TSA Chief says biometrics could lower passenger travel stress

David Pekoske, the head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), says facial recognition and biometric technology are here to stay and in fact, they might be a stress-reducer for passengers flying on airplanes.

But is it more of a stress-reducer for the passengers, or is it a stress-reducer for those from the TSA who are checking identification verification?

Pekoske made his remarks this week in Austin, Texas, home of the famous South by Southwest annual meeting and conference and celebration. The speech came as part of a panel on airport security column at the same time the Federal Aviation Administration who’s hosting a Safety Summit in suburban Washington D.C.

Pekoske said an increase in the technology would speed up security lines at airports even further.

“It’s critically important that this system has as little friction as it possibly can, while we provide for safety and security,” he said, adding that the new technology the agency is using is more than 99 percent effective compared to the technology TSA was using just a few years ago. “We’re upgrading our camera systems all the time, upgrading our lighting systems. We’re upgrading our algorithms, so that we are using the very most advanced algorithms and technology we possibly can.”