Rethinking Airport Security from Curb to Gate

Centralized airport checkpoints were designed for a different era. As passenger volumes grow and terminals modernize, is funneling every traveler through a single screening location still the most effective model?

At the AAAE/ACC Planning & Design Symposium, a Young Professionals team including Caleb Kolman of Arora Engineers (Arora) presented “Security First: A Holistic Reimagining of Airport Security.” The premise was simple: today’s centralized checkpoint model may not be the most efficient or adaptable way to secure modern airports.

The Limitation

Most airports funnel passengers through a single screening checkpoint. While familiar, this approach often creates:

• Long queues
• Significant space demands
• Limited flexibility during peak travel

As passenger volumes grow and terminals modernize, security planning must evolve alongside them.

A Continuous Model

Rather than concentrating screening in one location, the team proposed a distributed approach where identity verification and screening begin earlier and extend throughout the passenger journey.

Using technologies already deployed in many airports, including biometric identity verification, passive screening systems, and CT scanning, security becomes layered from curb to gate.

The goal is to enhance coverage, reduce congestion, and improve the passenger experience.

Collaboration Across Industry

The team included Caleb Kolman (Arora), Aditya Simha Rao and Tyler Thayer (Gresham Smith), and Aireyanna Kennedy (Charlotte Douglas International Airport).

Their second-place finish in a competitive field underscores both the strength of the concept and the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration in advancing airport infrastructure.

Interested in shaping the future of airport infrastructure? Explore opportunities with our team.