Random Testing of Liquids at Departure Gates. Nothing new...

While browsing the web this morning, I saw that the topic de jour was that TSA was now screening liquids at the gate. We've talked about random gate screening here before, and if you travel frequently, you've likely experienced a gate screening. Not a big deal really... Heck, even I have been pulled aside for random gate screening.

So, the most popular question that comes up with this topic is: "Isn't this redundant?" On the surface, it does seem that way, and it's the first logical thought that many have. However, any security expert will tell you that nothing is ever 100% secure. So, gate screening is kind of like our safety net to keep up with anybody who might be trying to get things past conventional screening.

We stay away from static security tactics. Layered security is common practice, providing the necessary unpredictable measure that makes it more difficult to do malice to the transportation infrastructure. If everything we did was always the same, it would provide a checklist for people to know exactly what to expect. While this would be extremely helpful for passengers, it would also be useful to those wishing to do us harm.

To keep this from happening, every day at airports around the nation, we work with airport partners to determine what additional screening tactics should be employed. These additional random tactics, such as gate screening, greatly increase security by making it truly unpredictable.

As far as the testing of liquids at the gate, this is just one of the many options we have to choose from when deciding what additional tactics to use each day. We started using test strips back in the summer of 2007 and continue to do so. The test involves a test strip and a dropper containing a nontoxic solution. In case you're wondering, our officers don't place the test strips in your beverages/liquids. They simply have the passenger remove the cap/lid and they hold the strip over the opening of the container. Procedures call for moving the test strip to the side and applying the solution from the dropper to test the strip. If the test results are positive TSA will conduct additional testing to make a final assessment.

In a nutshell, liquid screening at gates is random and it isn't happening at every airport every day. So other than possibly taking a few moments of your time before boarding your flight, it's business as usual.

Blogger Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team 

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

TSA Pre✓™ Through Global Entry: One Sweet Deal!

As a spokesperson for TSA, I’ve been talking about TSA Pre✓™, TSA’s risk-based, expedited checkpoint screening initiative, for the past several months and decided it was time to put my money where my mouth is. 

I travel regularly for work and pleasure, but I am, shall we say, “thrifty.” Since I purchase the cheapest ticket and am not loyal to only one airline, I knew I would not be invited to opt into TSA Pre✓™ by one of the participating airlines (US Airways, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines or Alaska Airlines).

The only option available for me to receive expedited screening through TSA Pre✓™ would be to sign up for one of the Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Trusted Traveler programs (Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI). So I did.  

With my valid passport in hand, I visited www.globalentry.gov, and then clicked on the Global Online Enrollment System link, where I provided some personal data on my application online and typed in my credit card number. It cost me $100, but I figured that if I got accepted, the “membership” would be good for five years, which comes to $20 a year. As I mentioned, I’m “frugal,” so I did the math. Nearly all of my travel is domestic, not international. Most of my travel is through the busiest airports, and on the airlines participating in TSA Pre✓™, so that sounded good. I take about 20 trips a year for business and another eight trips a year on my own. Multiply that by two (one flight departing and one flight returning) and it means that I stand in about 56 checkpoint lines per year. My back-of-the-envelope math told me that for 36 cents per trip in an average year, I could leave my shoes on, keep my jacket on, not have to bother to remove  my laptop from my knapsack, and allow my 3-1-1 liquids bag to remain tucked into my carry-on. PLUS I wouldn’t have to wait in line for others to take off their shoes and fill up the checkpoint bins. I had two words to describe that outcome: Sweet deal!

After I signed up online and paid the fee, a few days later I received an email that told me that my application had been processed and that I should arrange for a visit to an airport where I would have to go through an interview. The letter gave me a temporary Global Entry membership number that I was permitted to start to use immediately for international travel, but not right away for TSA Pre✓™ .  

Fortunately for me,  I live only about 25 miles from an airport where an officer from CBP conducts interviews. I realize that’s not the case for a lot of people. I browsed the appointment times online, and scheduled the interview. On the day of my interview, I brought my passport, driver’s license, and conditional approval letter, which I had received from CBP shortly after I applied. I watched a brief video about the Global Entry program. The video told me that Global Entry was a privilege program that could be revoked if I violated any customs laws or was arrested. I was handed a “Know Before You Go” brochure. I answered a few questions, was photographed and fingerprinted and got a solid handshake as I left. It took all of 15 minutes. My Global Entry ID card will come in the mail within a few weeks. It’s not actually necessary for me to carry around the card and cannot be used at the Global Entry kiosk, but it will include my ID number and photo. My temporary ID number is now my permanent number.

I’ve entered my new “Known Traveler” number in my airline profiles. (Apparently people forget to do that, so please consider this a reminder to do so.) The number is on the back of the card, upper left-hand number next to the words PASS ID, which I suspect stands for “Passenger Identification Number.” If you don’t have a card you can also find the number in your GOES account online.

