The TSA Blog

Friday, June 3, 2011

Response to Phoenix Checkpoint Video

***Update: 6/9/2011 - There have been many different interpretations of the photography portion of this post, so I wanted to clarify things a bit. We recognize that using video and photography equipment is a constitutionally protected activity unless it interferes with the screening process at our checkpoints. While our current policy remains the same, TSA is reviewing our guidance to officers at the checkpoint to ensure consistent application. Our goal is to protect passenger’s rights, while safeguarding the integrity of the security process. ***

You may have seen the video of a woman at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport who was upset about her screening experience.

TSA takes all allegations of improper screening seriously and investigates each claim to the fullest. After reviewing this passenger’s time at the checkpoint, we found that our security officers acted properly and neither the CCTV footage nor this YouTube video support any of the allegations levied. Real violations of our protocols are worth every ounce of our energy to investigate, but this alleged incident does not meet that threshold.

This incident has also raised many questions about whether or not passengers can film at checkpoints. This topic is currently under review, but you can read this blog post on our current policy for photography at checkpoints.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

TSA 2011 Summer Travel Tips

Summertime isn’t officially here yet, but with a heat index yesterday of 104°, you could have fooled me! The weather is definitely a reminder that summer is right around the corner. It’s time to figure out where you put all of your summer clothes and summery type outdoor thingamabobs. Now is also the time of year when your summer travel is quickly approaching and I’m guessing the last thing on your mind is spending an evening at TSA.gov researching your travel questions. So, we’ve taken all of our best travel tips and provided them here in one place in a handy dandy blog post.

Summer Travelers Checklist: Be the envy of all your friends and download the all new collectable 2011 Summer Travelers Checklist.

My TSA iPhone & Mobile Web App: Have you downloaded our award winning MyTSA app yet? If not, it just may be the perfect new accessory to help you during your summer travel. No matter where you are, you’ll have easy access to information you need to get through security and onto the plane safely and smoothly with 24/7 access to the most commonly requested TSA information.

Can I Bring My… : What can you bring in your carry-on? What needs to be checked and what has to stay at home? Find out using our Can I Bring My… tool or take a look at our prohibited items list.

Are You Going Camping This Summer?: Check out this post for tips on traveling with your camping gear.

Packing: If you plan on locking your bag, be sure to use one of the TSA recognized locks so we can unlock your bag without breaking the lock. You can help speed up the screening process by packing your carry-ons in an organized manner. This helps our officers efficiently see what's inside to quickly process it through screening. Pack items in layers (shoes one layer, clothes one layer, electronics one layer, etc.) Pack large electronics on the top layer of your carry-on for easy accessibility. Place your 3-1-1 bag with liquids, gels and aerosols in the front pocket of your carry-on for easy accessibility.

Foods: Food items that are in the form of a liquid or gel are generally not permitted however, items such as cakes, bread, donuts, ham sammiches, etc. are all permitted. Here is a list of items that are prohibited at the checkpoint… Creamy dips and spreads (cheeses, peanut butter, salsa, jams and salad dressings, gravy (mmm gravy), jams, jellies, maple syrup, oils and vinegars, sauces, soups, wine, liquor and beer.

Leave Early: The best piece of advice I could give a traveler is to arrive early if you can. No matter what happens, (aside from a flight being cancelled) if you get to the airport early, you should be fine. Worst case scenario is you’ll have some extra time to people watch or play Angry Birds.

ID & Boarding Pass Checking: As you approach a TSA checkpoint, you’ll see an officer checking IDs and boarding passes. Please have your acceptable ID and boarding pass out and ready to present to our officer. If your ID is in a plastic sheath or other type of holder, it will need to be removed so our officers can properly inspect them. This will help speed things along. If you have lost or forgotten your ID, you will still be permitted to fly as long as you help us verify you are who you say you are by answering a few questions for us.

Secure Flight: Folks have had questions about the Secure Flight program and whether the name on your ticket has to match the name on your ID. The Secure Flight watch-list matching process occurs before a passenger even gets to the airport so if you get a boarding pass, the Secure Flight watch-list matching process is done. In other words, you are clear once you get that pass.

How to Get Through the Line Faster: We put together some great tips on how to get through our lines faster. Click here to read tips about the right clothes to wear, which ID to use and many other helpful tips and videos. If you travel through an airport with Advanced Imaging Technology (Body Scanner), ensure you remove everything from your pockets whether it’s metal or paper to prevent you from having to undergo additional screening. Also wear easily removable shoes. For example, flip-flops or loafers would be easier to kick off than knee-high lace-up boots.

