TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa International Airport (TPA) has opened its newly expanded security screening checkpoint at Airside A, following a similar project completion at Airside E just a month prior.
The expanded checkpoint aims to significantly enhance the passenger experience at Airside A, which was originally designed and built in 1995, before the establishment of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
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TPA Executive Vice President of Planning & Development and Maintenance Smitha Radhakrishnan stated, “This is yet another very important investment that TPA has made to keep the passenger journey as seamless and stress-free as possible. Like the security screening area expansion at Airside E, we took great care to design a space that was open, well-lit, uses the latest technology, and creates a welcoming environment for our travelers as they make their way through our airport.”
The expansion adds 20,560 square feet to the Airside, providing more queuing space and increasing the number of screening lanes from six to seven. Notably, five of these lanes will be equipped with new computed tomography (CT) machines, which will allow travelers to keep shoes and electronics in their baggage during screening.
TSA Federal Security Director for TPA, Kirk Skinner, commented, “TSA continues to see record passenger volume at Tampa International Airport’s security checkpoints and has been working closely with the airport to prepare for future growth. The expansion of the airside checkpoints allows us space to add new technology that improves both security and efficiency.”
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The airport is implementing these new CT machines across all Airsides, a project supported by Tampa Bay’s U.S. Congressional delegation.
The new checkpoint is accessible through a newly constructed Airside A shuttle lobby passageway. The space is designed to feel bright and open, featuring nearly floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings, offering views of aircraft from the queuing area. The original shuttle lobby will undergo reconfiguration as part of the ongoing project.
Suffolk Construction, a Boston-based design-build firm, collaborated with consulting firm AECOM on the Airside A and Airside E projects.
Sam Sleiman, Executive Vice President of National Transportation at Suffolk, said, “Suffolk is incredibly proud to celebrate the completion of Phase One at Tampa International Airport (TPA). Despite the challenges posed by two major hurricanes, our dedicated team demonstrated strength and resilience, working closely with TPA and the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority to ensure these spaces were delivered on time and on budget. This achievement underscores our commitment to collaboration and innovation, and our steadfast dedication to excellence.”
The project’s construction cost is $65.1 million, funded primarily through bonds and a $525,000 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
Funding for the project was approved by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors at its August 2023 meeting.
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