Airports may be more chaotic this summer, according to US Travel Association analysis
In a recent development, the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill faces potential turbulence with an amendment proposed by Senators Jeff Merkley and John Kennedy. The proposed change, if enacted, could significantly disrupt airport operations and impact travelers across the country.
According to an analysis by the US Travel Association, the proposed change raised concerns regarding potential delays at TSA checkpoints. It is estimated that travelers could face an additional 120 million hours of wait time annually, affecting both TSA PreCheck and standard screening lanes.
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Furthermore, the proposal raises concerns about national security by potentially making it difficult for the TSA to use facial recognition technology for non-PreCheck passengers.
Eliminating the use of biometrics – like facial scans – will set the United States back decades.
“The proposed change to the FAA reauthorization is dangerous, expensive and threatens to create chaos at U.S. airports,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Eliminating the use of biometrics – like facial scans – will set America back decades, and only misinformed members of Congress will be to blame.”
The Merkley/Kennedy Amendment seeks to impose an outright ban on the TSA’s use of Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) until certain requirements are met, which could lead to significant disruptions as TSA personnel would need to retrain; technology would need to be removed and redeployed; and screening lanes would require reconfiguration.
Additionally, the proposal seeks to restrict the use of FRT to untrusted travelers and halt the expansion of FRT matching technology to new airports by May 2027. It also imposes limitations on expansion and enrollment in the TSA PreCheck Touchless Identity solution beyond customers existing and specific airports.
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Geoff Freeman emphasized the potential ramifications of the proposed legislation. He praised the TSA for its efforts in innovating security technology and criticized Congress for potentially hindering these advances.
Editor’s Note: This article was generated by AI, based on a press release distributed by the US Travel Association. It has been verified and reviewed by a TravelAge West editor.
