KPBS Evening Edition

$35M Baggage Screening System Ready At San Diego Airport

By Dwane Brown / KPBS Evening Edition Anchor/Reporter

Published May 7, 2013 at 3:32 PM PDT

This story was published more than 10 years ago.

baggage system

$35M Baggage Screening System Ready At San Diego Airport

Terminal 2 at San Diego International Airport is now fully equipped with a new state-of-the-art baggage system designed to get your luggage to and from the plane faster than ever.

Terminal 2 at San Diego International Airport is now fully equipped with a new state-of-the-art baggage system designed to get your luggage to and from the plane faster than ever.

With nearly 17 million passengers, the airport is on the tail-end of a four-year, $1 billion makeover. It's the largest project in the airport's 80-year history and means 10 new gates, enhanced curbside check-in and expanded dining and shopping areas for passengers.

But the crowning jewel of the project may be something more out of view.

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The new baggage system is a one-and-a-half mile conveyer system that separates bags, screens them for explosives and sends them on to be cleared or physically inspected.

From start to finish, screening a bag will take about 10 minutes.

"It's a win for the airport because it makes us an airport that's right on the cutting edge of how to make (it) operate efficiently," said Thella Bowens, CEO of the San Diego Airport Authority.

The new baggage screening and explosives system cost $35 million. Ninety percent of it was paid for by the Department of Homeland Security.

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Dwane Brown

Brown started his career with KPBS in the early '90s as a radio anchor and reporter before expanding his broadcast news experience at CBS radio and television in New York. He’s been a news director, anchor, reporter and correspondent in San Francisco and has worked as a writer, producer, assignment editor and talk show host. He returned to KPBS in 2005. As the former anchor for KPBS Evening Edition, Brown provided an in-depth look at issues and stories relevant to San Diego. He spent nearly seven years as anchor/host of Morning Edition on KPBS Radio. Between 2006 and 2010, the San Diego Press Club named Brown "Best Morning Newscaster" in San Diego Radio. In 2006, the Society of Professional Journalists also named him "Best Morning Newscaster." During that time he managed and taught a two-week high school boot camp for aspiring radio reporters at KPBS in conjunction with the California Chicano News Media Association. Brown studied English/Journalism at San Diego State University and is a Fast Trac graduate from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. He’s a popular public speaker and Toastmaster International member. He’s been master of ceremonies for the American Red Cross, VA Medical Center San Diego, Urban League, San Diego Office of Emergency Services and numerous foundations. Brown is also a voice actor for movie, documentary, television, radio and Internet projects.

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