Comment by Todd Hauptli

While there are clear economic benefits that accompany these increases in passengers, airport facilities--many of which are decades old--cannot keep pace with current growth. Similarly, our Federal partners at both U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration will, undoubtedly, have significant difficulties handling record passenger volumes efficiently and effectively at current staffing levels, leading to growing wait times at checkpoints and in other processing queues. In our view, innovation holds the key to improving the efficiency of the travelers' journey and reducing growing lines, which themselves pose a security challenge. Wider adoption of biometric technology at our borders and security checkpoints is one way that airports, airlines, and the Federal Government can more seamlessly handle expected passenger growth. Biometrics, including facial recognition, have the potential to enhance security and efficiency without compromising important civil liberties provided that their utilization is coupled with robust privacy and data protections for travelers and the ability for American citizens to opt out of using biometric technology in favor of the traditional screening process at an airport.