SMOOTHER AIRPORT DEPARTURES
Airport debuts self-select screening lanes
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
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State and federal authorities yesterday unveiled different lanes for airport security screening at Honolulu International Airport — somewhat like the express-line approach at the supermarket.
Travelers chose one of three categories that best matches their travel experience level and get in that line. If they pick the "expert" lane with five kids and senior citizens in tow, the document checkers will redirect them to one of the other lines.
The federal Transportation Security Administration came up with the "Diamond Self-Select Lanes" program, adopted by the state Department of Transportation starting yesterday at Checkpoint 5, which primarily serves passengers traveling on United, Northwest, Continental and American airlines.
Officials said the plan has helped in other cities and they chose the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks to start the program here.
It is designed to funnel travelers into three categories with these descriptions and signs:
The local head of the TSA is Glen Kajiyama, federal security director for Honolulu. He said improvements make for more than just simpler security.
"The program's goals are to create a calmer environment at the airport security checkpoint, while making the screening experience less stressful and more user-friendly for travelers," Kajiyama said.
He said it also should help sort potential problem passengers from the harried masses. "A calmer checkpoint makes it easier for security officers to identify persons exhibiting certain suspicious behaviors," he said.
The "Diamond Self-Select" lanes program was introduced at Salt Lake City and Denver airports in February of this year. Since then, 36 other airports have adopted the program, with more than 50 expected to join by next month.
Federal officials said about 300,000 passengers, or about 15 percent of the traveling public, use the self-select lanes every day.
The state will consider expanding the program after evaluating how it's working at one of the airport's busiest checkpoints, said deputy director Brian Sekiguchi.
"We will look at how we can expand the program to other high-volume checkpoints at Honolulu International Airport," Sekiguchi said.
Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.
