Airport adds baggage screening equipment

Just in time for Glacier Park International Airport’s busiest season, the federal Transportation Security Administration has installed a new checked-baggage screening unit that boosts the airport’s ability to process bags by 50 percent.

At full capacity the new screener can handle 200 bags per hour, similar to the other two screening units already in place. That means during peak times the airport can screen 600 bags per hour, according to TSA spokeswoman Lorie Dankers. All of the screening equipment uses the latest explosives detection technology, she said. By law, TSA is required to screen all checked baggage for explosives.

Another recent improvement was the addition an extended table on one of the screening units to screen oversized bags such as golf clubs, skis or fishing rods.

Growth in airport passenger numbers prompted Glacier Park International to petition for the additional machine, Airport Director Rob Ratkowski said.

United Airlines’ increase in service this summer for the major markets of San Francisco, Chicago and Denver was a driving factor in asking for more equipment, he said. Starting July 1 and continuing through Sept. 5, United will offer daily flights to San Francisco. United also is rolling out larger Airbus 319 aircraft on existing direct flights to Chicago and Denver starting July 1. The Airbus offers a 82 percent capacity increase over the regional jets currently used by the airline to service Chicago and a 17 percent increase in seats to Denver.

Delta also is shifting more service to Airbuses and is enhancing its service to Los Angeles in July, he added.

July and August traditionally are the busiest months for TSA security operations at Glacier Park International Airport. With that in mind, Ratkowski suggests travelers arrive two hours in advance of their flight time during peak summer months, especially if it’s a morning flight. Nearly 600 passengers go through security by 7:30 a.m. on a daily basis this time of year, he said.

Glacier Park International Airport set passenger records for a fifth consecutive year in 2016, with nearly a half-million travelers using the airport. A total of 492,522 passengers passed through GPIA in 2016, surpassing the previous record year, 2015, by almost 5 percent.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.