The Transportation Security Administration is working to expand its MyTSA app to other platforms beyond the iPhone, said Neil Bonner, program manager for applications development at TSA.
Bonner, who will be speaking at FedScoop’s 2nd Annual MobileGov Summit on February 23, said his goal is to get the application to as many of the operating systems with a dominant presence as possible.
“We’ve found that this application greatly helps travelers to be prepared when going through security checkpoints, which makes for a much easier traveling experience,” said Bonner of the app that launched in 2010 and has routinely been recognized as one of the best in government.
Bonner said that since TSA launched the app, he’s seen a number of government agencies launching as well with the best ones responding directly to citizens’ need for government data.
The app has four features, which Bonner says the agency is always looking to expand based on customer feedback:
- Airport Status: Check what airports are experiencing general delays (not flight specific) or search for conditions at a specific airport. This information is provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
- “Can I Bring…?”: Type in an item you’d like to bring on a trip to find out if it is permitted or prohibited, and whether you can pack it in your carry-on or checked bags. If your item isn’t in the app, you can submit it for consideration.
- Guide: A consolidated guide to the most frequently requested security information, including the rules for liquids, gels and aerosols; ID rules; tips for packing and dressing to speed through security; and guidelines for the military, people traveling with children and those with special needs.
- Security wait times: You can post your security wait time and see what wait times other passengers have posted for U.S. airports. The more people that use the wait time portion of the app, the better it works.
“TSA is really responsive to what our travelers are traveling with and their need for data anywhere,” Bonner said. “As we go forward we are going to meet that need in a mobile form factor in the best ways possible.”
