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Release Date: September 25, 2006
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: (202) 282-8010
September 25, 2006
Deputy Secretary Jackson: Good morning. I'm here today with TSA's very able administrator, Kip Hawley, to announce two modifications in the security procedures that were put in place after the August 10th terrorist plot was unfolded.
We're here to announce procedural changes regarding the sterile area and the checkpoint, but we'll also be prepared to talk a little bit about a series of other changes that we have undertaken since the August 10th period to assess top-to-bottom all the security protocols that are in place in the airport today.
We are not talking about changing the overall alert level, which is Orange. And that stays at the Orange level, or High level. And we don't anticipate changing that overall aviation threat level anytime in the near future.
We are talking about measures that include making prudential balancing and making prudential judgments that are based upon work that we've done in an intense way since August 10th. It has involved intensive conversations with the intelligence community in the U.K. and in the U.S. It's involved trips abroad of our explosives experts. It's involved testing with explosives, and further security works done with our law enforcement community, with our intelligence community. It's involved a close partnership with airlines and airports to look at our procedures and to work together on these.
After the initial announcement was made on August 10th, we necessarily put in place somewhat blunt measures to take care that we had adequately preserved safety and responded to the work that needed to be done, based upon the information we had.
I want to congratulate the TSA team across the country for making such a swift change, and also the American flying public who themselves adapted very rapidly to these changes.
Since that time, we've had, as I said, extensive conversations internally in the government with the industry, but also abroad. Kip has made a trip to Europe to visit with our EU colleagues, and particularly to focus with our U.K. colleagues on the next steps that we need to take.
We've worked very closely with Canada, and I'm very pleased to say that that has borne fruit. And today, Canada is making an announcement very much similar to ours so that we can align our two processes at the checkpoints -- Canada and the United States -- and thereby make it easier on passengers.
I expect further changes in the EU. They're contemplating an alignment with the types of measures we're announcing here today. So without any further delay, I'll ask Kip to unpack for us the specific changes that we're proposing to make beginning tomorrow.
Assistant Secretary Hawley: Thank you, Michael, and our security officers who are here, as well as Mike Restovich, who is in charge of our field operations at TSA.
First, a thank you to travelers, and our partners in the airlines and the airports and around the world for moving so quickly with us on August 10th to get these measures put into place with the current liquids ban.
All of us at TSA, especially our security officers, appreciate the fact that travelers come prepared to the checkpoint. Secretary Chertoff announced on August 10 that we would continue to evaluate our security measures in light of what we have learned from the U.K. investigation. That is exactly what we have done.
Since the initial total ban, experts from around the government, including the FBI and our national labs have analyzed the information we now know and have conducted extensive explosives testing to get a better understanding of the threat.
While this novel type of liquid explosives is now an ongoing part of the terrorist playbook and must be dealt with, we now know enough to say that a total ban is no longer needed from a security point of view.
We ask passengers to go through a lot at the airports in the name of security. TSA has a corresponding obligation to make sure that what we ask travelers to do is, in fact, really needed for a current security reason. So effective tomorrow, while the liquid ban stays generally in effect for good and valid security reasons, TSA is making some changes to keep us at a high level of security, but make it a little bit easier for passengers. These new measures will maintain security while taking a common sense approach.
There are two major changes: One, small amounts of liquids, aerosols and gels may be allowed through the checkpoint; and, two, beverages bought in the sterile boarding area will be allowed onboard flights. First, at the checkpoint, starting when airports open tomorrow morning, Tuesday, September 26th, travelers will be able to carry on small, travel-size medicines and toiletries -- whatever they need -- as long as they are in containers of three ounces or less, brought to the checkpoint sealed inside, one, one-quart size -- now, one-quart size is a little bit larger than sandwich size -- sealed in a one, one-quart size clear plastic zip-top bag. Containers of three ounces or less, in a one quart zip-top bag. That means that we'll have a no-hassle, easy way for passengers to bring on what they need for a quick trip.
