The new Terminal 1 is not only more spacious and more efficient, it features state-of-the-art technology to ensure passenger security and comfort.
These changes gave our Security Analysts at San Diego International Airport a new level of work. With the legacy T1 gone, how is their job different? We asked some of our Aviation Security and Public Safety (AVSEC) team members, and this is what they said:
More doors and cameras: The cameras are higher quality than at the legacy T1 and there are approximately 300 doors at the new T1 compared to 98 at the legacy T1. Each door requires 24-hour access control and monitoring.
Enhanced security: The new automated exit lanes at the new T1 help streamline passenger movements from post-security to pre-security areas. But the complicated technology required extra training for some members of our AVSEC team. They’re not just a crowd management feature; they’re also an important security feature with myriad motors and sensors.
Tenant/employee adjustment: New tenants and former legacy T1 tenants have had to adjust to the extra layers of security at the new T1, such as using an access control elevator, additional TSA employee checkpoints, and the TSA screening area at the new T1 employee entrance.
More ground to cover: Perhaps the biggest change, they say, is the amount of space they now have at the new T1 compared to the legacy T1. As the only TSA-regulated department at the Airport Authority, one of their tasks is to make sure all the concessions in New T1 are abiding by TSA regulations and guidance. This requires regular security audits, and they now have 940,000 square feet to cover, compared to the 274,164 square feet in the legacy T1.
