Extra airport security lane to aid those with special needs | Lexington Herald Leader

The Transportation Security Administration is trying to make make traveling out of Blue Grass Airport — and all airports — a little easier.

People who are traveling with small children, those who have special needs, those who are carrying liquids that are exempt from the TSA's limit on carry-on liquids, and those who are simply traveling with a lot of stuff, will have a specially designated lane to go through, if they want to, at security checkpoints at all of the nation's 450 airports.

These "self-select lane" system has already been in use at 50 airports for some time. On Wednesday, the rest of the country's airports, including Lexington's Blue Grass Airport, began using the system. The specially marked lanes will be available through the holiday season and beyond.

"It simply allows passengers to choose which lane they go in," said TSA spokeswoman Lauren Gaches, who was at the Lexington airport on Wednesday to talk about the system.

"We're looking to make the experience less stressful for passengers," she said.

The self-select lane system might be welcome news for Thanksgiving holiday travelers departing from Blue Grass Airport, which is expected to have at least 4 percent more passengers during Thanksgiving week — from the Wednesday before the holiday to the Wednesday after — than it had during the same period last year.

"We're already, with advance booking, up 4 percent for the holiday period. That's with a week to go in selling tickets," Blue Grass Airport executive director Michael Gobb said.