New questions and searches greet travelers flying to US
CHICAGO — Some were asked their hobbies and packing habits. Others were queried about what they do for a living. There were lines for security interviews and searches of carry-on bags.
The first passengers to travel under new screening measures for US-bound flights were greeted at airports around the world with a wide range of hurdles — some new, some familiar — to clear before boarding their planes.
The Trump administration is requiring that both U.S. and global air carriers adopt enhance security screening for every flight to the US All travelers — American citizens and foreigners — are subject to the new protocols, which went into effect Thursday.
The new procedures cover all 2,100 flights from around the world entering the US on any given day. But how each airline implements the measures varies, and some of the procedures have been in place before in parts of the world.
While some passengers described tense moments and long lines, there were few reports of major disruptions to global travel Thursday. Confusion, however, remains about the new regulations, with airlines describing different methods of implementation and some saying they had were granted permission to delay putting them in place until next year.
At Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel, long-haul carrier Emirates began questioning passengers about their luggage, liquids they were carrying and where they were coming from. Passengers also had to have their carry-on bags searched, along with their electronics. Air France said it will provide questionnaires for all US-bound passengers to fill out.
Singapore Airlines passengers may be required to “undergo enhanced security measures” including inspection of personal electronic devices “as well as security questioning during check-in and boarding,” the carrier said on its website.
Other carriers who announced the new regulations included Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., the airlines of Germany’s Lufthansa Group and EgyptAir.
Korean Air Lines Co., Asiana Airlines Inc., and Royal Jordanian said they were given exemptions to implement the new measures early next year.
Chris McGinnis, an international travel consultant with Travel Skills Group, said the new measures were implemented during a traditionally slow period for international travel, making the transition easier. And in some countries where drug trafficking or terrorism is a concern, airlines have long subjected US-bound passengers to security interviews, he noted.
“They are not looking for the right answers. They are looking for suspicious behavior, if you are sweating abnormally, you may be asked for a closer examination,” McGinnis said.
What’s new is that such measures are now being applied in every country. (AP)