If you don't need to bring on these small amounts of liquids, and the part about the three-ounce containers and one-quart baggie is not for you, please feel free to keep packing your liquids, aerosols and gels in checked baggage. You will get through the security faster with less stuff. It's your call: Do I want to bring with me the baggie, or do I want to check a bag and breeze on through? That's change number one: travel-size, three-ounce containers of eye drops, lip gloss, makeup, shaving cream -- whatever you need -- that fit and seal comfortably into a one-quart or less zip-top baggie.
The second change concerns drinks you buy before you board your flight. Because we are confident in our increased security measures throughout the airport, passengers will now be allowed to purchase drinks and other items in the secure boarding area after the checkpoint and bring them aboard their flights. For instance, you may buy bottles of water, cups of coffee, shop at duty free, as long as it is bought in the secure boarding area past the checkpoint. Those are okay to bring onboard your aircraft.
So, two changes that recognize some common sense security points: small containers below a certain size and in limited amounts don't pose a real threat; and, we have strong security measures in the boarding area, so, therefore, that allows us the flexibility to use our screening resources on more serious threats.
The same exceptions for baby and medical needs now, in quantities larger than three ounces, will continue. However, as is the case today, travelers must be prepared to present these medical or baby care items for inspection when arriving at the checkpoint. That allows us to take a look at them to make sure they're okay.
The secret of getting through security smoothly is to de-clutter your bag. Let our TSOs get a clear, uncomplicated x-ray image of your carry-on. Jumbled bags of cords, cameras, batteries, electronics -- not to mention bottles, lighters or other prohibited items -- will require a close look and will slow you down, along with everybody else.
You can find all of this information, with pictures and video and much more, on our website, www.tsa.gov. Once again, the key points on what will be allowed starting tomorrow: travel-size containers, three ounces or less, comfortably sealed in one quart-size zip-top bag.
Thank you, and we'd be happy to answer any questions.
Question: Items purchased beyond the security point, will they (inaudible)? How will you be able to tell if someone purchased their beverage at the airport, beyond the security point, and not outside security
Assistant Secretary Hawley: Because the security measures that are in place to protect the sterile area screen everything that is brought inside, including that which is sold, as well as the people who sell them. So all of that stuff is vetted before going into the secure area, and we're upgrading the number of checks and the type of checks to assure that. So, therefore, anything that gets into the sterile area is okay to be there and, therefore, brought onboard a plane.
Question: Will they have a stamp or some sort of mark so you can tell that it was actually purchased there?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: That's not necessary. When it's in the sterile area it's already been cleared.
Question: So are you doing more to check items that are brought into the vendors in the sterile area? Can you talk a little bit about that?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: Sure. We are increasing our random inspections, and we're increasing the security checks that we're doing on the folks inside. So it’s kind of a double-layer thing -- the physical items in there, as well as the people selling them.
Question: Have you figured out how this will affect the checked baggage, because checked luggage, obviously, has increased quite a bit? How do you think this will affect that? And how do you think this will affect the checked baggage screening machines?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: It may have an effect to lessen the 20 percent increase we have now on checked baggage. But we are really taking a longer-term look of checked baggage. The system is working okay now, and we anticipate it will continue to work okay. This may have an effect to lessen the number of checked bags, but we’ll see that as the next weeks develop.
Question: Kip, what is the difference between a three-ounce bottle of shampoo and a five-ounce bottle of shampoo? Have your testers determined that you can’t put explosives that are of any consequence in a three-ounce bottle of shampoo?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: Well, it’s easy to say three ounces or less in a quart-size baggie. There is a whole lot of science -- the Deputy Secretary mentioned the FBI national labs -- there’s been a whole lot of work on exactly what kind of containers and what quantities work out.
So we did pick that level for a reason. We did pick the one-quart baggie for a reason. But it is well within the comfort zone of what we need to protect the public.
Deputy Secretary Jackson: And I would just say that it’s also based upon looking around the marketplace and finding out what people are telling us they want to carry on board. And as you see from the TSOs that we have here today, there’s examples of the type of materials that you’d want to carry on board, and they fit in these three-ounce or less cycles.
