Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate - Does Europe now accept TSA screening?

I just flew into KEF for a stay in Iceland and things are now different when it comes to security.

I've been through KEF many times, just to visit Iceland as well as in transit to Europe. In the past, upon arrival in KEF on a flight from the US, you had to go thru security and passport control to enter the departure hall.

This time, when exiting the plane in KEF, the security area was closed and roped off, with a special pathway that took us directly to passport control. I was in the departure hall (a secure area) without having to go thru security upon arrival.

Does anyone have any information about this change and if this is now standard procedure at places other than KEF? Does the European security organization now accept TSA screening for their security purposes?

Not sure what this has to do with Europe as a whole, when I fly to Germany I never had to got through "security." First I went through Passport Control, luggage claim and then customs.

I just flew into KEF for a stay in Iceland and things are now different when it comes to security.

I've been through KEF many times, just to visit Iceland as well as in transit to Europe. In the past, upon arrival in KEF on a flight from the US, you had to go thru security and passport control to enter the departure hall.

This time, when exiting the plane in KEF, the security area was closed and roped off, with a special pathway that took us directly to passport control. I was in the departure hall (a secure area) without having to go thru security upon arrival.

Does anyone have any information about this change and if this is now standard procedure at places other than KEF? Does the European security organization now accept TSA screening for their security purposes?

It's been a while since I flew to KEF and my memory is hazy.

At what point did you have access to your checked bags? Before or after the departure hall?

Very interesting. I flew through KEF within the last month and found the set-up to be annoying, but it was from Toronto instead of directly from the US. I found it strange that everyone (even those staying in Iceland and not boarding another flight) had to go through security upon getting off the plane.

I am also curious about the EU's policy regarding flights from the US. I found this from the Helsinki airport's website:

Helsinki Airport follows European Union's (EU) security regulations. This means, that all passengers transferring from non-EU countries to European Union countries, except those from the USA, have to go through a security control.

Is this policy supposed to apply to all EU airports?

Does the European security organization now accept TSA screening for their security purposes?
What "European security organisation". There ain't no such thing. And apart from KEF I've never known a European airport to do security checks on arrival.

Helsinki Airport follows European Union's (EU) security regulations. This means, that all passengers transferring from non-EU countries to European Union countries, except those from the USA, have to go through a security control.

Is this policy supposed to apply to all EU airports?
That only applies to connections - and strictly speaking the security is not on arrival but on departure.

OP, your question really doesn't make any sense at all.

At ATL and and I believe at IAH (both US airports, governed by TSA rules), one has to go through security to exit from international arrivals.

At ATL and and I believe at IAH (both US airports, governed by TSA rules), one has to go through security to exit from international arrivals.
You can ask to be escorted out instead. Big thread here about that. Takes a while but it's possible.

Wonder if similar is possible at KEF when their exit-security is set up.

For 2-3 years now, the USA and the EU have recognized each others' security checks as sufficient and mutually acceptable. Hence why when you arrive in a European airport you don't necessarily have to go through security again.

The big caveat is that the airport has to be able to physically accommodate the separation between screened passengers from "accepted countries" and others. If at any point this separation cannot be guaranteed (because it's not physically possible at older airports, for example), then everyone gets screened again.

Thank you very much for clarifying this. Are there any airports where one can fly from the EU to the US, transfer flights, and not have to go through security again (excluding pre-clearance flights)? This would make things much more convenient. I know that there is the argument that one needs to access checked luggage to clear customs, however, at the SNN pre-clearance facility, the passenger does not need to access checked luggage and verifies the bag based upon a computerized photo. This seems much more efficient than going through security again.

Not sure what this has to do with Europe as a whole, when I fly to Germany I never had to got through "security." First I went through Passport Control, luggage claim and then customs.


I travel to Schengen countries in Europe a great deal, transiting either KEF (on FI) or AMS (on DL). In both KEF and AMS, you must go thru security to get to the gate for the connecting flight.

Perhaps you were on a nonstop from the US to Germany and did not have to go thru security on the European side because you were not connecting to a European flight.

I have always had to connect to another flight at KEF or AMS, and I have always gone thru security.

The reason given has always been that TSA does not accept European security checks and vice versa.

What "European security organisation". There ain't no such thing. And apart from KEF I've never known a European airport to do security checks on arrival.

I fly SEA-AMS-ARN all the time, and everyone leaving the international terminal in AMS to get to the gates for the Inter-European flights (in a different terminal) Must go thru security.

OP, your question really doesn't make any sense at all.

At ATL and and I believe at IAH (both US airports, governed by TSA rules), one has to go through security to exit from international arrivals.

That is because in ATL (at least prior to the new intl terminal) you had to clear security (even if not connecting to a domestic flight) because to exit the international terminal and get to baggage claim, you had to go thru the secure area of the domestic terminal.

And you did this because TSA does not accept Eurpoean screening. If you could exit the intl terminal and not enter a secure area, you would not be screened by TSA.

Because TSA screenings have not, in the past, been accepted by European Authorities, to enter a secure area in a European airport, you had to go thru a security screening at that airport, even if you just walked off a plane that flew in.

Prior to this trip, to enter the Departure Hall at KEF, you had to go thru security even though you just stepped off the arrival from a US city. This is no longer the case. Tou clear Passport Control and go directly into the Departure Hall, a secure area.

Why did this change?

For 2-3 years now, the USA and the EU have recognized each others' security checks as sufficient and mutually acceptable. Hence why when you arrive in a European airport you don't necessarily have to go through security again.

The big caveat is that the airport has to be able to physically accommodate the separation between screened passengers from "accepted countries" and others. If at any point this separation cannot be guaranteed (because it's not physically possible at older airports, for example), then everyone gets screened again.

Can you provide a link to confirm this? I have searched for any official statement, but cannot find anything.

If this has been in place for several years, why did KEF just change now?

There has been no change in the terminal to accommodate separation; security is just roped off, you walk around it, and go directly to Passport Control.

I flew into KEF from BOS 4 weeks ago, and connected to a flight to ARN. When I walked off the plane in KEF, I went thru security before Passport Control and into the Departure Hall.

Why this change now?

For 2-3 years now, the USA and the EU have recognized each others' security checks as sufficient and mutually acceptable. Hence why when you arrive in a European airport you don't necessarily have to go through security again.

But wait! In Europe there is no shoe removal! How can the US find that acceptable???

;)

I fly SEA-AMS-ARN all the time, and everyone leaving the international terminal in AMS to get to the gates for the Inter-European flights (in a different terminal) Must go thru security.
And as I explained it's a security check on departure, not arrival.

If you were only going to AMS then you wouldn't pass through a security check.

The same thing would happen in the US, UK, anywhere else in Schengen, virtually anywhere else in the world if you came from a place outside those areas so i'm confused as to what your point is as when you return to the US you go through security check if you have an onward flight.

Perhaps you were on a nonstop to the US from the Netherlands and did not have to go thru security on the US side because you were not connecting to a US flight.