The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced a grant of approximately US$4 million to the Panama City-Bay County International Airport in Florida for the construction of a new inline baggage handling system designed to enhance the TSA's efforts to strengthen security at airports.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced a grant of approximately US$4 million to the Panama City-Bay County International Airport in Florida for the construction of a new inline baggage handling system designed to enhance the TSA's efforts to strengthen security at airports.
"This technology will strengthen security and streamline the baggage screening process," said Federal Security Director Steve Earnest. "This baggage handling system will help Panama City-Bay County International Airport more efficiently detect possible explosives and other threats while allowing for the growth of the new airport."
The approximately $4 million award will come from fiscal 2009 funds, and be an upgrade to the stand alone system that is in the current airport lobby. The inline baggage handling system in the new airport will better serve the more than 330,000 passengers traveling through Panama City-Bay County International Airport each year. When completed, the main terminal will feature 100 percent inline screening, greatly improving airport efficiency.
"We're thrilled that the TSA has selected the new airport as one of the U.S. airports to receive this sophisticated baggage screening technology," said Airport Executive Director Randy Curtis. "This system will certainly help us accommodate additional airlines, including low-cost carriers, and large body international charter flights."
Inline baggage handling systems use state-of-the-art technology to screen baggage for explosives while being able to screen bags faster. These systems eliminate the need for passengers to walk checked baggage to a screening location before proceeding to the security checkpoint, resulting in a quicker ticketing and boarding process. In addition, the systems provide on-screen resolution capabilities for TSA Officers screening baggage, which reduces the number of re-scans and physical bag searches.