Leave Laptops and Liquids in Bags? American and TSA Unveil New Screening Technology at JFK

American Airlines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) unveiled new screening technology at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 8 on Tuesday, marking the start of a new partnership between American and the TSA to increase safety while also streamlining the security screening process. The centerpiece of the new partnership is an advanced computed technology (CT) scanner that offers enhanced explosive detection capabilities.

TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein thanking American Airlines for gifting the technology to the TSA. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Tom Pallini)

The new scanners are touted by both the TSA and American as state-of-the-art advanced technology due to its new threat detection features. For example, when the bag enters the scanner, hundreds of x-ray photographs are instantly taken of the bag, giving the screener a 3-D model of the bag and its contents. The 3-D model reduces the need for lengthy bag checks and would allow for passengers to leave liquids and laptop computers inside their bags.

Analogic Corporation’s new CT scanner at JFK Terminal 8’s TSA checkpoint. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Tom Pallini)

“Use of CT technology substantially improves TSA’s threat detection capability at a checkpoint,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske.” This partnership will allow us to deploy new technology quickly and see an immediate improvement in security effectiveness.”

On display in one checkpoint lane at JFK’s Terminal 8, American and TSA invited the press to view the new machine and give a demonstration to the public. TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein opened the event, thanking American for purchasing and gifting the machine to TSA to test and use.

The jet engine-esque machine takes hundreds of x-ray photographs and compiles a 3-D model. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Tom Pallini)

John Bambury, TSA’s Federal Security Director for JFK Airport, stated that the partnership between TSA and American enables the agency to deploy new technology quickly and increase terror detection capabilities at the terminal. One of the goals for the machines, according to Bambury, is to allow passengers to leave laptops and liquids in carry-on bags.

The technology has been used for 20 years to scan checked bags and is now being employed at checkpoints. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Tom Pallini)

The CT scanners, developed by Analogic Corporation, were purchased by American at a cost of around $8 million per unit. CT technology is already used at airports and has been for 20 years, only for checked bags, however. These machines allow for the technology to be used in the checkpoints with carry-on bags in an efficient manner. The partnership with the TSA enables American to test the scanners at its locations across the country, with JFK as its flagship location, and potentially abroad beginning this year.

The CT scanners have the potential to replace the older x-ray scanner currently employed by the TSA. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Tom Pallini)

Unlike the automated scanners favored at international airports around the world, these machines are half-automated, half-manually operated. The pre-scanner portion of the belt, where the passenger first puts his/her luggage on the belt is manually operated, requiring passengers to still push their bags and other items into the scanner. On the other side, however, the system is fully automated

TSA Federal Security Director for JFK John Bambury, American Airlines Director of State and Local Government Affairs for New York Darryl Town and Acting General Manager of Port Authority Charles Everett at the unveiling of the new CT scanners. (Photo: American Airlines)

While the project is privately funding by American, John Stone of Analogic Corporation stated that Congress is starting to appropriate more funds to place more of the machines around the country, a critical step in increasing the safety and convenience of air travel in the modern age.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Thomas Pallini

Tom has been flying for as long as he can remember. His first flight memory was on a Song Airlines 757 flying from LaGuardia to Orlando. Back then, he was afraid to fly because he thought you needed to jump off the plane in order to get off. Some years later, Tom is now a seasoned traveler, often flying to places just for the fun of it. Most of the time, he'll never leave the airport on his trips. If he's not at home or at work as a Line Service Technician at Long Island MacArthur Airport, he's off flying somewhere, but only for the day.

Latest posts by Thomas Pallini (see all)

• A Portuguese Flying Adventure: Flying TAP Air Portugal on Its Newest Airbus Products - January 12, 2020
• Onboard the Newest Aircraft on the Longest Flight: Flying JetBlue’s New Airbus A321neo - December 13, 2019
• Qantas Retires Final Boeing 747 from American Skies - December 4, 2019