More Carry-On Items Screened Separately At BWI Airport

LINTHICUM, MD — Air travelers could take more time getting through screening at Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport as authorities roll out changes. All electronic devices larger than cell phones must be taken out of carry-on luggage under screening procedures recently announced by authorities to strengthen security at airports nationwide.

"This simple step helps TSA officers obtain a clearer X-ray image by uncluttering carry-on bags," Maryland's TSA Federal Security Director Andrea R. Mishoe said in a statement announcing the new procedure on Oct. 16.

Items that can be brought through checkpoints will not change, but passengers will be required to remove more of their carry-on belongings and put them into bins on conveyor belts for screening.

Cameras, tablets and e-readers are among the items that should be taken out of bags for screening and placed into bins with nothing above or below them, according to a statement from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Passengers enrolled in TSA Pre✓ using the pre-check lanes are exempt from the new security screenings.

The goal is to "address the current terror threat by raising the baseline of aviation security," the TSA said in a statement.

“It is critical for TSA to constantly enhance and adjust security screening procedures to stay ahead of evolving threats and keep passengers safe," TSA Deputy Administrator Huban A. Gowadia stated previously.

"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,” Gowadia said.

What Passengers Should Do

• Organize carry-on items ahead of time to allow for quick removal of items.
• Do not bring liquids greater than 3.4 oz (per already existing guidelines). Liquids, gels, aerosols, creams and pastes must be 3.4 ounces or less and all bottles must fit in a single quart-size plastic bag and put in a bin for screening.
• Arrive two hours before scheduled departure.

The new screening measures at BWI will be phased in across the country incrementally as officers receive training in the weeks ahead.

Officers will be guiding passengers through the process at X-ray machines at checkpoints. They will be asking people to take personal electronic devices larger than a cell phone out of their carry-on bags and recommend how best to arrange their items for screening, officials said.

The new screening program was piloted and was already in place at 10 airports over the summer, the TSA announced previously:

• Boise Airport (BOI)
• Colorado Springs Airport (COS)
• Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
• Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB)
• Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU)
• McCarran International Airport (LAS)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

More bag checks may be required as the process gets underway, officials said.

Check the list of what is allowed in carry-on luggage from TSA.

Call the TSA Cares helpline toll free at 1-855- 787-2227 with any questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint 72 hours prior to traveling. Tweet your questions and comments to @AskTSA from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekends/holidays.

Photo courtesy of Homeland Security.