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TSA Announces $600,000 Award For New Checked Baggage Screening System at Grand Forks International Airport

Press Release

August 23, 2010

TSA Contact: Carrie Harmon
303-204-2134

Airport Contact: Rick Audette
701-795-6981

Photo of an airport terminal. Grand Forks, N. D. – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced an award of approximately $600,000 to Grand Forks International Airport (GFK) for construction of a new inline baggage handling system designed to enhance the TSA’s efforts to strengthen security at airports. The new passenger terminal is scheduled to open in 2011.

“This technology will streamline the baggage screening process while strengthening security,” said TSA North Dakota Federal Security Director John Hursey. “The state-of-the-art inline system will make the baggage screening process faster and more efficient, which is great news for passengers at our airport.”

The $604,246 award will fund construction of a fully automated inline baggage screening system as part of a new passenger terminal building. The inline baggage handling system in the airport will better serve the more than 100,000 passengers traveling through Grand Forks International each year. When completed, Grand Forks will feature 100 percent inline screening, greatly improving airport efficiency.

“The partnership with TSA will improve customer service and enhance the efficiency and security of our airport,” said Rick Audette, Operations & Maintenance Manager for the Grand Forks Regional Airport Authority. “We greatly appreciate the assistance of the TSA with our exciting terminal project.”

WHY is TSA funding inline baggage handling systems? Inline baggage handling systems use state-of-the-art technology to quickly screen baggage for explosives while streamlining the ticketing and boarding process. This eliminates the need for passengers to walk checked baggage to a screening location before proceeding to the security checkpoint. The systems provide on-screen resolution capabilities for Transportation Security Officers, which reduces the number of re-scans and physical bag searches.