Maui Airport Adds Temporary Screening Lane

Officials at Kahului Airport in Maui, Hawaii, think they have a solution to the problem of overcrowding and chaos that is plaguing airports around the world right now.

It’s a temporary fix, or at least they hope so as they root for things to return to normal.

Officials at the airport have added a new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening lane, according to The Maui News, which they hope reduces the congestion.

Marvin Moniz, Maui District Airports manager, told the publication he expects the new checkpoint to be open by the end of August. It will consist of a 200-foot-long tent outdoors, which will shade travelers from the sun not to mention all the high-tech equipment that will be outside that is normally used inside.

Moniz said adding new security lanes “should be a lot quicker” for customers.

The TSA signed off on the plan, with spokesman Daniel Velez saying that work has already begun with the installation of

Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) scanners, as well as cable and electric work.

The airport will soon receive four explosive-detection dogs as well as “an added layer of security,” Velez said.

Kahului Airport will serve as a good beta test if any other airports are interested in a similar program. The facility processes almost 7 million passengers a year, or almost 20,000 passengers a day – busy, but under normal circumstances not overwhelmingly chaotic. By comparison, Jackson-Hartfield in Atlanta processes about 75 million passengers a year or more than 200,000 a day.