TSA at Philadelphia International Airport unveils hand-held language translators

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Transportation Security Administration at Philadelphia International Airport is launching a new tool that will improve the experience of travelers who do not speak English.

TSA officers now have a hand-held device that translates a message into the selected language.

TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein says messages will also appear on a screen for travelers to read if they are deaf or have a hard time hearing.

"There is a library of 83 languages that this can be used in. I think that's important too - we're not just picking common language," Farbstein said.

Airport officials also announced that employees working inside the airport will start wearing badges that list the languages they speak in addition to English.