New Orleans and the Caesars Superdome stadium will be hosting Super Bowl LIX in February. With the big game coming up and the busy holiday season starting soon, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) are preparing for high passenger volumes with several innovations, including new security equipment.
TSA is installing 11 new automated screening lanes (ASLs) with Computed Tomography (CT) scanners at the airport checkpoint to enhance security efficiency and decrease the amount of time travelers spend in the security screening process. Installation of the lanes began several months ago and is ongoing. Once complete, the new equipment will allow for two extra lanes during the busy Super Bowl departures period, bringing the total from 15 to 17 lanes.
“We are happy to have incorporated innovative technology in New Orleans to improve the passenger experience while raising our security posture,” said Arden Hudson, TSA’s federal security director for the state of Louisiana. “The new screening lanes offer enhanced security as well as an expedited screening experience.”
The CT scanners provide a clear 3-D image of the contents of a traveler’s carry-on bag. Using a touch-screen monitor, TSA officers can rotate the image to get a more complete view of what is inside each bag. In doing so, TSA officers are able to better identify items inside a bag, which results in fewer bags needing to be pulled aside and opened. The 3-D images also enable TSA to better and more quickly identify any threat items that might be contained in carry-on bags.
“With the increase in passenger activity in the coming months as New Orleans continues to be a premier destination for travelers, we are grateful to our partners with the TSA for investing in new equipment to help improve efficiency and safety at MSY,” said Kevin Dolliole, the airport’s director of aviation. “This recent improvement is an example of what happens when we work together with our stakeholders to ensure a positive passenger experience—especially ahead of holidays and major events like the Super Bowl.”
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