Increased Security when Traveling by Air to the United States
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 Airplane
travel is on the rise and with that come more airport horror stories that can be
shared. Many find traveling via airplane to be convenient and at times
cost-efficient. However, there are certain things that travelers dread like
going through airport security and dealing with immigration officials.
Especially in the United States after 9/11, numerous security measures were
introduced that have changed how individuals travel. Other countries also
stepped up their security at airports and other traveling ports in order to
fight terrorism. Documents like passports, identification cards and visas are
more likely to be scrutinized by officials. They have become a requirement and
thus travelers should plan ahead in order to have these ready for when they
travel. The surge in demand for newly required documents has only made the
backlog worse. Processing time for passports has increased, so this may require
submitting an application sooner in order to get it on time. Airport personnel
have received additional training and have to go through more extensive
background checks to get hired. The TSA or Transportation Security
Administration which is part of the Department of the Homeland Security is now
responsible for screening passengers and luggage. Family and friends who were
once allowed to wait at the airport gates are not allowed beyond a certain
point. Travelers may not leave luggage unattended as this may pose a serious
threat like a bomb. In addition, travelers are encouraged to alert officials if
they see any unattended luggage or anything suspicious.
In the United States some of the restrictions placed on passengers include being
limited to a certain number of carry-ons that must meet specific requirements.
Liquid or gel items in carry-on baggage like deodorant, shaving gel, makeup,
shampoo, conditioner and the like are allowed in small quantities. Travel size
items have to be able to fit in one small Ziploc bag. Liquids that were
previously allowed like drinks are not allowed on the plane unless they were
purchased at one of the airport’s terminals after making it through security.
When going through security, shoes usually need to be removed and jackets may
need to be removed. Identification and boarding passes should be kept on hand as
these may be checked often at various checkpoints. Luggage (both check-in and
carry-on) will be screened with an x-ray machine. Luggage may be put through an
extra inspection by TSA personnel. Travelers are required to go through metal
detectors and may have to go through a more thorough inspection where they are
patted down by TSA personnel. Some airports in the U.S. and even London’s
Heathrow airport are testing out the latest x-ray machines called backscatters.
Unlike traditional x-ray machines, these are able to give a 360 degree image of
the individual. Personnel working a backscatter are able to see through an
individual’s clothes, their genitalia and even their bones. Due to this advance
technology, scans are done by individuals of the same sex. The backscatter has
faced criticism but its use has been severely limited. It is just one of many
ways that the Department of Homeland Security and its equivalent in other
countries are trying to improve airport security.
Among one of the experiences that some travelers have shared include being
hauled away by Miami immigration officials into a room without any explanation
after getting through immigration. The lady was held up in the room for an hour
and a half and then released. After demanding an explanation, she was told that
her fingerprints turned up to be one of a known terrorist in their database and
that she may want to consider using hand cream next time she’s at the airport.
Another bad traveling experience in Miami was a traveler who accidentally filled
out a line of an immigration form that he was not supposed to. The immigration
official would not let him make the correction right then and there or get a new
form and come back. So this individual had to grab a new form and wait in line
again for another hour. A traveler from Liverpool, England had to wait more than
three hours to get through the immigration lines. There were only four
immigration officers and staff was described as being overwhelmed and
disorganized. Seniors got tired of queuing, adults got impatient, and kids got
antsy and cried. One male traveler going through the New York JFK airport was
briefly made fun of his last name by an immigration official. Then that same
traveler who forgot to stow away his penknife in his check-in luggage discovered
it in his carry-on luggage when arriving in Las Vegas, Nevada. He thought it was
ironic how all these security measures were put in place after 9/11 yet it was
still possible to get through security with banned items. While many share their
horror stories, they are also many good stories that go untold. For a better
experience, it is wise to be prepared, do some research and be there on time.
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