A New Baggage Check-In
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will locate its baggage screening operation in a pop-up facility on the south end of the terminal.
Artist’s renderings of the Tahoe-themed ticket lobby the public can enjoy when the ABC Project is complete in November, 2009.
New Baggage Check-in.
The airport has begun building a better way to travel that’s as simple as ABC.
ABC stands for Airport Baggage Check-in Project-an estimated 22-month construction program that will result in a faster, more efficient travel experience in the ticket lobby when it's complete in November, 2009. The large baggage screening machines, which were placed in the lobby in the wake of 9/11, have taken nearly 40 percent of the ticket lobby space. The presence of the machines and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel who operate them, has made for an often crowded experience in the lobby. For five years, travelers have had to check-in at the ticket counters and then pick up their bags and wait in a second line to have their luggage screened by the TSA.
The ABC Project will end that two-step check in process as those screening machines and TSA personnel are moved behind the scenes. During ABC construction, a high-tech bag belt conveyor system will be built that will incorporate the screening machines. While the conveyor system is being constructed in a restricted, sensitive security environment, a new lobby will also be under construction that features one-stop check-in at the ticket counters as well as a Tahoe theme.
A Temporary Lobby
In order to construct the ABC Project, the entire current ticket lobby will be closed off for a majority of the project. The inside road lanes between the terminal and center median will also be closed. The road lanes between the parking garage and center median will remain open.
A new temporary lobby will be constructed on the front curb of the terminal beneath a pop-up structure. All ten of the airport's airlines will operate there utilizing a temporary bag belt.
One Step Check-in In the Short Term
The temporary lobby will offer a taste of what's to come when ABC is finished because the TSA machines and staff will screen bags in a separate facility. That means travelers can check in and check in their bags at one counter, a one-stop check-in process in an uncluttered lobby-even during the construction process.
This web site is designed to regularly update the public on the ABC Project while offering helpful travel hints. We hope you find the site helpful as you plan your next trip to the airport.
The New Lobby
When the Airport Baggage check-in Project (ABC) is complete in 2009, Reno-Tahoe International Airport will offer more than simply a new ticket lobby and bag belt system.
The vastly improved lobby will serve as a gateway from the Reno-Tahoe community in a style showcasing the beauty of the region, while offering travelers a high-tech customer service experience. It will make the all-important last impression on travelers leaving the community.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening machines and employees will be moved behind the scenes in favor of a one-stop bag drop system at the ticket counters. In the new lobby, travelers will be able to check-in at the counter and leave their bags with an airline representative. Passengers will no longer have to wait in a second line at a TSA screening machine.
To capture the feel of Tahoe, columns in the lobby will be wrapped in stone. Natural colors will be featured in the flooring and a floating ceiling will simulate clouds. Ticket counters will be outfitted with the latest kiosk check-in technology and flat screens behind each counter will display airline logos and information.
Regulations regarding Sensitive Security Information prevent the airport from discussing details of the new state-of-the-art baggage system. But it is fair to say the new technology will move and screen travelers bags in the fastest, safest and most efficient way possible.
