United Airlines opens security screening lanes at hometown hub

With the opening of three automatic screening lanes at Chicago O’Hare airport, United Airlines becomes the first carrier to exclusively dedicate automated lanes to a TSA Precheck® security checkpoint in multiple US airports. These lanes at O’Hare will allow up to five passengers to fill bins simultaneously and move through the security checking process more efficiently, even if a TSA agent needs to carry out additional screening on any baggage. In an effort to improve the customer experience, the lanes will utilize a parallel conveyor system which will return empty bins to the front of the queue.
According to Greg Hart, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, United Airlines: “As the first and only U.S.-based airline to launch automated screening lanes in multiple airports, United continues its commitment to using the latest technology to meet the changing needs of our customers and improve the airport experience.
“We are very appreciative of the ongoing collaboration between TSA and our industry partners such as United,” said TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger. “Working together in our efforts to deploy effective, state-of-the-art technologies such as these automated lanes in Terminal 1 at O’Hare furthers TSA’s ability to fulfill its security mission while also enhancing the travel experience.”
Commenting on the opening of the screening lanes, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said: “Establishing these automated screening lanes at TSA checkpoints is an important part of sustaining the success we achieved since last spring. We’ve gone from an unacceptable 104-minute wait time at peak hours at O’Hare to some of the shortest in the country among major airports. With the will, and the right technology, we will continue this progress. And I want to thank United Airlines for opening the latest innovation lanes here at O’Hare.”
The opening of these lanes follows on from the successful opening of new automated screening lanes at Los Angeles, while plans are in place to open a similar system at Newark Liberty International Airport, where there will be 17 lanes. According to their hub website, United Airlines intends to redesign checkpoints at several more airports.