What is Your Lane? TSA Enables Passengers to Go at Their Own Pace in Salt Lake
News & Happenings
August 5, 2008
Black Diamond Video
Watch how the Diamond Lane concept
has improved the checkpoint experience
at Salt Lake City, Utah airport
(WMV, 16 MB streaming)
At TSA we are piloting a variety of innovations at the checkpoint to improve security by focusing on people, technology and process.
In the process arena, TSA launched a Black Diamond Self-Select Lanes pilot in February 2007 in Salt Lake City, Utah, which has now grown to include more than 30 airports. The program is aimed at enabling travelers to select a lane customized to their pace. Because the pilot was launched in a region of the country where skiing is a way of life, TSA modeled the lanes after well-known ski icons: green circles for beginners, blue squares for intermediate, and black diamonds for experts.
In the TSA version, the green lane is for families traveling with children or people who need special assistance. These folks may not travel that often and need extra help with the procedures and assistance navigating security. The blue lane is for casual travelers who travel less often, but are somewhat familiar with the procedures. The expert, or black diamond lane ,is for those who know the procedures well and always arrive at the checkpoint with appropriate items removed and limited carry-on luggage. The security standard is the same no matter what lane you choose. However, efficiency is increased by allowing passengers to proceed at their own pace.
"We are enhancing security by creating a less stressful experience. This enables our officers to provide better support to the people who need it most, while others are able to navigate the checkpoint more expeditiously," said Earl Morris, TSA federal security director at Salt Lake. "Passengers will ultimately determine the success of the pilot."
For more on the Black Diamond Self-Select Lanes and a complete list of participating airports, click here.
Black Diamond is one of many innovations that TSA is testing regionally in 2008. For instance in Houston, TSA is partnering with Continental Airlines to pilot a paperless boarding pass; in Memphis, security officers are using wireless whisper headsets to enhance communications between behavior detection officers and travel document checkers; and in Burbank, Calif., there is a customized lane for people with only one carry-on item. Stay tuned for more to come.
If you've experienced any of TSA's regional innovations in your travels, share your feedback at tsa.gov/gotfeedback.
