United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Major changes proposed to improve painful passenger screening
Proposed major changes may lead to reduced screening hassles for US airline passengers.
The federal agency in charge of aviation security is considering the changes. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is meeting later this month to consider a new plan.
An initial set of recommendations drafted earlier this month proposed that passengers no longer would have to remove their shoes.
The requirement has been one of the biggest sources of complaints among air travelers. The agency is currently looking into walk-through devices that can screen for explosives in passengers’ shoes without requiring that they be removed.
Under new guidelines, the ban on razorblades and small knives could also be lifted, according to newspaper reports.
A TSA memo proposed further to minimize the number of passengers who must be patted down at checkpoints. It also recommended certain categories of passengers such as members of Congress be exempt.
Edmund S. Hawley, the new head of the TSA, has asked his staff to propose more changes in how the agency screens two million passengers a day.
“The process is designed to stimulate creative thinking and challenge conventional beliefs,” said Mark Hatfield, TSA’s spokesman.
“In the end, it will allow us to work smarter and better as we secure America’s transportation system,” he added.
The federal agency has already moved towards simplifying the process by ending a requirement that all passengers remain in their seats during the first and last 30 minutes on flights using the Reagan National Airport.
The TSA, which spends more than $4 billion a year on airline security, has come under increased criticism for its often rigid and questionable standards.
Report by David Wilkening
Related News Stories:
David
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Storm Lilian travel chaos as bank holiday flights cancelled