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How is the security at airports?

Airports are one of the most regulated places in terms of security systems, but how do they manage to control the high amount of luggage and hundreds of travelers at the same time? In this article we will review how the different types of airport screening work and some of their most common practices to make their facilities a safe place for their customers and workers.

 

Concerning passengers, the first checkpoint they must go through is the one before entering the restricted area where they must check their boarding pass. Either employing a scanner that reads the code printed on their boarding pass or directly on their cell phone. It is expected that soon this control will be carried out using biometrics with facial recognition systems, as is already being done in many airports as a test. 

 

After entering the restricted area, passengers must go through a second checkpoint, where their hand luggage will be checked by a second scanner. At this point, the objective is to check that no passenger or employee can access the terminals with prohibited or potentially dangerous objects. For them, passengers must introduce their hand luggage, shoes, and other belongings, and using X-rays will be able to detect any restricted object.

 

This type of scanner at this checkpoint manages to greatly streamline the transit and entry to the facilities since this control should be done manually and individualized. 

 

But what about checked baggage? While passengers enter the terminal, the bags they have previously checked-in are also subjected to several security controls. Once they are received by the airline, the bags pass through the “cheeks yard”, which is nothing more than conveyor belts that take the luggage through 5 different types of control and allow them to avoid dangerous situations such as explosions or fires.

 

Once they have entered the terminal, the controls do not stop, passengers must pass through one or another checkpoint where their data is verified, especially before entering the aircraft. For this reason, airport security personnel play a fundamental role in risk detection and are a key part of the whole security system in the airport. They require very specific training and constant renewal, especially because this area is constantly renewing its technologies and, today they can rely on multiple devices for early detection of risks. 

 

For this reason, GP Nauticals has developed a software called Pax AIMS that allows airports to keep track, control, and audit all passengers entering the airport facilities, deploying fixed or mobile checkpoints and allowing concessionaires to validate boarding lists.

 

If you are interested in learning more about the company or any of its AIMS Suite products, you can visit its website https://gpnauticals.com/ or contact any of its consultants.

 

High-tech airport checkpoints

The Transportation Security Administration, better known as TSA, has focused its efforts in recent decades on the implementation of new technological tools.

That allows airports to have safer and more efficient passenger checkpoints, incorporating innovations such as: digital identification, facial recognition, and even computerized tomography.

For this reason, in today’s article, we will inform you about the latest innovations in airport checkpoint systems that have been introduced in the sector.

Computerized tomography for baggage scanning

These machines were created for medical purposes. They are now being used in the airport industry as a security device.

Providing rotating, color-coded, and three-dimensional images of all baggage entering the facilities.

All are supported by new computer programs with automatic learning that allow checkpoints to study the contents of a suitcase more quickly and accurately.

High Definition Body Scanning

High-definition imaging technology (HD-AIT) systems are currently under development to enhance existing body scanning devices.

Which would allow for a detailed view of each passenger without them having to hold their arms above their head, remove their shoes or coats.

These devices are designed to detect a greater number of prohibited items, thus reducing inspections and making passenger scanning more efficient.

Facial recognition technology

Facial recognition technology is currently tested at several international airports, to verify the identity of passengers passing through their facilities.

New stations known as “Innovation Checkpoint” will be installed at airports for the use of this type of technology. Where identification software compares a photo taken at the checkpoint with the identification presented by the passenger.

Checkpoints

Manual passenger verification is a thing of the past. Passenger check-in and boarding list audits are being handled by software. That allows real-time measurement of passenger traffic, whether in the immigration area or for control in the boarding area.

This type of technology allows for the early completion of passenger lists, verification of flight occupancy, and even calculation and verification of airport taxes.

They don’t require major investment by airports since they can be integrated with the systems currently used, such as the software known as PAX AIMS, developed by the company GP Nauticals.