Tests will be conmducted at six more airports

Two weeks ago, we reported the Transportation Security Administration is testing at Salt Lake City and Denver airports a new segmented system of screening that lets passengers decide which of three types of lanes to use: a green lane for families and novice flyers who might need extra time; a black diamond lane for experienced frequent business travelers who know the drill; and blue lanes for casual travelers who fall in between those two extremes. (The color coding is the same as that used by mountain resorts to designate the degree of difficulty for ski trails.) Now TSA says the tests have been going so well that the concept will be expanded to six more airports during April. The agency hasn’t yet said which airports those will be, but it noted that at SLC and DEN, it has seen “greatly increased customer satisfaction” with the new system. “While expert travelers have experienced a significant reduction in wait time, TSA has also observed the family lane running much smoother as well,” an agency spokesperson said. “By giving families more time to prepare for screening, we are discovering many less prohibited items during the screening process.” Meanwhile, TSA is testing another new concept at California’s Burbank Airport: Travelers who are carrying just one small bag – small enough to fit under the seat – are allowed to pass through an express security lane called a “Zip Lane.”