After a long week of terror threats, attempted bombings, and rumors spreading about whether you can or cannot use the new electronics you got for Christmas on your next flight, the Transportation Security Administration has finally issued a statement on the new security rules for travelers.
The TSA website states the new rules:
“…includes long-term, sustainable security measures developed in consultation with law enforcement officials and our domestic and international partners. Because effective aviation security must begin beyond our borders, and as a result of extraordinary cooperation from our global aviation partners, TSA is mandating that every individual flying into the U.S. from anywhere in the world traveling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest will be required to go through enhanced screening. The directive also increases the use of enhanced screening technologies and mandates threat-based and random screening for passengers on U.S. bound international flights.”
Meanwhile, the New York Times and the BBC have offered a little more detail behind the new security rules. According to the NYT, citizens of Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen who are flying to the United States will be forced to undergo intense screening at airports worldwide.
The BBC reports that passengers traveling from any other foreign country to the U.S. may also be checked at random.
The TSA has its work ahead of them. Only hours after releasing the new security information, Newark International Airport (one of the largest in the U.S.) went into lock-down after a man entered a secured area of the airport without being screened. Flights were grounded and some cancelled, and in many cases passengers had to wait up to six hours before being allowed to their departure gates.
At best, what we can tell from these new security rules is that TSA and Department of Homeland Security aren’t going to let anything get past them (at least for now). That said, keep your sharp objects at home, get to the airport early and above all, listen to the security officials at your departure airport. The additional time and security might not be an ideal situation right now, but it’s a necessary action to take to help protect the safety of travelers.
