American Airlines to keep priority check in lanes
American Airlines says that it can ensure that check-in security equipment is fully used, while still giving its best customers priority treatment.
In the US, the newly created federal Transportation Security Administration has asked the airlines to eliminate the priority lanes for first class and frequent flying passengers. According to an article in the Washington Post, the agency said that having the exclusive, shorter lines causes security equipment to be underused. However, American Airlines and American Eagle are to keep the lanes at 19 airports for AAdvantage Gold, Platinum, and Executive Platinum members, AAirpass holders and first class and business class passengers.
Same level of security According to American's executive VP for customer service, Dan Garton, "We are working closely with the federal government to continue offering good customer service while at the same time ensuring that equipment at the security checkpoints is fully utilized." He pointed out that customers using the express queues still undergo the same level of security scrutiny as customers in the regular queues and explained that under the queuing system there is no dedicated screening equipment for express passengers. This means that all security equipment is consistently being used equally.
Training To help it meet the bag screening requirement under the new Aviation Transportation and Security Act, the airline has trained tens of thousands of airport employees in the new security procedures, which include 100% bag screening. It has also increased the use of Explosive Detection Systems, Explosive Trace Devices, physical searches and positive passenger bag matching. In addition, its new portable device, Roving Agent, allows airline agents to approach passengers travelling without checked baggage to complete their check-in transaction.
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