Denver International Airport uses face recognition technology at security screenings

The Transportation Security Administration tells CBS Colorado they are expecting the 4th of July  holiday week to be the busiest on record for them. The TSA tells CBS Colorado on June 30 security workers screened more than 86,000 people at the Denver International Airport.  That was their fourth busiest day.

CBS Colorado First Alert Traffic Tracker Reporter Brian Sherrod took a tour with the TSA to show how the agency hopes to get travelers to the lines faster. The TSA is using face recognition machines. The machines scan your government ID for basic information including your name and age and it reveals your boarding information in 10 seconds. The TSA tells CBS Colorado the airport is one of the first across the country that utilizes this technology. 

Even with this new technology, the TSA is still seeing common mistakes that can cause delays. This includes passengers not having their IDs out to get checked and people carrying bottles of water in their bags.

“They do not leave enough time,” said Lorie Dankers, spokeswoman for TSA Colorado. “They don’t expect the unexpected. When they get to the airport, they already are feeling behind because if any step of the travel process doesn’t go as expected, they are going to find they are crunched for time. Nobody likes that feeling of being rushed, especially at a busy airport during a busy travel season.” 

The TSA tells CBS Colorado they are still expecting averages of 85,000 passengers over a day span during this busy travel period. This started on June 28 and will last until July 8. Make sure to always check your flight status before you arrive and plan your get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight.