The U.S. Transportation Security Administration rolled out new security changes for international flights bound for the United States, effective Thursday. Here's what you need to know if you think you might be affected.
Who is affected?
According to Lisa Farbstein, a spokeswoman for the TSA, all passengers aboard U.S.-bound flights may be subject to additional "enhanced screening" measures, including U.S. citizens.
According to the Associated Press, approximately 2,100 international flights arrive in the U.S. daily, and Farbstein has said that the new security measures "will impact all flights."
What do the "enhanced screening" measures entail?
The new security protocol will include more thorough screening of luggage, and short interviews before boarding and take-off, both in the form of written questionnaires and verbal interviews.
Personal electronics will also be subject to tighter security measures, which comes after a 120-day period following a lift on a laptop ban affecting 10 Mideast cities.
Fran Young, a passenger on a flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles, told CNBC about some of the questions she was asked.
"They asked me if I packed my own bag, where I packed it from, where I came from, they looked at my itinerary, verified where I was, who I was, from where I came from," she said.
How could this affect your travel?
With the security measures being so new, many international airports have seen increased wait times.
"It's a little inconvenient, I kind of just want to get my printed ticket and then just go inside," Gavin Lai told CNBC. "I don't want to wait on people to interview me like that. So it's a little annoying."
Some airlines have requested to delay implementation of the new security screenings until January, but it's probably a good idea to leave extra time if you're flying to the U.S., just in case.
The Wall Street Journal suggests leaving three hours to get through security:
Twitter seems dubious about whether the security measures will be effective, however:
Besides potentially effecting tourism:
But there's always a back-up plan:
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