Security Screening: An Update for Holiday Air Travelers

  

We are rapidly approaching the 2011 holiday season, when many people will be taking to the air in order to be with distant friends and family members for the holidays.

 

The Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year's holiday periods are among the busiest long-distance travel periods of the year. During the 6-day Thanksgiving travel period, the number of long-distance trips (to and from a ­destination 50 miles or more away) increases by 54 percent, and during the Christmas/New Year's Holiday period the number rises by 23 percent, compared to the average number for the remainder of the year. Only 5 to 6 percent of holiday trips are by air, but in the United States that still equates to millions of travelers, all of whom will have to pass through airport security check points on their way to their departing flights.

 

What types of security measures can air travelers in the United States expect to encounter this holiday season? What will the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents require of them? And what will be allowed this year, that perhaps was not allowed a year ago? Here's some the latest news on this matter of interest to all air travelers:

 

Security screening takes a spoken twist:                                                               

Besides going through a metal detector, or possibly a full-body scanning machine and pat-down, air travelers now also may first undergo a "chat-down," or face-to-face questioning by a TSA officer. Since August of this year, the TSA has been piloting a new "chat down" program in an attempt to detect potential terrorists. A play on the word "pat-down," which describes physical screening, "chat-downs" involve using specially trained TSA officers to conduct behavioral profiling by talking with passengers when they check travelers' IDs and boarding passes, or while travelers are in line before the ID check, or after the ID check and before the metal detectors.

During the "chat," travelers are asked a series of questions like where are they going, for what reason, and for how long. Answers deemed to be suspicious may lead to more thorough or probing questioning. What the TSA screeners are looking for are behavioral clues to possible deception, or indications of hostility, that warrant further scrutiny and possibly a referral to law-enforcement officials.

Travelers have revealed that the vast majority of exchanges are brief, with questions lasting about 40 to 60 seconds. Despite concerns, the TSA says that the one minute-or-less screenings will not lead to longer waits at checkpoints (although these additional procedures reportedly already had adversely impacted check-in wait times at Logan Airport on a number of occasions).

The TSA expects to continue tweaking these "chat-downs" through November. Having been started at Logan Airport in August of this year, this form of passenger screening, if deemed successful, could be expanded to other airports.

 

A "plus" for personal privacy:

According to the TSA website, "Quicker and less invasive than a pat down... Passengers are directed to walk into the screening devices' imaging portal. Once inside, passengers are asked to stand in a position and remain still for a few seconds while the technology creates an image of the passenger in real time. A remotely located officer views the image.

 

TSA recently installed new software on all millimeter wave imaging technology machines that eliminates passenger-specific images. Instead, the software automatically detects potential threat items and indicates their location on a generic outline of a person that will appear on a monitor attached to the AIT unit. Any potential threat items that are detected are indicated on a generic outline of a person. If no potential threat items are detected, an "OK" appears on the monitor with no outline."

 

The TSA uses two types of imaging technology, millimeter wave and backscatter. Millimeter wave technology bounces harmless electromagnetic waves off the body to create a black and white three-dimensional image. Backscatter technology projects low level X-ray beams over the body to create a reflection of the body displayed on the monitor.

More information on the how AIT works and frequently asked questions, please visit the Advanced Imaging Technology section of the TSA website.

 

The new 3-1-1 Rule:                                                                                                           

 If you have tired of handing over toiletries at the airport security gate only to have these items tossed into a waste bin, you'll be happy to learn that the Transportation Security Administration has changed its guidelines on this issue. The one bag limit per traveler limits the total amount each traveler can bring. Consolidating the bottles into one bag and X-raying them separately from the carry-on bag enables security officers to quickly clear the items.

 

"3"    All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in 3.4 ounce (100ml) or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be 3.4 ounces (100ml) or smaller.

 

"1"    All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.

 

"1"    Each traveler must remove their one quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.

 

Declare larger liquids. Medications, baby formula and food, and breast milk are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint. Officers may need to open these items to conduct additional screening.

