wigstheone
Jan 11, 02, 11:05 am
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Government sources tell CNN that airlines will receive final guidance Friday from the federal government on what measures it will consider acceptable in meeting new bag screening requirements.
The rules, effective January 18, mandate that all checked bags be screened.
Right now, only about 10 percent of checked luggage is examined for explosives, and airlines have been meeting frequently with federal officials to determine how to best screen the rest.
Airlines can use huge, million-dollar explosive detection machines, but only 161 are in place at major airports. The industry would need 2,200 to screen the 1.3 billion bags it handles every year.
So, Congress in the Aviation Security Act gave airlines other options -- including using bomb-sniffing dogs, of which there are 175 in place at 39 airports.
But former FAA security chief Cathal Flynn says there could be problems because the canine teams are trained to search planes, rooms or unattended bags for bombs.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TRAVEL/NEWS/01/11/airlines.baggage/index.html
The rules, effective January 18, mandate that all checked bags be screened.
Right now, only about 10 percent of checked luggage is examined for explosives, and airlines have been meeting frequently with federal officials to determine how to best screen the rest.
Airlines can use huge, million-dollar explosive detection machines, but only 161 are in place at major airports. The industry would need 2,200 to screen the 1.3 billion bags it handles every year.
So, Congress in the Aviation Security Act gave airlines other options -- including using bomb-sniffing dogs, of which there are 175 in place at 39 airports.
But former FAA security chief Cathal Flynn says there could be problems because the canine teams are trained to search planes, rooms or unattended bags for bombs.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TRAVEL/NEWS/01/11/airlines.baggage/index.html