Pittsburgh airport to phase out using boarding passes at security checkpoints

Travelers flying out of Pittsburgh International Airport will soon not have to display a boarding pass to get past security, airport officials said this week.

Boarding passes will still be required at the gate to board the plane.

Officials with the airport and Transportation Security Administration announced that Pittsburgh is among several U.S. airports set to phase out the use of boarding passes at security checkpoints this year.

Instead, they are shifting to sophisticated screening machines that can verify passengers based solely on a government-issued ID card.

The Credential Authentication Technology, or CAT, allows security agents to pinpoint passengers and their specific flights using only an approved ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.

In coming weeks, about 500 machines will be installed at airports in U.S. cities, including Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Charlotte, Miami, Austin and Seattle. One machine is already in use at Pittsburgh International Airport, according to the airport.

The machines allow agents to scan an ID and quickly cross-reference it with passenger itineraries and TSA’s database, called Secure Flight. The database flags individuals placed on “No Fly” lists as well as suspected terrorists and people who could pose a national security risk.

The upgraded screening method aims to improve efficiency and reduce wait times while strengthening the vetting process, according to TSA.

Not every lane at security checkpoints may be equipped with a machine, airport officials said. Passengers in lanes without a machine still will need to present their paper or mobile boarding pass in addition to an ID. More machines will be installed as more agents complete training in using the new technology, according to the airport.

The change could be inconvenient for passengers whose personal information as reported to an airline differs from their government-issued IDs. Officials urged consumers to be careful when booking to ensure there is no discrepancy. Agents will have less leeway, for instance, to allow a passenger by whose licenses reads “Jonathan” and boarding pass simply says “Jon.”

The new technology will work with all of the TSA’s accepted forms of identification, which includes Real IDs, driver’s licenses, U.S. passports and passport cards, and U.S. Department of Defense IDs.

Starting Oct. 1, U.S. travelers will not be allowed through security checkpoints in U.S. airports without Real ID, a federally mandated ID that meets increased security standards.

The CAT system will not change Pittsburgh International Airport’s myPITpass program, which allows non-ticketed individuals to go beyond security checkpoints during certain hours.

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