Seattle’s Paine Field to Take Passenger Temperatures Before Flying
Paine Field, an international airport which serves the Seattle area, announced the introduction of a non-invasive fever detection system at its passenger terminal. The news was announced by the airport’s operator, Propeller Airports.
“It’s an effective, easy to implement tool that gets people comfortable,” said Brett Smith, the CEO of Propeller Airports. “Nobody wants to be sitting next to somebody who has a 104 degree temperature, and I certainly want to keep our passengers as safe as possible.”
The elevated body detection system uses a thermal camera designed by Athena Security to screen all passengers for fever just prior to entering the TSA checkpoint. The system is similar to those that have been in use in airports in Asia for the past few years.
“We care about your health,” the airport said in a post on Twitter.
If the system reports that a passenger has a fever higher than 100.4° F (38° C), the airport will require a secondary screening in order to make a determination on whether the passenger can fly.
Paine Field, also known as Snohomish County Airport, first began passenger service in 1939. It is the site of Boeing’s Everett assembly plant that was part of the 747 program. Passenger service resumed at the airport in 2019, with flights operated by Alaska and United airlines.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)