Pat-downs: A very small percentage of passengers (less than 3%) will need to receive a pat-down. To reduce the need for a pat-down, the most important thing you can do is take everything out of your pockets before you go through screening. You can put these items in your carry-on bag. Don't wear clothes with a high metal content, and put heavy jewelry on after you go through security. You will also receive a pat-down if you choose to opt out of our Advanced Imaging Technology. (Body Scanners) Check out this post to read some myths and facts about the pat-down. TSA does not squeeze, twist, or grab any body parts during a pat-down and other than inspecting the waistband and collar, our officers are not reaching inside clothing or touching any skin.

The 4-1-1 on 3-1-1 (Liquids, Gels & Aerosols): Let me start by saying this. If you’re checking a bag, make it easy on yourself and just put your liquids in your checked luggage. That way, you don’t have to worry about 3-1-1. I know that suggestion doesn’t work for everybody. Some liquids are essential and some of you understandably would not like to pay to check your luggage. If you’d rather take liquids in your carry-on, please continue reading…

3-1-1 is the name for our liquid policy. You can read here for more details, but here is the gist of 3-1-1… Each passenger is allowed to take one clear quart-sized sealable bag and fill it with as many liquids in 3.4 oz or less sized containers that will fit, while still being able to seal the bag. Make sure you take the bag out of your carry-on prior to sending it through the X-ray, or our officers may have to search your bag.

If you have liquids, aerosols, or gels that are used for medical purposes, they do not need to adhere to our 3-1-1 policies and do not have to be placed in a bag. You may be asked to go through a TSA Family Lane (see below) so we can expedite the screening process. The liquids, gels and aerosols will need to be removed from your bags.

Answers to common questions: Stick deodorant is not limited to 3.4 oz or less, but gel or spray deodorant is. Also, any liquid makeup such as eyeliner should be placed in the baggie. That goes for perfume as well. Powder makeup is fine.

Family Lanes: Frequent flyers hate it when they’re in line behind a family, and guess what… families hate it when the frequent flyer is behind them tapping their foot and sighing. That’s why we created Family Lanes. They’re designed to let families take their time and ask questions without feeling rushed by the experienced frequent flyers who can zip through a checkpoint in no time. Also, as stated earlier, anybody carrying exemptible liquids, aerosols and gels in excess of 3.4 oz may be directed to a Family Lane.

Snow Globes: I know... Believe me, I know… It sounds so silly, but there really is a reason, and it’s not that we hate snow globes. They are sealed containers full of liquid that would have to be opened and destroyed to test. We’re not in the business of busting snow globes, so we suggest you place them in your checked baggage or mail them ahead of time.

Inconsistencies: You may notice your screening experience at one airport doesn’t match the experience of another airport. We realize this happens, and some of it is intentional. While it can be a little confusing for our passengers, it also makes things unpredictable for those who might wish to do us harm. Our officers also can use their discretion in different scenarios that allows them to use common sense and not abide by a checklist mentality that can be studied and defeated by those who wish to do us harm.

Here are some more links to tips for traveling with special items this summer:

If you’re traveling internationally, be sure to check out U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s international travel tips.

Bonus: How To Keep From Getting Sand Kicked In Your Face: Don’t wear this. Also, check out the USA.gov Blog for other summer related posts including one linking to NOAA's new online tool for getting water temps at your favorite beach!

Have a great summer!

Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team

Friday, May 27, 2011

Texas House of Representatives Seeking to Ban Current TSA Pat-Down

***Update: 5/27/2011 – Read this story in the Houston Chronicle for an update.***

What's our take on the Texas House of Representatives voting to ban the current TSA pat-down? Well, the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution (Article. VI. Clause 2) prevents states from regulating the federal government.

We wish we lived in a world where you could just walk on a plane with no security screening, but that just isn't the case unfortunately. Aviation security agencies worldwide have been using pat-downs long before TSA was created to prevent dangerous items from getting onto airplanes. The pat-down is a highly effective tool to resolve certain alarms and keep these dangerous items off of planes that could cause catastrophic damage. It's important to note that if a passenger (or bag) alarms during screening, our officers must resolve the alarm before allowing the passenger and their baggage on the airplane.

Here are some pat-down myths and facts:

Myth: Everyone who travels will receive a pat-down.

Fact: In fact, less than 3% of passengers receive pat-downs. Only passengers who alarm a walk through metal detector or AIT machine or opt out of the AIT receive a pat-down. In addition, some passengers may also receive a pat-down as part of our random, unpredictable security measures. In his testimony to a Senate subcommittee, Administrator Pistole said: "The bottom line is few people in the overall scheme of things will actually receive those pat downs. Now, we've heard some examples, and obviously, there's a vocal group out there who have experienced this for the first time, and, rightfully so, raising concerns, what's behind this. And the bottom line is we, the transportation security officers in particular, are trying to work in partnership with the traveling public to say we want to ensure that you are safe on this flight. Work with us in a partnership to provide the best possible security. And that's what it comes down to."

