Posted on: Monday, September 17, 2001
On the road
Getting on plane won't be as easy
Advertiser News Services
As Americans attempt to resume normal life, they will find that some of the biggest changes will be in air travel. Last week's acts of terrorism already are prompting new practices.
• Security: Air France will start assigning plainclothes guards on some flights. El Al Israel Airlines and Kuwaiti Airlines already station armed guards on all flights.
Other major airlines haven't adopted the practice, and analysts have said that doing so on every flight would be prohibitively expensive. British Airways, Deutsche Lufthansa, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and other carriers wouldn't specify what measures they will take.
The Federal Aviation Administration is working on rules for international carriers. Such measures are likely to be taken up abroad as well, even for flights not traveling to the United States.
Passengers used to be allowed to take small knives and box cutters onto planes. Since Tuesday's hijackings, the FAA has banned knives with blades of less than 4 inches. Some other regulators are adopting that rule as well.
• Departures: Arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights, three hours for international. The FAA has banned curbside check-ins at all airports. The less you bring to carry on, the better — because at many airports all carry-on and checked luggage is being opened and examined by hand.
• E-tickets: A new FAA security directive states that "only ticketed passengers will be allowed to proceed past airport screeners to catch their flights."
This means e-ticket holders must get a paper ticket, a boarding pass or other proof of being a passenger. A driver's license won't do, says FAA spokesman Bill Shumann.
• Packing: If at all possible, leave electronic devices at home, because that will add to your time at security. If you have a laptop, you will probably be made to turn it on at the metal detector.
When you must bring along electronic devices, putting them in your checked luggage may speed things up.
