PORTLAND, Ore. — The opening of Portland International Airport’s revamped main terminal is just a few weeks away, and with it will come new security checkpoints that should help travelers get to where they're going more quickly.
KGW got a sneak peak Wednesday at the new checkpoints, which sit in an area that feels like a brand new PDX.
“There’s a lot of work going on... during construction there were 1,000 workers, and now we’re in the phase of moving into operations,” said Dan Pippenger, chief aviation officer for the Port of Portland.
Trying to get through PDX the last couple of years hasn’t been easy at times. Pippenger said the airport has been reduced to a very tight space in the ticket lobby and old security checkpoints. But stepping into the new space, it's easy to see how the renovations have made for a much more expansive experience.
“That was one of our big drivers back in 2015 and 2016, what we started thinking about was how much capacity do we have to put people through the checkpoint where they don’t have really long wait times like in other parts of the country,” said Pippenger.
Not only will travelers have more space, it’s going to be easier to get around thanks to advanced technology in screening.
“The first thing you’re going to see is the automated screen lane that’s going to provide a bin for the traveler to come through. They’ll be able to divest everything and keep everything in their bag which is really important,” said Kathleen McDonald, federal security director for the Transportation Security Administration in Oregon.
Instead of having to dump everything out, the TSA will know in seconds if what’s going through is something that can go with you or not.
“The second piece of technology that’s going to be easier for travelers is our X-ray machine. That is the same equipment that’s used in the medical field, it allows officers to look at images in 3D,” said McDonald.
The two new security checkpoints will open to the public next Wednesday, which is when the renovated main terminal welcomes its first travelers to PDX.