Airport Security May Soon Become Friendlier
Photo credit: nedrichards
Long gone is the glamour of air travel. To the average traveler, air travel these days means long security lines, hastily undressing for security check, cramped seating, mean flight attendants, tasteless food and coughing fellow travelers in sweatpants. And, if you travel with kids, double the pleasure: tired, restless children, vomit stains on your blouse and you can’t even bring their juice boxes from home anymore.
But does air travel have to be a nightmare? The TSA seems to think it doesn’t. USA Today reports, that the Transportation Security Administration is in the process of creating a gentler screening process: soft lights, soothing music, and smiling employees who offer quiet greetings and assistance.
The philosophy behind the improvements: a chaotic, noisy security checkpoint gives camouflage to terrorists and pressures the screeners to rush the job. In addition, if regular passengers are relaxed, it will be easier to spot – and stop – passengers with hostile intent.
To this weary traveler, it sounds like a wonderful idea.
More on traveling with kids:
TSA tips for traveling with children
Traveling with Children
Sometimes, it stinks
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Computer Addict responds:
Posted: April 1st, 2008 at 9:32 am →
Will never work. The reality is that you have to get thousands of people through a bottleneck (the screening process) in as short a time as possible. Atlanta’s airport handles close to 80 million passengers a year (- that’s more than 10,000 passengers an hour. Who among us will be willing to arrive at the airport 2 hours earlier, in order to enjoy a leisurely screening?. It will always be a hurried scence. Instead of installing mood lighting, the TSA’s efforts would be better put to use into a process that actually detect threats
ironman responds:
Posted: April 1st, 2008 at 11:18 am →
I second what computer addict said. It will never work. They should be working on making us safe, not comfortable.
Jill responds:
Posted: April 1st, 2008 at 12:57 pm →
Well, I hope it *does* work. How great it will be for you guys if it happens before your trip this summer?
Rayven responds:
Posted: April 1st, 2008 at 2:45 pm →
Isnt that an oxymoron?
“calmer security checkpoint”
Does anyone think that will really happen??