TSA Screening Relaxed for Seniors and Children

A reminder that the TSA recently relaxed security screening for seniors over 75 and children aged 12 and under. The new policies allow children, that are 12 years or younger, to go through airport security without taking off their shoes and to minimize the need for pat-downs, children are now allowed to go through metal detectors and body scanners several times to clear any alarms. Screening changes for passengers who are 75 years or older are similar to the screening process for children. Elderly people will also be able to go through airport security without removing their shoes or a light jacket and will be able to go through the metal detector and body scanners several times to clear any alarms. The TSA has also started a new program to help frequent travelers move through security checkpoints faster. The program is called 'TSA Pre' and is available in more than 30 US airports to frequent passengers of a limited number of airlines, including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines. Travelers who enroll in this program: "Do not need to take off their shoes and belts while going through security; Can keep their computers inside their bags; Can go through security without taking off a light jacket."

Another Wake-up Call for the TSA?

The terrorist attack at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport yesterday, which killed 35 people and injured over 100 took place in the airports arrival hall, or often known as the “land side”. This is an open space for anyone to enter without having to go through any security checkpoints.

This vulnerability in airport security has been long recognized by both security officials and terrorists. "Every airport in the world, including every airport in the United States, has virtually no security until you get to the security checkpoint," said Richard Clarke, an ABC News consultant and former White House counter-terrorism official.

Passenger and baggage screening typically take place before entering the “airside” of the airport. For international arriving passengers, baggage pick-up normally occurs airside up until the exit from customs to the arrival hall. However, for domestic passengers, baggage pick-up can often occur landside, which adds a level of threat from terrorists who may have concealed weapons in their checked luggage. At Domodedovo Airport, the space between baggage pick-up and the public arrival area is very small and was vulnerable to attack. This is a problem worldwide. In fact, almost all violent criminal or terrorist attacks at airports over the past 20 years have occurred landside.

This is an issue that will not be easy to deal with because of the large number of people at land side that include those meeting travelers, service providers and friends and family of departing passengers. There is surveillance but no screening. Will land side screening become the next area for the TSA to pinpoint?

U.S. to Change Air Travel Security Measures

The TSA is planning on making more changes on US Air travel security screenings. They plan to begin profiling US bound passengers, including US citizens as well.

The level of screening of travelers will depend on how closely their personal characteristics match against intelligence on potential terrorists. The measures will replace mandatory enhanced screening of all passengers travelling to the United States from 14 mostly-Muslim nations.

The announcement made by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) comes after a three-month review of security protocols. The current "no-fly" list is to remain in place under the new procedures, but supplemented by cross-referenced information that may see passengers subject to further screening even if their names are not flagged.

Characteristics such as nationality, age, recently visited countries, and partial names will be used alongside the "no-fly" list. Intelligence on a possible attacker - a partial name, certain physical characteristics, or nationality - would be forwarded by the DHS to airlines and foreign governments.

US government guidelines prohibit authorities from singling out people on the basis of race or ethnicity but the Christmas Day plot changed the debate about racial profiling. As one Congressman put it ""The fact is, while the overwhelming majority of Muslims are outstanding people, on the other hand 100% of the Islamic terrorists are Muslims, and that is our main enemy today."

New Air Travel Regulations that you Should Know About

Since the Christmas flight of NW 253 was threatened by a passenger who carried explosives aboard, the United States TSA, as well as many other international governments have implemented new travel security measures. These new measures are effecting passengers around the world. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano has cautioned, "These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere."

FamilyTravelForum.com reports there are 10 facts travelers should know. Here's what they are:

1. Enhanced security precautions are in place at all international airports with flights to the U.S.

2. Passengers must arrive especially early for any international flight as enhanced security on U.S. Bound flights is affecting all travel times

3. All carry-on bags are being subjected to extra security screenings, causing delays at security gates.

4. The Canadian government has banned all carry-on bags for passengers traveling to the U.S. because new screening requirements are causing excessive delays. Only exceptions are purses, cameras, coats, laptops, musical instruments, medical devices and items for baby care.

5. TSA urges all travelers to check as much carry-on baggage as possible but says that items such as car seats will be accepted on board flights.

6. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are both waiving some baggage fees for the mandatory checked baggage on flights to the U.S. from Mexico and Canada.

7. According to the TSA, all passengers regardless of age (including minors and unaccompanied minors) will be subject to additional screening if selected at random or if circumstances warrant.

8. Secondary passenger screenings are very likely to include full body pat-downs and manual inspection of all hand carried items.

9. In flight, at the discretion of the pilot and the individual airline, passengers may be required to stow all their personal belongings for any portion of the flight.

10. In flight, passengers may be required to remain in their seats with their hands fully exposed to view, for any portion of the flight but most likely, for the final hour of the flight.

Random Screenings at Airport Gates to Resume

The Transportation Security Administration announced on Wednesday that they are going to be doing more random gate checks at airports from now on. They actually started doing them a few months ago.

The Spokeswoman for TSA, Laura Uselding said "this is not because of any specific threat", but additional measures to help prevent "weapons or other contraband from being passed from an employee to passenger before boarding". "Gate screening is particularly effective at addressing insider threats and serves as a random and unpredictable security layer that, like all TSA's security measures, was developed using a risk-based approach," Uselding said.

The TSA sent letters out to airports last week informing them of the changes.

New Airport Security Rules Require More Personal Information

The TSA is getting ready to institute new rules in regards to booking airline reservations. In the near future passengers will be required to give their birth date, sex, and their full name. The name on the ticket MUST match exactly the name on the photo ID you will be using. So you will need to be very careful when booking an airline reservation.

The new program is called Secure Flight and takes responsibility for checking passenger names against "watch lists" from the airlines to the TSA. Only passengers who are cleared by the TSA will be given boarding passes. The TSA says the program will improve the quality of the watch lists and will reduce the misidentification of innocent travelers who are mistakenly placed on the "no-fly" list.

The new rules are set to begin first on domestic flights early this year and on international flights late in the year. The TSA says the information will be held for no more than seven days. It will cost the airlines an additional $630 million to reprogram their reservations systems.