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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2022
CONTACT
LAX Public Relations
(424) 646-5260
Lorie Dankers
Transportation Security Adminstration
(206) 743-1497
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TSA LAUNCHES LEADING-EDGE PASSENGER IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGY AT LAX CHECKPOINTS
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is now using facial recognition systems to identify passengers and boarding passes at screening checkpoints inside Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
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(Los Angeles, CA) The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has introduced new facial recognition technology to verify the identity of guests at some of the airport’s security checkpoints.
When entering the TSA screening area, guests may be asked to insert their government-issued photo ID into a next generation Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) unit, which is equipped with a camera that captures a photo of the guest. The CAT compares the guest’s facial features on their photo ID against the facial features from the in-person photo, confirming their identity. Guests will need to briefly adjust their face mask for the in-person photo.
Once the technology confirms a match, it will be verified by a TSA officer and the guest can proceed through the checkpoint without ever exchanging physical documents. TSA officers can perform additional passenger verification if needed.
"As a longtime TSA innovation partner, LAX has led the way in developing, testing and implementing new technology and procedures which enhance safety and streamline the guest experience," said Justin Erbacci, Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. “By testing the latest in biometrics, we once again are setting new industry standards for safety, security and efficiency."
TSA currently has the next generation CAT units in place in terminals throughout the airport. Currently, TSA is collecting data to measure the rate and accuracy of guest facial recognition and identity verification to help the agency evaluate the overall performance of the units in a busy security checkpoint environment. The results of this test will help determine the feasibility and potential deployment of the enhanced CAT units to other airports in the future.
“TSA is focused on the future of screening operations and leveraging enhanced capabilities of existing technologies to ensure the highest level of security effectiveness,” said Keith Jeffries, TSA Federal Security Director at LAX. "With increased automation and reduced physical contact between travelers and TSA officers, this new identity verification process is a win for everyone. I am grateful for the leadership at LAX and their willingness to enthusiastically embrace the next generation of technologies throughout the airport.”
Photos captured by CAT units are not stored or used for any other purpose than identity verification in the security checkpoint. Guests who do not wish to participate in facial recognition verification can opt out in favor of an alternative identity verification process.
CAT plays an important role in travel document verification. It improves a TSA officer’s ability to authenticate a traveler’s photo identification while also identifying inconsistencies associated with fraudulent travel documents.
In its partnership with TSA, LAX has been at the forefront of implementing emerging security technologies, with a focus on innovation. In January 2021, TSA announced that LAX was the first airport in the country to be fully outfitted with first-generation CAT units at all of the airport's security screening checkpoints.
A link to photos and b-roll of the next generation CAT units at LAX can be found here.
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About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX, the third-busiest airport in the world and second busiest in the United States in 2019, is in the midst of a $15-billion capital improvement program that will touch on all nine passenger terminals and build new facilities, including an Automated People Mover (APM) train, Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) facility and the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal.
In 2019, LAX served nearly 88.1 million passengers and offered an average of 700 daily nonstop flights to 113 destinations in the U.S. and 1,200 weekly nonstop flights to 91 markets in 46 countries on 72 commercial airlines.
LAX generates 620,600 jobs in Southern California, with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion, according to an economic study based on 2014 operations. This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues. The study also reported that LAX's ongoing capital improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion; $966 million in state and local taxes; and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.
LAX is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City's general fund.
LAWA is leading the aviation industry in sustainability practices, with initiatives related to water management, energy (electricity) management, air quality, recycling and natural resources management. In 2019, LAX received Level III ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation from Airports Council International-Europe.
LAWA is also a leader in inclusivity, operating eight programs that provide opportunities for business enterprises including local, small, minority-owned, veteran-owned and disadvantaged firms, and working together with community partners to offer the HireLAX Apprenticeship Readiness Program, which targets local workers to make them ready for rewarding careers in the construction trades, and the Build LAX Academy, designed to prepare small contracting businesses for success when working on projects at LAX.
LAX was named a top-10 U.S. airport by SKYTRAX in 2018, and was honored as the "Most Innovative Airport for Passenger Experience" in 2019 by the American Association of Airport Executives. LAX is the second-most popular airport in the world to appear on Instagram, according to wego.com. Other recent honors have included selection as the No. 9 Best Airport (Wall Street Journal); No. 7 Best On-Time Performance for a Mega-Hub Airport (OAG); one of "The World's Best Airports for Business Travelers" (GlobeHunters); Public-Private Partnership of the Year (P3 Bulletin); Urth Caffe, Best Airport Coffee Concession of the Year (Global FAB Awards); Innovation of the Year, Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility (ARTBA); Best Project, United Airlines Terminal 7 and 8 Redevelopment Program (Engineering News Record California); North American Public-Private Partnership Deal of the Year (IJ Global); and Innovative Transportation Solution of the Year, Automated People Mover (WTS LA).
As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.
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