Senators' Proposed FAA Amendment Could Cause Airport Chaos

The U.S. Travel Association has raised concerns about a proposed amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration's reauthorization bill, saying it could have detrimental effects on airport operations and could compromise security measures. Spearheaded by senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and John Kennedy (R-La.), the amendment seeks to restrict the Transportation Security Administration's use of facial-recognition technology.

According to a U.S. Travel analysis, the senators' proposal could significantly slow down both TSA PreCheck and standard screening lanes, resulting in travelers waiting an additional 120 million hours in security lines each year. 

"The proposed amendment to FAA reauthorization is dangerous, costly and threatens to create chaos at America's airports," said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of U.S. Travel. "Eliminating the use of biometrics — such as facial scans — will set America back by decades and only misinformed members of Congress are to blame."

The amendment would enforce a total ban on the technology until TSA complies with costly requirements — a process would require the agency to retrain staff, remove and redeploy technology, and reconfigure screening lanes. 

In addition to halting the expansion of facial-recognition technology to new airports until May 2027, the proposal seeks to restrict the enrollment in TSA PreCheck's Touchless Identity Solution beyond existing customers and the six airports where it currently is in use: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, Los Angeles International, Chicago O'Hare International, and LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy in New York.

Added Freeman, "TSA… is innovating with the latest security technology, and members of Congress are threatening to stand in its way at the expense of the travel experience."