by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:25 AM ET, Thu July 27, 2017
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced Wednesday that it will begin implementing stronger screening procedures, including forcing travelers to put all electronic devices larger than a cell phone through X-ray machines.
TSA officials have been testing the new screening process at 10 airports, and the federal agency plans to implement the measures at all airports in the United States during the coming months after the preliminary tests were a success.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly announced in June that nearly 280 airports in more than 100 countries would be issued new security requirements, and the same stringent processes are now being added in the United States.
"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 A. Gowadia said in a statement.
TSA agents will begin requesting all travelers in standard lanes remove electronics larger than a cell phone from their carry-on bags and place them in a bin with nothing on top of them, similar to how laptops are currently screened. The bins will then be sent through the X-ray machines.
[READMORE]READ MORE: TSA Now Has A Pat-Down Training Mannequin[/READMORE]
To help speed up the process, officers will be stationed in front of checkpoint X-ray machines to will help travelers arrange their carry-on items for screening. While agents are trained to help, people are encouraged to organize their carry-on bags and keep them uncluttered to speed up the process.
For TSA Pre-Check passengers, the new security measures do not apply when they use the approved TSA Pre-Check lanes available at 200 airports nationwide.
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