 

Be prepared. Each time TSA searches a carry-on it slows down the line. Practicing 3-1-1 will ensure a faster and easier checkpoint experience."  For more information, travel cards and other helpful resources, please visit Make Your Trip Better Using 3-1-1on the TSA website.

 

TSA's program for screening of persons with physical disabilities:                                                                  

"TSA's checkpoint security screening procedures for persons with disabilities and medical conditions have not become more stringent or restrictive as a result of the current threat situation. All disability-related equipment, aids, and devices continue to be allowed through security checkpoints once cleared through screening. Additionally, TSA is continuing to permit prescription liquid medications and other liquids needed by persons with disabilities and medical conditions. This includes:

  • All prescription and over-the-counter medications (liquids, gels, and aerosols) including petroleum jelly, eye drops, and saline solution for medical purposes;
  • Liquids including water, juice, or liquid nutrition or gels for passengers with a disability or medical condition;
  • Life-support and life-sustaining liquids such as bone marrow, blood products, and transplant organs;
  • Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons such as mastectomy products, prosthetic breasts, bras or shells containing gels, saline solution, or other liquids; and,
  • Frozen items are allowed as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening. If frozen items are partially melted, slushy, or have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they must meet 3-1-1 requirements.

 

However, if the liquid medications are in volumes larger than 3.4 ounces (100ml) each, they may not be placed in the quart-size bag and must be declared to the Transportation Security Officer. A declaration can be made verbally, in writing, or by a person's companion, caregiver, interpreter, or family member. And note that declared liquid medications and other liquids for disabilities and medical conditions must be kept separate from all other property submitted for x-ray screening."

 

Fly the friendly skies with a "checkpoint friendly" bag for your laptop PC:        

"TSA screens laptops to see if the electronics have been tampered with. Transportation Security Officers know what the inside of a computer should look like, and they can recognize irregularities. This is why they need an unobstructed view as the item moves through the X-ray machine.

Remember, a well-designed "checkpoint friendly" bag must be packed appropriately if you intend to leave your laptop in your bag for screening. TSA provides more information and photos of "Checkpoint Friendly" Laptop Bag Procedures on their website.

 

Guidance for the traveling sportsman: None of the following sporting goods may be carried onto the aircraft by a passenger: baseball bats, bows and arrows, cricket bats, dumbbells / hand weights, golf clubs, lacrosse sticks, hockey sticks, pool cues, ski poles or spear guns. However, all of these items may be taken along as checked-in baggage kept in the plane's cargo hold.

 

Will the chardonnay or Chianti "fly?"

Here is what the TSA's website has to say about wine and whether it can pose a hazard because it's a flammable liquid: "You can't take alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol content (140 proof), including 95% grain alcohol and 150-proof rum, in your checked luggage. You may take up to five liters of alcohol with alcohol content between 24% and 70% per person as checked luggage if it's packaged in a sealable bottle or flask. Alcoholic beverages with less than 24% alcohol content are not subject to hazardous materials regulations" because these beverages, including wines, generally don't ignite because the alcohol content is too low.

 

Visit the following link to the TSA website for a full list and guidelines for Traveling with Special Items.

 

Relief for frequent flyers?

The TSA also is experimenting with a pre-screening program, announced on October 4, 2011 that is designed to expedite the security process for travelers who provide extra background information about themselves in advance. Currently, it is for frequent fliers on American Airlines and Delta Air Lines at airports in Atlanta, Detroit, Dallas and Miami. If shown to be workable and effective, this program is likely to be expanded, thereby making the security screening process for the travelers who do the most flying a bit less onerous.

 

Earlier this month, the "TSA PreCheck" program was launched at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. TSA tests the pre-screening program in Atlanta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again, I hope that you find our security bulletin to be timely, informative, and useful. I, and all the members of the Securitas New England team, wish you and yours safe travels, whether by air, land or sea, throughout the holiday season. Please do not hesitate to contact me, the Area Vice President, or the Branch Manager serving your Securitas account if you have any questions, or if we can be of any assistance to you or your organization.  Thank you.

 

Richard K. Avery, CPP

Region President

Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.

One Harbor Street, Suite 301

Boston, MA 02210

Tel: 617-568-8701

Fax: 617-568-8814