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Upgraded Airport X-Ray Machines Should Shorten Lines

Machines now being tested at three U.S. airports

By Dan Schlossberg
ConsumerAffairs.com

September 2, 2007

Already used by security officials in Canadian and European airports, the devices are designed to photograph items from two different angles – doubling the current X-ray capacity and giving screeners side-by-side images that are better at detecting explosives.

According to Kip Hawley, chief of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the new machines represent a sharp upgrade in security. He also said his agency would spend $50 million to buy machines for major U.S. airports if current testing is successful.

The $120,000 X-ray machine is being tested at three different airports, including Washington Reagan National.

The benefit to consumers is obvious: security lines will move faster because carry-on bags that now require double screenings will only need to be X-rayed once. Eventually, the TSA requirement that laptops be removed from carry-ons and inspected separately might be waived.

If testing goes well, the TSA will deploy nearly 500 of the machines at U.S. airports well before winter begins.

The machines are made by Rapiscan Systems of Torrance, Calif.

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