LEAGUE CITY, Texas (AP) - A new service will prevent airline passengers from losing sentimental items confiscated as potential weapons.
The federal Transportation Security Administration is setting up automated mailing kiosks in major international airports to allow travelers to mail home items forbidden aboard aircraft.
League City-based ReturnKey Systems has developed the kiosks with the help of the Department of Homeland Security, the TSA, the U.S. Postal Service and local law agencies.
They are already at Newark, Washington Dulles, New York LaGuardia and Houston's Bush Intercontinental airports. More airports are scheduled to receive the kiosks throughout the year.
The kiosks use touch-screen technology, audio and video prompting and step-by-step instructions to get the items home.
"TSA improves screening times and eliminates confrontations," said ReturnKey Systems founder Steve Kranyec. "Airlines and the airport authorities improve customer service, mailboxes return to the terminals, and, most importantly, the travelers get to keep their family heirlooms."
