Facial recognition scanners are now in full-time use at the state’s two largest airports. TSA regional spokesperson Jessica Mayle says the scanners verify ID’s used by passengers as they board.
TSA spokesperson Jessica Mayle demonstrates the facial recognition system with TSA Officer Buddy Chism. (RI photo)
“It takes a real-time photo of the person who is presenting the ID and it compares it to the image on the ID and validates that that’s the same person, she says. Mayle says the system also confirms that the person is booked on a flight that will be leaving the airport. She demonstrated the system at the Des Moines Airport, where it took about three seconds for the machine to take her picture and then start verifying her identity with her driver’s license.
Mayle also addressed possible privacy concerns with the system. “The photo is not stored we don’t do anything with it it’s deleted immediately once the person walks away we are only using this technology to validate someone’s identity,” she says. Mayle says you have options for those who still have concerns. “If anybody does not want their picture taken or does not want to participate — simply declined to the officer and we will manually identity verify your ID in the traditional way — which is just an officer looking at your face comparing you against the picture,” she says.
They’ve been running the machines in a pilot program since May, and she says they’ve found for roughly every 2,000 people who go through, less than five decline the photo recognition. Mayle says the scanners run people through the check-in at the same rate as the old process, and improved security is their biggest advantage.
She says the best way to speed things up at check-in is to ensure everyone is prepared when they show up at the airport. “If you come up and you have your ID ready when you hand it to him that’s much different than oh god let me pull out my wallet and look for it, that’s really what’s slowing people down is not being prepared with their ID,” she says. “And then when you get through that TDC and you’re getting ready to go through the checkpoint, do you have what you’re supposed to have in your bag?” Mayle says people who don’t have their I-D out or who need to take things out of their bags slow things up for everyone else who was prepared.
The photo recognition devices are also being used at the Cedar Rapids Airport.