Travellers say US airport security lanes set up to sort fliers based on familiarity with security needs are flawed as too many people think they're experts.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is trying to speed up the screening process by asking travellers to self-select a 'lane' based on their needs.
Passengers have a choice between family travellers or those who require more time and assistance, leisure traveller who are familiar with the process, and expert – for frequent fliers who are very familiar with the process.
However, due to self-selection the system has had mixed results and is flawed in execution because most people believe they know more about security requirements than they really do, slowing down an effort to speed up security lines, The New York Times reported.
TSA spokeswoman Ellen Howe said one of the goals of the new system was to minimise some of that tension and generally help calm the security checkpoint.
While there has not been a formal study to determine whether the self-select lines reduce waiting times, she indicated that this seemed to be the case with the diamond lane.
"Anecdotally, what we are seeing is that with the black diamond lane, the expert lane, the throughput is going up," she said.
"With the green lane, the family lane, the throughput is a little slower."
The agency has also noticed a decrease in alarm rates at the checkpoint and fewer employees calling in sick at airports that have starting using the new system, she said.
The system began operation, on a trail basis, at 21 airports across the US in February.
By staff writer
