Passengers travelling to the US will now be subjected to physical pat-downs as authorities announced fresh set of security measures following an unsuccessful attempt by a Nigerian to blow up a US plane midair.
"As a result of this incident, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has worked with airline and law enforcement authorities, as well as federal, state, local, and international partners to put additional security measures in place to ensure aviation security remains strong," an official statement said.
The TSA said it has issued a directive for additional security measures to be implemented for last point of departure international flights to the United States.
"Passengers flying into the United States from abroad can expect to see additional security measures at international airports such as increased gate screening including pat-downs and bag searches," it said.
Pat-downs include physical checking of the entire body of both men and women. "During flight, passengers will be asked to follow flight crew instructions, such as stowing personal items, turning off electronic equipment and remaining seated during certain portions of the flight," the TSA said.
At this time, security checkpoint requirements for passengers departing US airports remain the same.
Passengers do not need to do anything differently, but they may notice additional security measures at the airport, the new guidelines said.
For travelling within the US, the TSA said passengers should give themselves extra time to check in and proceed through the security checkpoint before their flight, especially during the busy holiday travel season.
TSA advises that passengers travelling on international flights to US destinations allow extra time for security and arrive an additional hour earlier, the statement said.
The Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano, had said Saturday that passengers flying from international locations to US destinations may notice additional security measures in place.
"These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere," she said.
"Due to the busy holiday travel season, both domestic and international travellers should allot extra time for check-in," she said. PTI
