Automatic screening lanes speeding up security at O'Hare

United Airlines passengers deemed safe travelers who get fast passage through security checkpoints received another bonus Monday - automated screening lanes at O'Hare International Airport.

The airline is opening three automated lanes at Terminal 1 for fliers who have qualified for PreCheck status, a federal trusted-traveler program.

Two automated lanes opened up for all passengers, regardless of whether they have PreCheck or not, at Terminal 3 on Nov. 8.

The upgrade provides five spots per lane where people can load up bins while a double-decker conveyor belt moves empty ones to the front of the line.

With the original design that's still in use, passengers can only move as fast as the person in front of them, TSA spokesman Michael McCarthy said. The new system lets people go at their own pace, he added.

"It alleviates the bottlenecks," United spokesman Charles Hobart said. "At Los Angeles International Airport there's been a remarkable improvement in the speed at which customers are getting through security lanes ... a 30 to 50 percent increase in speed. This morning (at O'Hare) customers were going through at a good pace."

Transportation Security Administration officers will still be viewing the contents of carry-ons and intervene if something questionable shows up.

Problem bins are diverted to a specific area and are coded to prevent the wrong one from being targeted. Another advantage is that officers are freed from loading up bins and replacing them, McCarthy said.

The automated lanes were first installed at Los Angeles International Airport in October.

People seeking PreCheck status should first fill out an application online and then schedule an in-person appointment for fingerprinting and verification of identification. That information is then scrutinized by the FBI.

The application fee is $85 and is good for five years. For more information, visit tsa.gov/precheck.