The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced new security guidelines that will make your life more miserable at the airport.
The maligned agency announced on Wednesday that a myriad of electronic devices will have to be put in bins, which includes tablets, e-readers, laptops and handheld gaming consoles. Basically, any electronic device that’s bigger than a cell phone will have to go into a bin:
To ensure the security of airline passengers and the nation’s airports, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is implementing new, stronger screening procedures for carry-on items that require travelers to place all electronics larger than a cell phone in bins for X-ray screening in standard lanes. Following extensive testing and successful pilots at 10 airports, TSA plans to expand these measures to all U.S. airports during the weeks and months ahead.
Huban Gowadia, the TSA’s acting administrator, issued a statement in its news release that read, “Whether you’re flying to, from, or within the United States, TSA is committed to raising the baseline for aviation security by strengthening the overall security of our commercial aviation network to keep flying as a safe option for everyone.”
The agency admitted that the new procedures could cause delays for passengers, but tried to brush it aside by claiming that the TSA has “identified ways to improve screening procedures with quicker and more targeted measures to clear the bags.”
“It is critical for TSA to constantly enhance and adjust security screening procedures to stay ahead of evolving threats and keep passengers safe,” Gowadia said. “By separating personal electronic items such as laptops, tablets, e-readers and handheld game consoles for screening, TSA officers can more closely focus on resolving alarms and stopping terror threats.”
Those in the TSA Precheck program will not be subjected to these new rules.
These new screening procedures come on top of new pat-downs the TSA began using in March to find weapons hidden in pants that have been described as “more invasive” and “legalized groping.”
The TSA has a well-deserved reputation for harassing passengers yet being ineffective at providing adequate airport security. The agency found in an internal check that in over 95% of the tested cases, weapons and explosives went undetected. Nicole Russell suggested in a piece at The Federalist that the TSA should either be abolished or instead use profiling akin to what Israel does to ensure innocent Americans aren’t being unnecessarily harassed.