US flight? Passengers warned to expect delays thanks to NEW airport security measures
US flights are expected to face delays at airports throughout the country due to tighter security measures introduced by the Trump administration.
Travel and terrorism experts discuss the new 'laptop ban'
Passengers travelling to America have been warned of more rigorous screening and tighter airport security.
Travellers have been advised to arrive at least three hours before their flight from tomorrow.
This is when new rules will be introduced, involving thorough searches of electronic devices.
The use of sniffer dogs will be increased and more security will be deployed around aircraft.
US flights will be hit with new airport security meaures due to ongoing terrorism intelligence
Airlines have also been instructed to ramp up explosive trace detection screening from tomorrow.
They have been given 120 days to comply with other security measures.
If they don’t sufficiently search passengers, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will consider introducing new laptop restriction rules.
US flights - new airport security measures will include thorough searches of laptops
Terrorist groups continue to target passenger aircraft
It said: "Terrorist groups continue to target passenger aircraft, and we have seen a 'spider web' of threats to commercial aviation as terrorist pursue new attack methods.”
Tomorrow’s new mandatory measures have come after the electronic device ban was lifted from all Middle Eastern airlines on flights to the US.
The Transport Security Administration (TSA) has defended the strategy in a bid to avoid widening the laptop ban again.
But the International Air Transport Association has criticised the move.
US flights - security controls have been tightened at airport security as well as around aircraft
It argued the security measures will be “extremely difficult” to implement at airports across the globe.
This, according to IATA, is due to a “lack of availability of screening equipment technology and resources”.
Higher controls have been revealed by John Kelly, Homeland Security Secretary for 208 airports in 105 countries, affecting over 2,000 flights.
While UK airports don’t appear to be affected by the new rules as yet, all flights arriving in the US will be subject to tightened security.