The Transportation Security Administration announced Wednesday that passengers will now be required to place any electronics larger than a cellphone separately through X-ray machines at all U.S. airports.
“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,” TSA Acting Administrator Huban Gowadia said in a statement.
Under TSA’s prior policy, only laptops needed to be removed from carry-on luggage and placed in separate bins for X-ray screening.
But the new policy requires travelers in standard security lanes to remove any electronics larger than a cellphone — such as tablets, e-readers, and hand-held game consoles — from their luggage and placed in a separate bin for screening.
TSA’s new security measure follows an aviation security plan announced by Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly last month, which applied to international flights coming into the United States. Homeland Security’s plan included enhanced screening of electronics, more thorough passenger vetting, and additional measures to mitigate the threat of insider attacks, and was designed to thwart new ways for terrorists to sneak bombs onto planes.
TSA tested its new screening measure for small electronics at 10 airports, and it’ll now be expanded to all airports in the U.S. in the coming weeks and months.
“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.
The new security measure does not apply to travelers enrolled in TSA’s PreCheck program.
