LA/ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ANNOUNCES NEW BAGGAGE SCREENING SYSTEM
(Ontario, California - December 9, 2008) - LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today the operation of a new $70 million inline baggage screening system in one of its two passenger terminals.
"Implementation of this new process will make it more convenient for passengers using ONT," said Jess Romo, ONT's manager. "Moving the screening equipment to locations away from the passenger check-in areas is more efficient. This will free up a lot of space in front of the ticket counters. Lines will move much faster and help improve our travelers' experience at the airport."
As a customer service enhancement, passengers at ONT will speed up their check-in process by leaving their checked luggage with airline personnel.
"The new inline system is a great enhancement for LA/Ontario International Airport," said Shannon Garcia- Hamilton, TSA's federal security director at ONT. "This streamlined baggage handling system enhances both the security of the traveling public and the working environment of TSA security officers. The system is state-of-the-art and will serve the needs of the ONT community through many years of growth."
The new baggage screening system will carry luggage from an airline's ticket counter area to a TSA station where officers will screen the luggage prior to being loaded in the aircraft. Passengers will no longer have to carry luggage to TSA baggage screening stations.
The system includes the installation and integration of Explosive Detection System (EDS) machines, Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) workstations, and support systems provided by TSA. EDS machines, like a CAT-SCAN, can quickly determine if a bag contains a potential threat. ETD equipment analyzes trace elements of explosives that may reside in or on a person's luggage. If an explosive is detected, the machines alert TSA officers so that they can resolve the alarm.
ONT is a medium-hub, full-service airport with commercial jet service to major U.S. cities and through service to many international destinations. ONT is located in the Inland Empire, approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, in the center of Southern California. The airport is the centerpiece of one of the fastest-growing transportation regions in the United States. ONT's service area includes a population of six million people living in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, and portions of north Orange County and east Los Angeles County.
ONT is one of four airports owned and operated by LAWA, a Los Angeles City department that oversees an airport system in the nation's second largest metropolitan area. The other airports owned and operated by LAWA are Los Angeles International, LA/Palmdale Regional and Van Nuys General Aviation.