Question: -- to hire additional screeners to conduct more inspections?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: No, we’re fine where we are; we have some room under our current screening cap. So we are continuing to make efficiency gains. And that’s one of the reasons why we say, it doesn’t make sense for us to have our TSOs out there fishing out lip gloss and mascara in the gate area. We’ve got much more important things for them to do in terms of behavior observation and some of the checking in the sterile area that we talked about.
Question: Currently, employees who work in the secure area of the airport are not required to go through screening. Is that correct? And you’re announcing today that there are going to be random inspections -- why not a hundred percent?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: Sure. We do extensive background checks, as you know, on anybody working in the total airport area. So we are upgrading the number of checks that we do, as well as the background checks that we do, so we are comfortable that between the random, the background checks, surveillance, other things that are going on, that that does protect the rest of that airport.
Question: Is there any concern that you’re going to get into arguments at the checkpoints about whether it's three ounces or four ounces, and that’s going to slow the whole screening process down?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: No, we think it’s -- people can look and see how big they are. The advantage we have is we see two million people a day, and our TSOs are very adept at determining what the size is. And we expect after a couple of days, the public will be well ingrained. And as the Dep Sec said, the market is plentiful for three ounces or less.
Question: Beyond announcing this to the media, are the airlines doing anything today to alert their passengers who are going to get on planes tomorrow morning about this?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: We’ve shared our information with them, and the information on our website. We expect that the airlines will also have information available to their customers, as well as at the airports.
Question: Has the threat itself from explosives of liquids and gels, has that threat diminished since the U.K. plot was --
Deputy Secretary Jackson: No, it hasn't. What you see here today is a prudent balancing of the work that we need to do to protect security and common sense here being in balance. I would say that we should underscore this point. It is safe to fly. These measures make it safe to fly. I've traveled with my family since the August 10th event, and I would encourage Americans to get on with business and to travel as they see fit and not to worry about it. Do the things that Kip and TSA is asking you to do, but travel with confidence that we've got a secure system.
Question: But liquid explosives remain very real, that threat remains real?
Deputy Secretary Jackson: Absolutely.
Question: Kip, is there any -- for you guys, what are your long-term goals for screening stuff, and how it's going to affect, the broader --
Assistant Secretary Hawley: We are looking at the long term, and as the Deputy Secretary mentioned, the Orange level is going to continue. So we have to say, how can we use existing people and existing technology to arrive at the high level of security we need for the indefinite future? So that's what we're announcing today. There will be a time -- months down the road -- where we have the opportunity to introduce new technology and new checkpoint processes. But we wanted to get some stability out there that people could plan their packing, get the rules set as we go into the holiday season, and then sometime later, we will have additional things to say involving a longer-term game plan.
Question: Could a whole bunch of people take liquid explosives in three ounces and then mix them together in something larger on the plane?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: We've analyzed a lot of scenarios, including that one, and for a variety of technical reasons that we don't want to go into, that does not particularly trouble us.
Question: Can you tell us how soon you might have some technology in the field that would be effective in finding liquid explosives?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: Well, as you know, we already do have technology that finds liquid explosives one bottle at a time. We have ordered some additional prototype machines, further technology that uses the EDS capability that we use for checked baggage, put down into a smaller checkpoint size. So we're going to continue to explore different technologies, and that's a large part of the Department's science and technology effort.
Deputy Secretary Jackson: We've done a crash course of working on trying to take this technology and bring it to the field in a method that would allow us to take high volume traffic. So our science and technology group is working with national labs and others to try to take that next step. Kip has got prudent measures in place for the threat that we have now, and the capabilities that we can field at this point.
Question: Do you envision these -- this ban in some form remaining in place until you have a technological solution?
Assistant Secretary Hawley: We're going to keep this ban -- the current arrangement in place for an indefinite period of time, until we feel that there is a significant process improvement or technology improvement that we can make. Or, of course, if there is some additional threat information, we will act immediately. And I think one of the great lessons this whole last month is that TSA was able to turn a completely new security regime overnight, as well as the airports, airlines, traveling public, and other nations worked very, very closely together to accomplish the same thing. So we have proven that we can do this, and should it be required, we'll do it again.
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See www.tsa.gov for more information.
This page was last reviewed/modified on September 25, 2006.