I’m amazed that it was so darn easy.  If you see me in an airport, be sure to say hi. I’ll be the one with my shoes on. 

Lisa Farbstein

Guest Blogger & TSA Spokesperson

TSA Week in Review: Portland Passenger Puts Pistol in Potted Plant

Due the upcoming holiday, this Week in Review covers June 22^nd through June 27^th. 

Items in the Strangest Places - It’s one thing to forget you had a prohibited item in your bag, but when you intentionally try to sneak it past us, you could wind up being cited or even arrested by law enforcement. Here are a few examples from this week where passengers tried to sneak items past our Officers.

• A passenger at Portland (PDX) remembered they had a loaded .22 caliber pistol in their carry-on bag prior to going through the checkpoint. After speaking with a TSO, they were directed to the baggage counter where they could declare the firearm and check it as luggage. Well, a few moments later, he was spotted by our Behavior Detection Officers placing the gun in a potted plant and walking back toward the checkpoint. Needless to say, he was arrested by local law enforcement before reaching the checkpoint. 
• A passenger at Tampa (TPA) tried to conceal a knife by placing it inside a sock stuffed into an envelope with dolls. 
• A passenger at Greensville/Spartanburg (GSP) had a knife concealed in a can of loose tobacco.

Passenger Divests Grenade – A passenger at Las Vegas (LAS) truly didn’t know that grenades were a problem because they placed it in a divesture bowl out in the open for all to see. The passenger stated that he uses the item as a paper weight. Another passenger at Newark (EWR) had a novelty grenade torch lighter in their checked baggage. While I know that inert grenades are cool conversation pieces and make great paperweights, read here and here on why inert items cause problems at checkpoints. We don’t know they’re inert until we check them out and checking them out can often inconvenience your fellow passengers.

Body Scanner Discoveries This Week – There were a total of 9 illegal/prohibited items discovered this week with the body scanners at: HTS, OGG, MLI, PBI, FAT, 3 at SFO, and ATL. Among these finds was a passenger at Moline (MLI) who had a 4” knife concealed in his sock.

Stun Guns – 7 stun guns were discovered in carry-on bags at checkpoints around the nation at: BNA, 2 at SFO, ATL, HSV, JAX, PHL

People Say the Darndest Things – Here is an example of what not to say at the airport. Statements like these not only delay the people who said them but can also inconvenience lots of other passengers if the checkpoint or terminal has to be evacuated:

• During a bag search at Baltimore (BWI), a passenger stated: “I have a bomb in my bag.”
• During checkpoint screening at Orlando (MCO), a passenger stated: “I have a bomb in my shoe.”

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items - In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly, our Officers also found firearm components, realistic replica firearms, stun guns, brass knuckles, ammunition, batons, and oodles of knives.

Firearms - Here are the firearms our Officers found in carry-on baggage since I posted last Friday.

You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure. 

Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items.

Blogger Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

Traveling with Crematory Remains

The subject of traveling with crematory remains has been in the news recently. As part of our standard operating procedures, TSA has a clear process for screening crematory remains. Our Officers routinely conduct these types of screenings throughout our nation’s airports.

Passengers may transport crematory remains as part of their carry-on property or checked baggage. Some airlines do not allow crematory remains as checked baggage, so check with your airline first.

If carrying on the crematory remains, they are subject to screening and must pass through the X-ray machine. If the X-ray Operator cannot clear the remains, TSA may apply other, non-intrusive means of resolving the alarm. Under no circumstances will an officer open the container, even if the passenger requests this be done. If the officer cannot determine that the container does not contain a prohibited item, the remains will not be permitted.

We understand the emotional stress passengers may be under when transporting the remains of a loved one.   Our guidelines for traveling with crematory remains  is not intended to make this already emotionally difficult process more complex than needed. However, crematory remains are one of the many sensitive items that could be exploited by someone wanting to conceal a dangerous item.

If you have questions, concerns or would like to provide feedback, please feel free to contact the TSA Contact Center, 1-866-289-9673 or use the Talk to TSA feature on our website.

July 4th Travel Reminder

Ah… the 4^th of July is almost here. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be at home on my deck grilling brats, metts, and other assorted meats, but I’m sure some of you will be traveling. If that’s the case, here are a couple of pointers for you.

1. Be sure to check out our summer travel tips for information on traveling through TSA checkpoints.
2. This is your annual reminder to be sure to leave your fireworks at home and not take them on the plane. Be sure your children understand this as well... It’s an FAA violation that will get your travel plans off to a bad start.

Below are pictures of fireworks that have been found at TSA checkpoints.

