US News

CHECK ‘POINTERS’

Now airline passengers can go through security checkpoints at their own speed.

The feds introduced a new screening system at La Guardia Airport yesterday in a bid to speed things up by asking travelers to choose a line based on their familiarity with checkpoint procedures.

Travelers can choose among one of three different queues as part of a program to keep lines moving and remove some of the anxiety that comes with increased security and traveling post-9/11.

The new Transportation Security Administration procedures – part of a pilot program started in Salt Lake City last February – have also been tested in 25 other airports, including Denver and Boston.

“What we have seen is a calmer checkpoint, happier passengers, and significantly lower wait times for the experienced traveler,” said Earl Morris, a TSA federal security director for Salt Lake City’s airport.

The “Self-Select Lane” program – under the heading, “What is Your Lane?” – includes three categories:

* Green diamond for families with small children and strollers, travelers needing special assistance, and those new to flying.

* Blue square for casual travelers familiar with TSA procedures with multiple carry-on bags.

* Black diamond for frequent travelers who fly more than twice a month and carry one bag, and know to take off their shoes when they enter the screening area.

“The self-select lanes are modeled after familiar ski icons that guide travelers to choose the appropriate trail/lane based on their skill level,” TSA says on its Web site.

Newark will be the second area airport added to the list later this year, officials said.

TSA said data shows that the wait time for business travelers who used the black lane decreased 21 percent – and 40 percent in some cases – than when they stood in a single line.

Family lines also saw an improvement, as wait times fell 11 percent.

A modified form of the La Guardia program – a separate family line aimed at families who do not speak English as their native tongue – was introduced last week at American Airlines’ new Terminal 8 at Kennedy Airport.

The line is expected to be used primarily by tourists, officials said.

Last week, TSA and Delta Airlines announced a new system at La Guardia aimed at speeding up travel by allowing passengers to check in using their cellphones.

After checking in, passengers can download their boarding pass for their flight onto their phone.

The electronic passes can then be subsequently scanned by TSA and displayed at the departure gate before boarding the flight.

clemente.lisi@nypost.com