The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has installed a new piece of high-tech baggage screening equipment at Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport (ITH) in Tompkins County, New York.
The new equipment will allow the luggage to be screen checked instead of having TSA officers manually inspect each piece of baggage, which may include suitcases, rucksacks, boxes, golf bags or other items.
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US authorities expect the new system to simplify the inspection process, reduce waiting time and decrease congestion at the airport.
Up until now, TSA has been manually screening checked baggage for explosives at ITH by opening each item and swabbing it for traces of explosives, before clearing the bag to be loaded onto the aircraft.
TSA assistant federal security director John McCaffrey said: "This new piece of technology will streamline the check-in process while adding efficiency, convenience and enhanced security.
"With the addition of this new state-of-the-art security technology, only bags that alarm will need a manual inspection by our TSA officers."
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By GlobalDataFollowing the installation, passengers flying out of ITH with a piece of baggage to check will go to their airline check-in counter to get their baggage tagged for its destination.
The passengers will then wheel their tagged bags over to the new scanner, where TSA officers will scan them while the passenger heads to the gate.
The authorities claim that the new system has made the screening process faster and more efficient.
Image: New baggage screening equipment at Ithaca Thompkins Regional Airport. Photo: courtesy of US Transportation Security Administration.
