24 February 2010

Future of airline security: check-ins taking longer than flights?

Canadian travelers going through Toronto to enter the US are now finding security clearances can take longer than their flights. Is that a trend that may move to the US?

Don’t rule it out, say airline experts.

To get through airport security in Toronto for a flight to the United States, passengers go through eight different screening lines or ID checks, says The Wall Street Journal.

"Since the Dec. 25 bombing attempt, travelers headed to the US have faced much tighter security. New rules issued by the federal government dictate that a majority of inbound travelers have to undergo individual searches, once a dreaded rarity for passengers," writes the Journal.

The searches by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) can include pat-downs, emptying out carry-on luggage and even leafing through wallets and personal papers.

Those rules are likely to stay in force for a long time, officials say. It could be months or even years before high-tech devices such as body scanners replace frisking, for example.

"If you're coming inbound to the US, it's going to be a tough summer unless we get some creative change in the security rules," said Steve Lott, a spokesman for the International Air Transport Association, a Geneva-based group that represents airlines around the world.

So far, the delays of three hours and more that became common at international airports in the weeks after the bombing attempt have subsided. But passengers are told to show up early for flights to the US—often three hours or more, even for 90-minute flights from Canada and Mexico.

The TSA says in US airports, it has increased use of explosive trace detection. Coming next: agents will begin swabbing passengers’ hands to check for explosives.

Passengers are questioning the safety of the new security measures.

"They want to give the appearance that they are doing something. What would be nice to know is the success rate of various procedures," said Sam Goldstein, a psychologist who travels about 150,000 miles a year.

By David Wilkening

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Your Comments (3)

Longer to process than to fly

This ineffectual over-reaction to the Dec 25 incident is negatively impacting US visitation from Canada. My experience 2 weeks ago: 3.5 hours processing at Toronto for a 2 hour flight to the US. Unpleasant, undue and unsustainable.

By Chris Robinson, Monday, March 8, 2010
drive to Niagara or Buffalo ?

Chris Robinson's comments about flying Toronto to USA, highlight the fact that that US authorities have to get their act together, or it will cost the U.S. billions in lost tourism, which they can't aford as their economy goes down the toilet & US deficit is out of control. Either the yanks get their act together or they'll need to all start learning the language of their masters, the Chinese. Some people will drive from YYZ to Niagara Falls ro Buffalo to avoid the current nonscience - 3.5 hours, what a huge joke. Is US becoming like the 3rd world ?

By Craig Mathews, Monday, March 8, 2010
drive to U.S. if live close to border !!!

the mesage is, don't fly across the border, drive across it. The stupid part is some border crossing are unmanned !!! There is absoluetly no way that Canadian or Mexico borders can be secured, they are too long. Allegiant Airlines policy of flying to airlines close to Canadian border seems to be working very well for them. Also, don't even think about flying short sectors in USA like LAX/LAS anymore, as it's faster & far cheaper to drive !!!

By Craig Mathews, Sunday, February 28, 2010