73 AirportImprovement.com September 2026 SECURITY MCO It’s the United States’ 250th birthday this year, and TSA is sending presents to celebrate. The federal agency is providing digital towers that display patriotic messaging along with instructions to help guide passengers through security checkpoints. Installations have occurred at 12 major airports in 10 cities nationwide (see list on Page 75), with most locations receiving three units each. Key players involved with the initiative expect it to grow significantly. The program is a Freedom 250, LLC event produced by Event Strategies Inc., with 17 pieces of associated content. One features illustrations of five key Founding Fathers with a quotation from each statesman. Others present quick U.S. history lessons, including the fact that Philadelphia served as the country’s first capital, and the Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the budding nation overnight. Content creation and the display equipment were funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Orlando International Airport (MCO) was in the first wave of airports to receive the new checkpoint displays. “Installing the monitors is effective for directing passengers and is simply a nice customer experience touch,” says Lance Lyttle, chief executive officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which owns and manages MCO. “By providing real- time information and targeting messages to these specific passengers, it offers a smoother journey and can help to answer questions guests may have.” The two-sided units and the digital content they display are provided by Synect. The ReadySeeGo® Vision™ messaging towers stand about 7½ feet tall and connect via Wi-Fi or cellular wireless. The displays being added to TSA checkpoints are not one-trick ponies just for the nation’s 250th birthday. Synect also created content related to the FIFA World Cup for airports in U.S. cities that hosted matches in June and July. The tournament attracted millions of soccer fans from around the world, many visiting U.S. airports for the first time, and related soccer content was presented to make them feel more at home. Future plans include using Synect equipment and content to help welcome massive crowds of international and domestic passengers during the 2028 Summer Olympics and 2034 Winter Olympics. “For TSA, the objective is to modernize the way they deliver messages while generating passenger excitement for these events by blending operational efficiencies with the overall passenger experience,” says Montee Fiely, head of strategic engagement for Synect. He explains that the interactive messaging towers are more engaging than static signage on boards, which means they get noticed more. Research completed with Synect at MCO during the COVID-19 pandemic showed that thoughtfully designed digital messaging can improve people’s willingness to follow guidance about recommended behaviors. In the study, digital signage promoting safe social distancing guidelines was turned on and off in gate areas for non-consecutive 24-hour periods. Researchers found that graphic visuals accompanied by informational nudges highlighting personal and public benefits of social distancing increased social distancing practices between 9% and 16%. Synect digital displays are controlled remotely, and messaging can be changed at any time. Content can be the same at numerous airports, as it is for the patriotic elements, or tailored to meet a specific airport’s needs. In fact, the company’s creative studio is already working on digital content for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Development and Deployment TSA initiated discussions with Synect about developing the event-based program in August 2025, and content creation began early this year. Freedom 250, LLC and Event Strategies Inc. led the program. “Every message had to align with DHS and TSA guidance, screening procedures, and communication priorities,” says Gina Marie Paquette, Synect’s business development director. “At the same time, we wanted the content to capture attention, help passengers prepare for screening and bring some energy to the checkpoint. Doing that across 39 displays at 12 airports on a compressed timeline took close coordination from the entire team.” “We needed a big team to pull this off in the timeframe they wanted,” Fiely adds. “All kinds of things that you don’t think of behind the scenes have to occur.” For instance, the ReadySeeGo display towers were assembled onsite, and deployment involved specialists from three companies as well as close coordination with TSA and each airport team. Synect subcontracted Faith Group for engineering and infrastructure support, including network analysis and pre- installation site inspections to ensure connectivity would be possible. Faith Group also managed the permitting process, coordinating all stakeholders and documentation necessary to gain approvals to install the system at each airport. Saefix LLC, a sister company of Faith Group, supplied, tested and configured LANCE LYTTLE TSA Funds and Deploys Digital Checkpoint Signage to Help Celebrate America’s 250TH BY PAUL NOLAN GINA MARIE PAQUETTE MONTEE FIELY
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