Myth: All children will receive pat-downs.

Fact: No. TSA officers are trained to work with parents to ensure a respectful screening process for the entire family, while providing the best possible security for all travelers. Children 12 years old and under who require extra screening will receive a modified pat down.

Myth: Complaints about the pat-downs are extremely high.

Fact: Only a small percentage of the traveling public receives a pat down as they travel through the security checkpoint. Between November 2010 and March 2011, TSA screened nearly 252 million people. In that same time period, we received 898 complaints from individuals who have experienced or witnessed a pat down. That's roughly 0.0004%.

Myth: Pat downs for certain individuals are limited to the head and neck.

Fact: No one is exempt. Everyone is subject to the same screening. TSA is sensitive to religious and cultural needs, but everyone must be screened effectively.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

Thursday, May 26, 2011

The Radiation Retest Results are In: Scanners Operating Safely

Remember how we told you in this post that there had been some errors in our reports and we were going to retest all of our AIT units to ensure they were screening at safe levels? Well, we’re done, and everything came back just fine. You can see all the reports here just as we promised. You can read a recent Reuters article on the subject and while you’re reading up on the subject, be sure to take a look at an article from the Archives of Internal Medicine, co-authored by a UCSF scientist concluding that there is no significant threat of radiation from the scans.

To put things in perspective, here are some sources of radiation you may not have been aware of:

One year of naturally occurring background radiation: 300 millirem
Annual recommended limit to the public of radiation from man-made sources: 100 millirem
Chest X-ray: 10 millirem
Flight from New York to Los Angeles: 4 millirem
One day of natural background: approximately 1 millirem (corrected 3/16/11 20:56)
Drinking three glasses of water a day for a year: 0.045 millirem
One backscatter X-ray scan: Approximately 0.005 millirem

Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

TSA Pat-downs At Santa Fe Prom? Nope.

While we enjoy power ballads and disco balls more than anybody, TSA has not conducted pat-downs at any proms. Some are getting the story right, but others are predictably getting it wrong and we wanted to clear things up.

Here's the scoop: A school in Santa Fe that uses contract security (unrelated to TSA) is being sued over how it screened two female students. In a ruling stating that the Santa Fe School System needed to change its screening procedures, a judge initially ordered the school system to provide a “TSA certified” person to “supervise the searches.” While we appreciate the Judge’s confidence in TSA screening procedures, TSA’s transportation security mission does not allow us to provide pat-downs at the prom. The judge later allowed the School System to use state police officers instead.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

Friday, May 13, 2011

Secretary Napolitano Visits the Transportation Security Operations Center

As part of her CBS Evening News interview with Katie Couric discussing Osama bin Laden retaliation threats, Secretary Napolitano visited the Transportation Security Operations Center (TSOC) also known as the Freedom Center.

The Freedom Center can be seen in the interview, and I’m guessing some of you might want to know a little more about it. I know it piques my interest when I see an operations center full of computers and giant displays. It makes me want to push buttons and stuff. Anyway, it’s our main information center, where analysts monitor the entire transportation network and connect TSA with the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, FBI, and other law enforcement and security agencies. When an incident happens such as a plane being diverted, a bomb threat, airspace violation, etc, the TSOC is fully involved in these types of scenarios. You can read more about the TSOC here.

You might wonder what that is in the photo that secretary Napolitano is being shown in the photo. It’s a memorial composed of a World Trade Center girder, Pentagon stone, and a fragment from the wreckage of Flight 93. It serves as a reminder of why we do what we do and what we’re trying to prevent and all TSOC employees pass by it every day when they arrive at their jobs.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

Monday, May 9, 2011

TSA Searching for Poop Bombs?: Headline Not Up to Snuff

I’ve changed enough diapers to know a thing or two about “poop bombs,” but something really stinks about the attention this photo is getting. The photo – taken by someone not traveling with the family – has gone viral. The caption used with the photo is “TSA Looking for Poop Bombs?” We reviewed the screening of this family, and found that the child’s stroller alarmed during explosives screening. Our officers followed proper current screening procedures by screening the family after the alarm, who by the way were very cooperative and were on the way to their gate in no time. The child in the photo was simply receiving a modified pat-down which doesn’t even come close to what the headline implies.

I blogged about a similar situation recently, and just as I stated in that post, our Administrator is looking into ways to move past the cookie cutter approach to screening. Recognizing that terrorists are willing to manipulate societal norms to evade detection, TSA has been actively assessing less invasive screening methods for low-risk populations, such as younger passengers, while still maintaining a high level of security.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Osama bin Laden Dead, Threat Still Very Much Alive

There's no doubt about it, the world is a better place without Osama bin Laden, and his death is a major success for the United States as well as the rest of the world. While his death is a huge blow to Al-Qaeda's terrorism network, the threat of terrorism is still very much alive.