Have a great holiday weekend and stay safe and be sure to check out USA.gov’s Fourth of July page for all sorts of safety tips and cool information about Independence Day. Don’t let this be you. 

Blogger Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

 

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

TSA Week in Review: Bazooka Round Discovered in Bag at DFW

Bazooka Round: After an alarm on checked baggage at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), TSA Officers discovered an old military bazooka round. Not knowing if this was live or inert, Law Enforcement Officers established a 100-foot perimeter around the item and evacuated the baggage area and terminals near the  item. An explosive ordinance disposal team put the item in a containment box and moved it to a remote location where they deemed the item inert. After all was said and done, 5 flights were delayed 1 hour, 23 minutes, affecting an unknown number of passengers. This is why we highly encourage people to contact us before flying with items such as this before they get to the airport, so they don’t inconvenience themselves and others. On a related note, do you know how the bazooka got its name? It was named after it’s resemblance to a novelty instrument played by 1930’s  era comedian Bob Burns.

IED Training Aid Discovered at Norfolk – An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) training aid was discovered in a passenger’s checked baggage at Norfolk (ORF). As I’ve said before, we’re all too familiar with instructors and other people in this type of business needing these types of items for their jobs, but as with all inert training items and replicas, we don’t know they’re not real until we’ve gone through all the motions. These motions can include evacuated baggage areas and closed checkpoints which lead to delays and missed flights. People that need to travel with INERT items should plan ahead and contact their preferred shipper about mailing the training aids to their destination.

Holy Bat Stars, Batman – These bat stars are exactly what you would need in your arsenal when fighting diabolical crime, however, they’re not OK to take on a plane. These were found at San Diego (SAN). Throwing stars were also discovered at AUS, DCA, and SEA and throwing knives were discovered at LAX.

Eau de Kaboom – A bottle of cologne in the shape of a grenade was discovered in a passenger’s carry-on bag at San Diego (SAN). On the X-ray, it looked like a regular hand grenade, so it took time to clear.  In addition, two training grenades were discovered after an alarm in checked baggage at Norfolk (ORF). The passenger at ORF also had 4 magazines loaded with 120 .223 rounds. And if that’s not enough, two other inert grenades were discovered in a carry-on bag at Savannah (SAV). Read here and here  for more information on why inert items cause problems at checkpoints. We don’t know they’re inert until we check them out and checking them out can often inconvenience your fellow passengers.

Body Scanner Discoveries This Week – There were a total of 13 illegal and prohibited items discovered this week with the body scanners at AVP, EWR, BTV, 2 for OGG, SEA, FAI, PHX, 3 for SFO, SMF, and BDL. Among the items were drugs and drug paraphernalia, but one of the passengers was loaded for bear!!! After alarming the body scanner, a large can of bear mace was found concealed in the passenger’s sock at Newark (EWR). Finding these types of items in areas where explosives could also be hidden is a testament that the technology works.  

Items in the Strangest Places - It’s one thing to forget you had a prohibited item in your bag, but when you intentionally try to sneak it past us, you could wind up being cited or even arrested by law enforcement. Here are a few examples from this week where passengers tried to sneak items past our Officers.

• A knife was discovered wrapped in a towel and concealed in a water bottle at Denver (DEN). The passenger admitted they were trying to sneak it past our officers.
• Two cane swords were discovered at Las Vegas (LAS).
• A knife was found concealed inside a hollowed out book at Kahului (OGG).
• Marijuana was discovered taped inside of a book after a checked baggage alarm at Philadelphia (PHL).
• Brass knuckles were discovered concealed under multiple rolls of quarters in a gift box at Philadelphia (PHL). The passenger admitted they were trying to sneak it past our officers.

Stun Guns – 6 stun guns were discovered in carry-on bags at checkpoints around the nation at: SFO, ORF, DEN, MSP, RIC, and LAX.

People Say the Darndest Things – Here is an example of what not to say at the airport. Statements like these not only delay the people who said them but can also inconvenience lots of other passengers if the checkpoint or terminal has to be evacuated:

A passenger at Kansas City (KCI) who was frustrated after being on standby stated: “I’m going to go get a gun and shoot everybody if I don’t make this flight.”

Stolen Laptop in Tampa Recovered in New York – After reporting her laptop missing, TSA at Tampa (TPA) reviewed the checkpoint video footage and observed a passenger taking the laptop and placing it in their bag. Thanks to the footage, a description was provided and the thief’s flight was met at LaGuardia by NY Port Authority Police and TSA. The passenger confessed and the laptop was eventually returned to its rightful owner.

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items - In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly, our Officers also found firearm components, realistic replica firearms, stun guns, brass knuckles, ammunition, batons, and oodles of knives.

Firearms - Here are the firearms our Officers found in carry-on baggage since I posted last Friday.

You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure. 

Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items.

Blogger Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.