind of screening the passenger is eligible for,” says TSA spokeswoman Lorie Dankerst
They’ll know in an instant if it’s real or fake. So, here’s a tip: Show up with a fake or altered ID and you won’t be flying.
The next step: scanning your baggage. Reno Tahoe has a pair of new machines–CT scanners–that show a 3-D image of your bag’s content and allow the operator to manipulate items, potentially identifying them without opening your bag.
“We’re going to ask you to leave your laptop in your bag,” says Dankers. “You’re going to leave your travel-size liquids in the bag. There’s less cross-contamination that way. It’s better for the traveler and better for the officer as well.”
There are more changes and more personnel in the works, but for now, these new two new tools should have you on your way with less hassle, even less time.
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