Many of you have asked: What steps has TSA taken in light of this development? Some think we should ramp up security even more for possible retaliations and others think we should relax our procedures and do away with body scanners and the liquid restrictions. I can reassure you that we're constantly looking at current intelligence to evaluate and adapt our procedures to keep the flying public safe. Passengers may continue to notice a variety of security measures at U.S. airports to include the use of physical bag checks, random gate screening, explosives detection technology, canine teams and behavior detection officers. We ask that you remain vigilant when you travel and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

"I commend the President and offer my gratitude to the men and women who defend and protect our nation at home and abroad, whether they wear a military or law enforcement uniform or serve as one of thousands of unsung heroes in the intelligence and homeland security community. It is true that we are stronger and safer than we were on 9/11 - not only because Osama bin Laden is dead, but because of the unflagging dedication and hard work of so many people throughout the world committed to freedom and security. ~ DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano"

Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

TSA Officers React Quickly to Devastating Tornado Touchdown at St. Louis Lambert Airport

Many of you have followed the heartbreaking stories and recovery efforts coming out of severe weather in the Midwest and Southeast. I wanted to share some of the stories that were brought to my attention.

On April 27, one of the most deadly weather events in U.S. history occurred as tornadoes ripped through America, killing hundreds of people. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of those regions as they start the process of rebuilding.

The tornadoes on April 27 came about a week after another strong tornado inflicted significant damage in St. Louis, including at the airport.

Out of stories of unspeakable tragedy like these, we often hear stories of great courage by otherwise regular people. We have heard a few of these stories in recent days about the actions of the men and women of TSA at the St. Louis airport and wanted to share a few of them with you.

Imagine a 200mph tornado busting through your workplace. That’s exactly what happened last week to many TSA officers and airline employees in St. Louis. Watch the devastating footage here, and here.

In the midst of all the chaos and confusion, several TSA officers went above and beyond to ensure the safety of their coworkers and passengers.

One officer carried a woman who had frozen in panic to a safe location. Moments later, the glass windows in that area of the terminal imploded sending shattered glass in every direction.

Three other officers came to the aid of EMS personnel by helping them remove two passengers from a tornado damaged vehicle. They held IVs and kept the stretchers steady as the passengers were pulled from the car. The officers also helped carry the stretchers through the debris-strewn parking garage when the ambulance couldn’t get through.

Another officer helped a passenger who was a nurse set up a triage area. The officer helped gather supplies together from first aid kits, helped treat wounds and also tasked other officers with ways they could assist the emergency personnel.

Two other officers initiated the evacuation of a terminal after noticing the windows had started to bow and stayed behind a few extra moments to help direct passengers to safety.

Due to falling glass and other hazards, many officers later assisted passengers with safe exit of the airport after the storm.

This spring’s storms have wreaked havoc in many parts of our nation and many regular people are responding in great ways – as we always do in this country – to help. We are proud of our officers who played a role in keeping people safe in St. Louis last week.

Secretary Napolitano visited the airport last week and commended the officers for their actions and presented them with DHS coins – an honor and a sign of respect in military and government settings.

The response of our crew at STL came as no surprise. This is just one example of the caliber of employees we’ve hired at airports nationwide. They are quick on their feet and ready to respond in the face of chaos when needed.

For more information on recovery efforts from the storms, please visit FEMA’s blog.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Screening of 6 Year-Old at MSY

***Update 4-13-2011 7:07 PM*** Welcome Drudge readers and anyone else who’s new to the TSA Blog. Seeing that many of you have never been here before, I wanted to provide links to a couple of posts we've written on pat-downs. They will give you a better idea of why pat-downs are used and when.

New TSA Pat Down Procedure
Pat-downs Myths & Facts

Also, please note that we’re receiving many more comments than usual thanks to the Drudge link, so please bear with us as this is a moderated blog. Thanks! ***

-------------

A video taken of one of our officers patting down a six year-old has attracted quite a bit of attention. Some folks are asking if the proper procedures were followed. Yes. TSA has reviewed the incident and the security officer in the video followed the current standard operating procedures.

With that said, you may have read recently that our Administrator is looking into ways to move past the cookie cutter approach to screening. Recognizing that terrorists are willing to manipulate societal norms to evade detection, TSA has been actively assessing less invasive screening methods for low-risk populations, such as younger passengers, while still maintaining a high level of security.

Also, you may have heard in the video that someone references a drug test.TSA does not test for drugs. It's possible those individuals are referring to the explosive trace detection test that can detect the smallest traces of explosives.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team