Airline Security Questions Scrapped

ByABC News
August 30, 2002, 9:31 AM

— -- No More Airline Security Questions

W A S H I N G T O N, Aug. 29 Airline passengers, starting immediately, willno longer be asked the routine security questions about whetherthey have kept a close eye on their baggage.

Ticket agents have been required for the past 16 years to askpassengers two questions: "Has anyone unknown to you asked you tocarry an item on this flight?" and "Have any of the items you aretraveling with been out of your immediate control since the timeyou packed them?"

The questions are being phased out because they create a hassleand have never prevented a bombing or hijacking, said James Loy,head of the Transportation Security Administration.

"Over the years, they have lost whatever original value theycontributed and can now be safely eliminated," Loy said Wednesday.

The questions take about 20 seconds to ask and that adds up to alonger wait for someone standing in line behind 20 people, Loysaid.

The TSA, which was created after Sept. 11 to oversee aviationsecurity, has already begun to notify the airlines of the decision,Loy said. "They are delighted," he said.

David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, saidpassengers would be delighted, too.

"It's about time," Stempler said.

Loy, who took over last month, said last week the agency wasconsidering eliminating the questions as part of a larger review ofsafety regulations. He announced then that passengers will beallowed to carry drinks in paper or foam cups through metaldetectors.

Next on the agenda may be random screening of passengers atairport gates, he said.

"I think passengers would really like that," Stempler said."We never understood that. You either do it right the first timeor fix what you're doing at the security lane."

The Associated Press

U.S. Backs Off Restricting Foreign Aircraft On Sept. 11

W A S H I N G T O N, Aug. 29 The Bush administration backed off a proposaltoday to restrict foreign air carriers from flying over thethree Sept. 11 crash sites during the anniversary of the attacks,administration officials said.