As part of its $60mn renovation, Syracuse International Airport has installed new exit portals that it says will replace the need for security guards or TSA agents to be stationed at exits to the secure part of the airport. The new system has been branded by some as a “detention pod” because of the ability to lock passengers in.
It should be noted that “security” is the stated purpose for this move rather than merely a way to cut labor costs.
“We need to be vigilant and maintain high security protocol at all times. These portals were designed and approved by TSA which is important,” said Syracuse Airport Commissioner Christina Callahan.
It is not so much the TSA involvement that bothers me (though this is another sign of TSA mission creep). I’m not so much worried about “detention pods” where the “government” can track our movement with facial recognition software (there are cameras installed in each pod). What bothers me is that once you pass into the pod you are trapped for three seconds before the other side opens. This is then in a sense detention and even though it is brief, it still restricts movement in a manner which is not proportionate to the security interest. At least that is my opinion.
When living in Frankfurt, I dealt with an exit portal all the time when passing from the non-Schengen airport zone to passport control. There, though, the delay was only for one second–I did not even have to stop walking.
That would be a suitable compromise, but I see no need to hold people for three seconds and until someone explains why a three-second detention is necessary other than crying “safety” or “9/11”, I will remain firmly against this new exit procedure.
What’s wrong with how PHL does it in D/E? No detention pods, no TSA guy.
So 1 second is okay, but 3 second isn’t?
Ahh, come now…its ONLY 3 seconds.
@Jeff-PHL is a good example and having lived there for three years, I should have thought of that. A much better solution.
@John K – well, I would do away with airport security all together, but that’s a whole other topic…
The D/E solution is good, but not great. The specific hardware breaks all the time, and a lot of people see the “EMERGENCY EXIT” signs on the outer doors, panic, and freeze, which shuts down the whole checkpoint.
My idea? Use the door system from the intro to “Get Smart.” Seems pretty secure.
I was surprised to see that they didn’t use the new exit system that SEA has, and IIRC, is the same as FRA. They’re much more efficient and don’t require pax to be locked in while it processes their exit.
To me, the best solution (though often infeasible in existing construction) is to control access through level changes, like at ORD. The whole issue of confinement is removed completely (or at least made invisible and unobtrusive), and it has a lot of other benefits in terms of way-finding.
Essentially, any pod or double-door system is a sign that the terminal exit wasn’t designed for modern security standards, and that there’s a conflict between crossing and exiting traffic.
How are these things any different than a subway exit turnstile?
Because you keep moving through a subway turnstile rather than being trapped for a few seconds.