NASHVILLE — If you fly in and out of Nashville, you might notice a recent high-tech addition.
Nashville International Airport (BNA) has installed Dormakaba Exit Lane Breach Control doors to increase terminal safety. Officials said the one-way exit corridor guides the flow of arriving passengers at the terminal. It allows for fast and safe passage from the air side to the land side.
A statement from airport officials cited the airport’s continued “tremendous growth” in the announcing the security enhancements at two concourse exits.
In July 2022, Nashville International Airport announced a record-breaking year, with 18.4 million total travelers at the end of the fiscal year, 7% higher than the previous record year 2019.
The automated security system provides higher security between the airside and landside areas in the airport, which adds additional security for passengers, airline crew and employees, officials said.
As passengers approach the exit lane corridor, a sensor at the top of the door will pick up their approach, open the doors, and passengers will walk through as they would any automatic door.
The Exit Lane Breach Control doors eliminates the need for a guard, Dormakaba, a Switzerland-based company, posted on its website.
“The modular system is equipped with a series of motion presence and video analytic sensors that are designed to detect unattended objects left within or passed through the corridor area,” the company said. “As passengers exit through the corridor, full-height and half-height double swing doors automatically open and close based upon a programmed flow or interlock mode.
“Combined, the physical barrier and advanced sensor technology provide a secure detection and entry prevention solution without the need of a guard.”
According to the National Safe Skies Alliance (Safe Skies), airports across the country are examining the safety and reliability of their exit lane solutions. The Safe Skies “Exit Lane Strategies and Technology Applications” report outlines many current efforts to improve security.
“Many airports continue to maintain guards as their primary method of exit lane protection and security, but are interested in deploying more innovative solutions to improve the security posture of the airport and reduce costs,” the report said.
Safe Skies is a nonprofit organization that works with airports, government, and industry to maintain a safe and effective aviation security system.
BNA averages 275 daily airline departures to 89 nonstop destinations, which includes four countries, 33 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Opening in June 12, 1937, Nashville International Airport recently celebrated its 85th Anniversary.
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