TSA using tablet to choose passenger line
Jul 5, 2015, 12:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Cambridge, UK
Posts: 261
TSA using tablet to choose passenger line
I was at LAX T2 last weekend. Before entering the security line, someone checked my boarding card.
Then part way down the line, another officer was using a tablet computer. She asked the size of our group (no other information wanted) then the tablet displayed an arrow on-screen which decided which way we were to go. We were directed upstairs where an agent scanned our boarding passes and we proceeded through security. The other direction remained downstairs and looked as though passengers were being put through an additional screening process before going to security upstairs.
Does anyone know what the purpose of the other line would have been. And also why they are using a tablet to choose the queue?
Then part way down the line, another officer was using a tablet computer. She asked the size of our group (no other information wanted) then the tablet displayed an arrow on-screen which decided which way we were to go. We were directed upstairs where an agent scanned our boarding passes and we proceeded through security. The other direction remained downstairs and looked as though passengers were being put through an additional screening process before going to security upstairs.
Does anyone know what the purpose of the other line would have been. And also why they are using a tablet to choose the queue?
Jul 5, 2015, 2:21 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,657
I suspect because of some mandate to "randomly" choose passengers foor the two different queues. Humans are notoriously horrible at making random choices (gee, why do so many non-Whites get selected for "additional screening"?); the tablet presumably acts as a true random selection, outside of the control of the person operating the tablet.
Jul 5, 2015, 4:00 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2011
Location: San Antonio, TX
Programs: AA EXP, DL Silver, Global Entry
Posts: 1,863
It's nothing more than an electronic randomizer with a little extra software to manage the number going to either line. Not all airports have them and even if they do have them they often don't use them at slow periods. The agent can also watch the lines and if one or the other starts to back up they can ignore the tablet and direct travelers as they see fit.
Jul 5, 2015, 6:02 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 26
It's nothing more than an electronic randomizer with a little extra software to manage the number going to either line. Not all airports have them and even if they do have them they often don't use them at slow periods. The agent can also watch the lines and if one or the other starts to back up they can ignore the tablet and direct travelers as they see fit.
Can't really complain that the ipad app is being racist.
Jul 5, 2015, 9:14 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
