New TSA Policies Could Drastically Change Your Travel Routine : Here’s How

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The future of flying in the United States may well be on the precipice of major change. After comments by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, there’s a lot of speculation about the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) relaxing its security check liquid and shoe policies. That’d be a radical departure in travel experience in all respects short of getting rid of the belts-on/x-rays off security-line shuffle.

The Rise Of Liquid And Shoe Regulations

The liquid standards at the TSA have long been a standard part of the airport experience. When the limits were first blueprinted in 2006, travelers scrambled to make sense of the 3-1-1 rule, which limits liquids in carry-on bags to one quart-size zip-top bag, with bottles holding no more than 3.4 ounces. The rule came in the wake of authorities disrupting a plan to blow up aircraft with liquid explosives carried onboard. Many have since grudgingly acquiesced to these restrictions, even if they have caused travelers to guzzle their water or throw away personal care items before entering the security line.

Homeland Security’s Vision for Change

Noem’s comments at a conference hosted by The Hill on Wednesday raised some eyebrows after she suggested herding could usher in the next era for TSA screening. “The liquids, I’m questioning. So that may be the next big announcement, is what size your liquids have to be,’’ she unveiled. There have been no details released except to say that more will be coming soon, but the news only further slows everyone with regard to the future of air travel security.

Coupled with the possible easing of dietary restrictions, the TSA has already made changes that are quite seismic for some, like no longer requiring passengers to remove their shoes when going through screenings. This shift, announced earlier this year, has raised hopes for a larger reassessment of the agency’s security policies, which many travelers believe have grown increasingly cumbersome over the years.

What Happens If Regulations Are Relaxed?

These potential changes have implications beyond convenience. Any attempt to simplify security would be good for travelers and help to reduce their stress levels, as Henry Harteveldt, an analyst with the travel industry research firm Atmosphere Research Group, pointed out. Security lines are the weakest link in airport screenings, and the faster that travelers can pass through, the better it is for everyone’s safety.

Shoe changes have already been put in place, but will the restriction on liquids be next? Are passengers on the brink of being able to tote full-size bottles of shampoo and lotion onto airplanes? {Question} Can I bring two 1-quart bags of liquids in my carry-on on more than one flight? Or will the rule be loosened to allow full-sized bottles back through security in carry-ons?

Challenges in Implementing New Policies

Industry experts agree that whatever changes do come, they will need to be monitored carefully. Keith Jeffries, a former TSA director and the current vice president of K2 Security Screening Group, described the chaos when the original liquid ban was implemented in 2006. The move to enforce the rule without warning led to confusion as bins brimmed with items such as toothpaste and shaving cream. To prevent a similar mess, Jeffries stressed the importance of clear communication if TSA looks at new policies.

And for all the talk of the administration’s pursuit of revisions, there are logistical barriers to that change. Even today at most airports, however, X-ray machines can’t reliably distinguish between benign and harmful liquids. Although newer computed tomography (CT) scanners are being installed at some airports, it will likely be years before they are in wide enough use to support a full shift away from liquid restrictions.

What Comes Next for TSA PreCheck and the Traveling Public

Adding to the pile of considerations is the issue of what it may, or may not, mean for TSA PreCheck enrollment. The PreCheck program allows enrolled passengers to have faster security screening that does things like leave shoes on and keep laptops inside bags. If TSA were to loosen its liquid and shoe policies for all travelers, it might slow the number of passengers signing up for PreCheck. “This is an important consideration for TSA to understand going forward with any changes,” Jeffries said.

Future Outlook: Intelligent Security for the Trainee Experience.

As travelers and aviation insiders alike eagerly await more details from the TSA, the hope is that these possible policy changes could result in a less cumbersome, more streamlined travel process. Still, as Harteveldt noted, “The devil is going to be in the details.” While loosening liquid and shoe rules could ease stress and passenger flow, TSA walks a line between convenience and risk. For now, all there is to do is wait and see how these changes will transpire and how soon they will be implemented at airports across the nation.

If they have their intended effect, the new rules could fundamentally change how Americans experience air travel. Good news may soon greet airline passengers, at least those who travel frequently, who could soon be able to take bigger bottles of shampoo or iced tea through security and leave their shoes on when doing so. But as usual, it can be bet the security of the skies will be factored into any decision.

Ultimately, travelers are left to hope that the promised policy changes, if they materialize, will indeed make air travel more convenient without undermining the security efforts that protect passengers in the air. With so many variables in play, the road to these possible changes will be just as complicated as the air travel system is.

(Source: Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, The Hill, Atmosphere Research Group, K2 Security Screening Group, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Aviation Experts)