Self-service for airport security? It happens in Las Vegas.

As most air travelers can attest, the airport security experience can be far from serene. There are a lot of rules – often shouted by Transportation Security Administration officials – about what you can bring, how to organize your belongings and where to stand. Lines can be painfully long and fears sky-high. And there are security guards during the whole process.

But at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, a new kind of security researchunveiled Wednesday by the TSA, is led by the passenger himself.

The system, which uses video monitors, facial recognition software and body scanners, is not about saving time during the trip but about improving the overall passenger experience, said Christina Peach, deputy assistant administrator for requirements and capabilities at the TSA.

“Individuals want to be able to complete the screening process at their own pace and with minimal interaction with our officers,” she said.

The new pilot program will officially open to the public on March 11. Here’s what you need to know.

Where is it and who can use it?

The self-service screening process, which is only available to travelers with TSA PreCheck approval, will be available on two security lines within the “Innovation Checkpoint” at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. (The airport is testing emerging technologies and new processes on six ‘Innovation Checkpoint’ runways.)

Traditional security checks remain available to passengers.

How does the screening work?

As a traveler approaches the security lanes, a screen displays instructions on how to place personal belongings in bins and what belongings should be removed (e.g., electronics and belts). With a camera feature on a small tablet, facial recognition technology is first used to verify your identity.

Then you go to a disposal station, the area near the conveyor belt where you drop your stuff and put it in a bin. There are two stations per lane, allowing two passengers to use the lane at the same time. Video monitors at each station play turn-by-turn instructions. The goal is to get one bin per passenger, Ms. Peach said.

You push your bin to the conveyor belt, which then moves the bin to be scanned. After this, you step through a body scanner that resembles a glass box.

If a bin is flagged, it will be routed down a different path and a TSA officer will conduct a search.

Once you collect your bag, you can leave the empty bin and it will automatically be placed back on the pile.

Will TSA agents be around?

TSA personnel will still be there, but not as many of them will be manning the screening lanes. On any given day, there are usually between 10 and 15 officers working the six lanes of the Innovation Checkpoint, Ms Peach said.

Some may be remote. Passengers who need extra assistance can press a button to talk to an agent via a video monitor, and agents will still conduct security patrols and additional baggage checks.

How long does the screening take?

It will vary depending on the pace of the individual passenger, Ms Peach said.

When does the pilot end? Will it move to other airports?

The first pilot is expected to last several months. Ms Peach emphasized that it is a prototype and the agency will collect data and feedback from passengers.

However, some elements of the system could eventually end up at checkpoints across the country, she said.

Will the future of security screening be one without TSA agents physically present?

TSA agents will always be working at security checkpoints, Ms. Peach said, either alongside passengers or at remote screening locations.

“The officers are their most valuable asset,” she said of the government agency. “It really means that the officer is part of the system, even though they may not be as visible.”

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