Just launched today and already available, people flying out of Houston whether it be for business or pleasure, will be pleasantly surprised by new solution that will give them access to near real-time data in regards to security checkpoint wait times at George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport.
Called www.Fly2Houston.com, the application works by grabbing Bluetooth signals and then showing users the amount of time they should allow for in order to successfully pass through various checkpoints throughout the facilities. This will ultimately serve not only passengers in being more aware of what to expect as far as wait times which could dramatically improve their satisfaction levels as they aren’t walking into the unknown, but also help airport employees in having to deal with a reduced amount of irate customers. Note that I said less, not all.
"We exist to connect people, businesses, cultures and economies of the world to Houston and this new tool is our gift to the traveling public this holiday season," said Mario C. Diaz, Houston Airport System director of Aviation, in a statement.
Until this offering made its debut, those looking to take to the air were completely perplexed and couldn’t accurately gauge how long it would ultimately take to pass through security as sometimes lines were short and other times seemed never ending. Officially being unveiled today at nine checkpoints, the Houston Airport System is highlighting November 16 as "Customer Appreciation Day."
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Lisa Kent, Houston Airport System chief information officer added, "We are using technology to enhance the customer experience. We've equipped all eight checkpoints at our five terminals at Bush Intercontinental and our single checkpoint at Hobby with this online tool."
With automatic refreshes taking place every 15 minutes, the intuitive interface will highlight the selected checkpoints in different colors based upon the amount of wait time required. While green stands for a wait time of less than 10 minutes, a color that will surely put a smile on travelers faces; yellow means waiting around anywhere from 10 to fifteen minutes; and red is associated with longer than 15 minutes.
At a time in history where airport security is being touted as more intense than ever, with recent headlines of celebrities including Solange Knowles, sister of Beyoncé, revealing she was targeted by TSA officials when they requested to check her large afro for explosives, will a product like this be able to significantly increase efficiency in airports? Or will a type of pre-screening program needed, like the one that recently kicked off at San Francisco International Airport, prove more vital?
Created to improve security by putting focusing much more heavily upon pre-screening volunteers, “this has revolutionized how we do screen checks,” TSA spokesman, Nico Melendez commented. By letting travelers pass through checkpoints without being forced to remove their shoes, take out their laptops from cases or get rid of liquid products, it looks like airport officials want you to get your security check over and done with almost as much as you do.