later in the article.... 30 seconds might not seem like a lot, but 30 seconds per passenger for a 150-seat flight is about 45 minutes....just to get to the ID checker. That ain't gonna fly. Source
"The initial pilot machines cost about $3.2 million, or a little more than $100,000 each" This is just to make sure people don't photoshop their own boarding passes at home before printing them. Since people still can print bp's at home, and can certainly cut and paste bar codes, anyone serious can override this system very easily. Another few million wasted by the TSA on theater.
Now being a machine-oops, I meant a computer this prompts me to wonder will the information be stored or not..... But wait, the TSA says..... Now where have I heard that before? But you would think that with our tax dollars hard at work making lobbyists rich, you would think that this very basic part would/should be included as this is the only part of this mishegas that makes any sense and should be done
Now we're really getting into the "bloated" category for the TSA. Usual government thing, keep the budget up to keep itself relevant. I wish they would quit this shenanigans and upgrade their damn x-ray machines at the checkpoint. Seriously, I don't get why they haven't done that yet? I know they tried several years ago.....get a 3D machine in every checkpoint, then nobody would have to remove their laptops from bags (at least that's what happened in some cities that were trying out the 3D machines in select cities), they would improve on checkpoint efficiency, get people through faster, and make more people happy. Four changes to their uniform, no changes to the x-ray machines at the checkpoint. Makes the TSA line "your safety is our priority" outright comical.
As with all estimates provided by the government, they must be doubled to arrive at the true costs/time for implementation.
Of course, after you check in under your real name, you can go to your gate, buy another ticket with your laptop under any name you want, and print it on a portable printer, thereby making it impossible to determine who really boarded the flight. But who cares? This new system costs a lot and makes things LOOK REALLY SAFE, which is what's important, right?
Also, if every third passenger is asked by the machine to pronounce their last name or engage in inane banter for the purposes of behavior detection, well, that's another 8 seconds per person.
The government has no right to know which flight I board, where and why I travel. I believe the practice outlined in your post is best practice and should be shared with others who may need to guard their privacy.
Lately instead of saying "thank you, have a nice day" as I leave the TSA checkpoint, I say "thank you for a beautiful performance." I can't help but be polite, but I can at least make it snarky.
