Better Security - where security runs like clockwork

Security is every airport’s ultimate ‘need-to-have’. Teams must combine a thorough approach with speedy operations, all while maintaining the highest security standards possible. Better Security software gives you the information you need to deploy optimal physical and human resources during high-volume moments and throughout the day.

When teams trust their lane strategy, that means less stress and sharper decision-making skills - ensuring a smoother and safer experience for passengers from the time they step in line.

Better Security is part of Better Airport® – the world’s leading connected operations platform for airport operators.

Three key benefits for your airport

Algorithmically precise planning

Better Security uses forecast passenger demand and checkpoint capacity to recommend how many security lanes to open and for how long, helping you plan against your wait-time targets.

Allocate the right resources at the right time

Whether the bottleneck is an x-ray machine, CT scanner, or doorway, our airport security software helps you plan around it.

Fast and easy implementation and operation

Airport operators and security teams can access the tool from anywhere in the airport, using data and automation to eliminate slow and costly manual processes.

Illustration of how Better Security works

Case Study

Better planning and utilization of infrastructure

Optimized lane plans indicate the number of lanes to open in 5-minute increments, ensuring you can make changes when appropriate. By integrating with automated passenger tracking solutions, Better Security automatically updates the recommended lane opening plan to reflect changes. In the same way, a live integration with the flight schedules updates in case of any delays or cancellations, instantly triggering a new recommended plan.

See how LYS optimized security operations

LP OptimizationTalks 3- security performance

A proactive approach to airport security operations

By focusing on the effectiveness of security checks, operational efficiency, and passenger satisfaction, even the busiest airports can predict and address bottlenecks in their security operations. The primary causes of long wait times are:

Inaccurate passenger forecasts
Limited scanner throughput
Staffing issues

All this can be mitigated through realistic planning and the ability to adapt when the day doesn't go according to plan. By empowering staff to adapt in real-time, airports can reduce queues during peak times, ensure smoother security operations, and improve the overall passenger experience.

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Better Security FAQ

What does airport security lane planning software do?

Airport security lane planning software helps teams decide how many screening lanes to open and when. Better Security is the checkpoint-planning module within Better Airport. It connects expected passenger demand with available processing capacity so planners can assess a lane-opening plan and its staffing implications before the checkpoint becomes busy.

What can we plan and review in Better Security?

Better Security shows planned lane openings, processing intensity, and expected wait times in 5-minute intervals. Throughput and staffing levels can be configured for each lane, so the plan reflects how your checkpoint actually operates.

What data should an airport review before a security-planning project?

Start with passenger forecasts, measured throughput, and waiting-time records. Boarding-pass scan data can also be useful where it’s available and relevant. The project team will confirm which datasets are suitable for your checkpoint.

Can Better Security adapt when conditions change during the day?

Yes. Better Security can replan based on operational reality, such as queue length, to update the lane-opening plan as the day develops.

How does Better Security support planning after a CT-scanner upgrade?

CT implementation changes the dynamics of the throughput, and opens up new possibilities. We support the transition by configuring lane by lane, so it’s possible to have different technical setups. Additionally, we allow for both passengers and image throughput, so we always plan according to the bottleneck - even when it's changing on the day.

The new lanes also allow for a flexible number of people per lane, and we can reflect that - different throughputs for differing staffing levels.

How do Better Security, Better Forecast and Better Shift differ?

Better Forecast predicts passenger demand, Better Security plans checkpoint capacity, and Better Shift creates shifts and staff rosters. They answer different questions: how many passengers will arrive, which lanes should operate, and which employee shifts will cover the resulting requirement. Better Deployment addresses day-of task assignment.

What evidence is there that better lane planning can improve security queues?

In August 2023, Manchester Airport handled nearly 100,000 passengers a day, with 96% waiting less than 15 minutes at security. The project combined Copenhagen Optimization’s consulting expertise with Better Forecast, Better Security, and Better Shift.

How should an airport evaluate Better Security?

Evaluate the lane plan against the checkpoint's own operating baseline. Agree measures such as passenger waiting time, throughput, planned and actual lane openings, staffing hours and time spent replanning. Include both normal days and demanding peaks. Review whether the team could act on the recommendations, not just whether the calculated plan looked efficient on screen.

The Better Airport software suite - get to know us module by module

Better Airport is a cloud-based airport management platform that gives airports of all sizes a simpler way to run core operations. The core modules of the Better Airport suite can be mixed and matched to fit your operational needs.

Click on the modules below to learn more.