The New York Times reported that travellers enrolled in the TSA PreCheck programme have the option of confirming their identity with a fingerprint scan at single security lanes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International and Denver International airports.
The voluntary TSA PreCheck programme was launched in 2013, with enrolment costing $85 for five years and offering access to expedited screening at 180 US airports. TSA has announced that enrolment in the scheme has now reached over five million.
Airport scans will be compared to fingerprints submitted by travellers when they enrolled but this won’t be the only recourse for security staff: TSA agents will still use other means to verify the identity of travellers who volunteer for fingerprint scans.
Larry Studdiford, an airport security consultant and founder of Studdiford Technical Solutions said:
“Eventually, the hope is that fingerprints serve as both the boarding pass and ID for flyers, but we’re not there yet.”
The new technology could potentially speed up security clearance for a significant number of travellers, even if just limited to TSA PreCheck lanes.